Nikolas Cruz sentencing: Parkland trial delayed due to hurricane threat in Florida

Chilling video footage shows Nikolas Cruz acting out how he skinned lizards alive from the age of four during an interview with a forensic psychiatrist earlier this year.

The video clip, played in Cruz’s sentencing trial on Tuesday, shows the mass murderer nonchalantly describing his first memories of torturing and killing animals to Dr Charles Scott.

Dr Charles Scott, the prosecutor’s rebuttal witness, interviewed Cruz over three full days in March 2022 as part of his extensive psychiatric evaluation of the Parkland gunman.

In one interview on 2 March, Dr Scott asked Cruz when he recalled first hurting animals.

“I broke a lizards back with a rock,” Cruz quickly replied in the video clip, adding that he believes he was around three years old at the time.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the full story:

The prosecution began its rebuttal case on Tuesday, following a two-week break in the trial.

The state called witnesses to testify and presented evidence seeking to show that Nikolas Cruz has an antisocial personality disorder – sociopathy – and has shown no remorse or feelings for what he has done. The day focused heavily on Cruz’ use of Nazi symbols and racist language.

The first witness to the stand was Sgt Gloria Crespo who testified that she photographed Cruz’s Smith & Wesson M&P 15 gun in the school building where Cruz left it in the aftermath of the massacre. The gun was brought into the courtroom and jurors were shown a photo of it on the scene, as well as a 30-capacity magazine which had a swastika scratched on the side.

The second witness was Broward Sheriff’s Office Detective Clint Williams who testified to seeing a swastika scratched on Cruz’s military style boots when he seized them from him on the day of the massacre. A photo was shown in court of his right boot which had a swastika carved into it.

The third witness was Detective Nicholas Masters, who testified about Cruz’s online search history and internet activity prior to the 2018 massacre.

Jurors were shown searches for Nazi paraphernalia and for nude images of “little girls” as well as racist language Cruz used online, speaking of his hatred for Black people. The gunman also wrote online about hating people and animals and claimed he killed 12 cats in other posts.

Next on the stand was Deputy Jean Marque-Puche, who worked in the Florida jail where Cruz was being held. The deputy described finding disturbing notes in Cruz’s cell including sketches where he recreated the massacre and notes saying he enjoyed causing “pain and death”. Jurors also see a photo of “666” written on the wall of his cell in his own hemorrhoids blood.

Forensic Psychiatrist Dr Charles L Scott was next on the witness stand who gave extensive testimony about his evaluation of Cruz. Dr Scott said that after spending up to 500 hours on the case and interviewing Cruz over three full days he had diagnosed him with antisocial personality disorder.

Video footage from their interviews was played in court, showing Cruz describing how he began killing animals from a young age, skinning and burning lizards alive aged four.

The psychiatrist also said that he found Cruz faked or exaggerated symptoms in his interviews, claiming that he only used swastikas “for attention” and believes they are symbols of “peace”.

The trial has been called off for the remainder of the week as Hurricane Ian continues on its path towards Florida.

Judge Elizabeth Scherer announced on Tuesday afternoon that the court would be on recess on Wednesday and Thursday because of the incoming storm.

Jurors will return to the courthouse on Monday when Dr Scott is expected to resume his testimony.

On Tuesday morning, the trial had been expected to carry on as planned with Broward County Courthouse saying that it had no plans to close at that time.

However, Ian continued to strengthen throughout the day, with the category 3 storm already bringing impacts to Key West on Tuesday.