Nikolas Cruz trial: Closing arguments conclude in Parkland shooting case as jury consider death penalty
Follow live updates of Parkland shooter’s sentencing trial
The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
Closing arguments have concluded in the sentencing trial of Nikolas Cruz, the gunman who murdered 14 students and three staff members in a mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on 14 February 2018.
Prosecutors, who are seeking the death penalty, have argued that Cruz, now 24, planned his attack – researching other mass shooters online and leaving comments about his desires to kill people.
The defence has argued that Cruz suffers from fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) because of being exposed to alcohol in the womb. They say that this contributed to his actions that day.
However, the prosecution argues that the aggravating factors in the case far outweigh such mitigating factors as laid out by the defence. Prosecutor Mike Satz concluded by saying: “The appropriate sentence for Nikolas Cruz is the death penalty.”
Defence attorney Melisa McNeill argued: “You now know that Nicholas is a brain-damaged, broken, mentally ill person, through no fault of his own ... He did not have control over who his biological mother is.”
Jurors will begin deliberations on Wednesday where they will decide whether to sentence him to life in prison or to execution.
Two men charged with exploiting brother of Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz
‘Poisoned’ in the womb, untreated conditions and orphaned: Nikolas Cruz had a horror start to life but does it matter in trial? 
Nikolas Cruz’s chilling reason for ending Parkland shooting as he says he targeted victims over ‘nasty look’
Cruz had dreams of killing people and being covered in blood four years before Parkland
Nikolas Cruz had dreams of killing people and being covered in blood four years before he carried out the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, according to chilling evidence presented in court.
Jurors at the 23-year-old’s sentencing trial were shown a letter on Thursday sent from school therapist Rona O’Connor Kelly and school psychiatrist Nyrma Ortiz for Broward School District to Cruz’s psychiatrist Dr Brett Negin on 5 June 2014 .
Nikolas Cruz had dreams about killing people and being covered in blood, trial hears
School therapists warned in a 2014 letter about Cruz’s ‘paranoid’ and ‘disturbing’ behaviour and detailed that the teenager had an obsession with firearms
Who was the Cruz's biological mother Brenda Woodard?
Who was the Parkland shooter’s mother Brenda Woodard?
Killer’s defence team argues birth mother’s drink and drug abuse ‘poisoned him in the womb’
Mother’s friend describes moment Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz watched father die
Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz watched his adoptive father die when he was just five years old, running and telling his mother “daddy’s dead”, according to harrowing courtroom testimony.
Mother’s friend describes moment Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz watched father die
‘As clear as sunshine he said, ‘No, Daddy is dead,’’ testifies Finai Browd, a friend of Nikolas Cruz’s late adoptive mother
ICYMI: Cruz sentencing judge slams defence and prosecution for turning court into ‘playground’
The judge hearing the sentencing of Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz has lambasted the defence and prosecution for their conduct, saying they have turned her courtroom into a “playground”.
Florida Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer laid out rules of conduct in the courtroom for the lawyers on both sides in scathing remarks made on Thursday morning as she dismissed the defence’s request for a mistrial in the penalty phase.
Nikolas Cruz sentencing judge slams lawyers for turning court into ‘playground’
‘This is a courtroom, it needs to run like a courtroom’ judge Elizabeth Scherer says
Psychologist: Cruz suffered fetal alcohol damage
Paul Connor, a Seattle-area neuropsychologist, said medical records and testimony by prior witnesses show that Brenda Woodard drank and used cocaine throughout much of her pregnancy before Cruz’s birth in 1998. Woodard, a Fort Lauderdale prostitute, gave up the baby immediately after to his adoptive parents, Lynda and Roger Cruz. Woodard died last year.
Connor, testifying by Zoom, told jurors that people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder show at a young age problems with motor skills, impulse control, socializing and paying attention — problems previous defense testimony showed Cruz had.
Psychologist: School shooter suffered fetal alcohol damage
A neuropsychologist says Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz suffered brain damage when his birth mother drank during pregnancy
ICYMI: Cruz’s defence rests case in bombshell move blasted ‘unprofessional’ by judge
The defence has rested its case in the sentencing trial for Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz, in a bombshell move that derailed proceedings and sparked a furious response from the judge.
“Honestly, I have never experienced a level of unprofessionalism in my career. It’s unbelievable,” Judge Elizabeth Scherer scolded Cruz’s attorneys during a heated exchange in Broward County Court, Florida, on Wednesday morning.
Nikolas Cruz’s defence rests case in bombshell move blasted ‘unprofessional’ by judge
‘Honestly, I have never experienced a level of unprofessionalism in my career. It’s unbelievable,’ fumed Judge Elizabeth Scherer
Nikolas Cruz had a horror start to life but does it matter in trial?
It began before he was even born: Nikolas Cruz’s biological mother drank alcohol and abused drugs while he was still in the womb.
At the age of five, his adoptive father suddenly collapsed and died in front of him in the family home.
In his teenage years, he was allegedly bullied by his brother and sexually abused by a so-called “trusted peer”.
At 19, he became an orphan when his adoptive mother died from pneumonia.
And just three months later, he murdered 17 innocent students and staff in a shooting rampage at his former high school.
Rachel Sharp reports.
Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz may have had a horror start to life but does it matter?
Jurors are learning more about the early life of Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz from his apparent exposure to alcohol in the womb, the deaths of his adoptive parents and his behavioural and emotional problems. But will it make any difference in their decision to sentence him to life in prison or to death? Rachel Sharp reports
ICYMI: Cruz gives chilling reason for ending Parkland shooting
Nikolas Cruz has revealed that the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School only came to an end because he “couldn’t find anyone to kill” as he claimed that he “showed mercy” to some of his victims.
Nikolas Cruz’s chilling reason for ending Parkland shooting
Forensic psychiatrist says Cruz’s planning and preparations for the massacre shows he has antisocial personality disorder, also known as sociopathy
Why Cruz chose Valentine’s Day for massacre
Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz calmly told a psychologist why he picked Valentine’s Day to massacre 17 people at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School four years ago: Because no one loved him, he wanted to ruin the holiday forever for anyone associated with the school.
School shooter chose Valentine's Day to ruin it forever
Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz calmly told a psychologist he picked Valentine’s Day for his massacre to ruin the holiday for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students forever
Cruz may have been his own worst witness
It’s possible Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz talked himself into a death sentence.
Prosecutors played video last week at Cruz’s penalty trial of jailhouse interviews he did this year with two of their mental health experts. In frank and sometimes graphic detail, he answered their questions about his massacre of 17 people at Parkland‘s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, 2018 — his planning, his motivation, the shootings.
Read more:
Florida school shooter may have been his own worst witness
Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz may have talked himself into a death sentence