Nikolas Cruz defence refuses to share his reaction to life sentence verdict
‘This day is not a day of celebration, but a day of solemn acknowledgement and a solemn opportunity to reflect on the healing that is necessary for this community,’ public defender says
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The defence team for Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz refused to share his reaction to his life sentence verdict with reporters.
Public Defender Gordon Weekes addressed the media at a press conference shortly after the jury announced it would not sentencing Cruz to death on Thursday.
Asked how Cruz reacted to that decision, Mr Weekes said “no further questions” and stepped back from the microphone.
Sitting in the courtroom as the lengthy 17-count verdict was read out, Cruz appeared emotionless while families of his victims shook their heads in disbelief.
In his brief statement about the outcome, Mr Weekes said: “I first like to start off by acknowledging the efforts of the jurors that we have seen in this case. It is a solemn responsibility to be called to serve as a juror and for this jury to stand firm to their oath, their commitment, to hear all the evidence.
”It’s important that we as a community recognise ... a system that we all cherish, abide by, as supported by our Constitution.
“This day is not a day of celebration, but a day of solemn acknowledgement and a solemn opportunity to reflect on the healing that is necessary for this community.”
Mr Weekes said Cruz “will be taken into the custody of the Department of Corrections … eventually assigned a prison where he will remain for the rest of his life without possibility of parole”.
“They heard it all and they weighed it all, and they rendered a verdict, and we have to respect that,” he said of the jury.
“This team appreciates, respects and understands their loss. … As a community, we can now begin the process of healing,” he said regarding the families of the victims.
“For processing purposes, the jury's verdict is final. However, in the state of Florida, victims have a constitutional right to be heard at every stage of the proceedings. And the courts respect their right to give them the opportunity to be heard. And we appreciate that. We recognise that and that should be followed,” Mr Weekes said. “However, we have to also recognise that the jurors have sat through a number of days of very, very difficult traumatic evidence, and they heard it all.”
Fred Guttenberg, who lost his daughter Jaime in the shooting, told the press after the verdict: “I’m stunned. I’m devastated. There are 17 victims that did not receive justice today.”
“This jury failed our families today,” he added.
“He should have received a death sentence today. There was no mercy for a murder that was planned over a long period of time.”
“I don’t know how this jury came to the conclusions that they did today,” Mr Guttenberg continued. “But 17 families did not receive justice. Because of what happened to our families, we are all in this position now of doing the work that we do around this country to keep this from happening to another family, and this decision today only makes it more likely that the next mass shooting will be attempted.”
Mr Guttenberg went on to criticise the defence team.
“Their inability to ever for a second either in the courtroom or outside of the courtroom have a human moment with us, a civil moment, was despicable,” he said.