Sentencing the Parkland killer | Day 28

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Capital defense attorney Casey Secor pauses while making arguments during during a hearing in the penalty phase of the trial of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday, July 12, 2022. Cruz previously plead guilty to all 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the 2018 shootings. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Here are updates from Day 28 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.

  • Pre-trial hearings over: Pre-trial hearings ended Wednesday, clearing the way for opening statements and testimony to start next week after more than two years of delays.
  • Close-ups: Defense lawyers and the media came to an agreement to limit close-ups of the defense table to reduce chances a lip-reader could determine what the confessed gunman says to his lawyers.
  • Looking ahead: Opening statements are set to begin Monday. The sentencing trial is expected to last into October.

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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