Parkland shooter Nikolaz Cruz sentenced to life without parole
On Wednesday, the shooter responsible for the 2018 massacre at a high school in Florida was given a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
In Nikolas Cruz’s death penalty trial, the jury could not agree on whether or not he deserved to die, leaving Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer with little choice but to impose the sentence alone.
Before the shooter was officially sentenced for the Valentine’s Day massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in the suburbs of Fort Lauderdale, the judge allowed family members of the dead and shooting survivors the opportunity to address the court.
“Just to be in the same room as this monster who killed our son Nicholas and attempted to murder our son Alex. It’s unbearable,” Annika Dworet, one of the parents, stated to her husband during the trial, “It was extremely painful to hear all the horrific details of this massacre at our children’s high school.”
One of the most disgusting and unprofessional actions that occurred in this courtroom was the defense team holding, touching and giggling with this cold-blooded murderer,” she said.
In the presence of the judge, the gunman was able to address the families of the victims.
The gunman, who was handcuffed and wearing a red jail jumpsuit, stared blankly at the speakers like he had the day before.
Jaime Guttenberg’s mom, Jennifer, told him he needed to remove the mask, which he did.
“It’s disrespectful to be hiding your expressions under your mask when we as the families are here here talking to you, bent down in your seat, slumped over, trying to make yourself look innocent when you’re not,” Guttenberg added.
For the first time in nearly five years, on Tuesday, relatives of the victims and some of the 17 injured individuals who survived the slaughter took advantage of the opportunity to meet the gunman face to face.
Teacher Stacey Lippel, who was injured in the shooting, stated to Cruz, “The idea that you, a cold-blooded killer, can actually live each day, eat your meals and put your head down at night seems completely unjust, The only comfort I have is that your life in prison will be filled with horror and fear, so my hope for you is that you die, sooner rather than later.”
On Tuesday, Patricia Oliver, who just lost her son Joaquin, blasted the defence team for arguing that their client should not be penalised since his mother drank and took drugs during her pregnancy. Joaquin never received the care he needed.
She warned that “Karma” will find a way to return the favour.
