Sentencing the Parkland killer | Day 27

Broward Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer listens to arguments during a hearing in the penalty phase of the trial of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday, July 12, 2022. (Mike Stocker / South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Here are updates from Day 27 in the sentencing trial of confessed Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz, 23; a jury will decide if he will be executed or sentenced to life in prison without parole. He pleaded guilty in October to 17 counts of first-degree murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the Feb. 14, 2018, massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

  • Camera ready: Defense lawyers expressed concern that the media’s cameras might be able to focus on legal documents on their table, or that a lipreader could pick up privileged communication, as would be possible in any trial where there is a camera in the courtroom. Broward Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer will hear arguments this week.
  • Gun manufacturers’ liability: The courtroom that is home to the Parkland mass shooting trial was briefly taken over Tuesday by a panel from the 4th District Court of Appeal, which heard arguments on several cases. Among the cases was a request for an advisory opinion from Fred Guttenberg and his wife, Jennifer, who want to know whether gun manufacturers are immune from civil lawsuits and entitled to collect legal fees from plaintiffs who try to take them to court. The Guttenbergs’ daughter Jaime was killed at Stoneman Douglas. An appeals court ruling could determine whether the Guttenbergs sue Smith & Wesson.
  • Looking ahead: Pre-trial hearings will continue Wednesday. Opening statements are still expected to start next week.

Go to SunSentinel.com/parkland-shooting for complete coverage of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy and ongoing coverage of the sentencing trial.

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