Sentencing the Parkland killer | Day 29

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State witness Brittany Sinitch, a teacher at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, cries during direct examination 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 Monday, July 18, 2022. Cruz previously plead guilty to all 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the 2018 shootings. Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) (Carline Jean / South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Here are updates from Day 29 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.

• Prosecution’s opening statement: After months of jury selection, the sentencing trial began Monday morning with an opening statement from prosecutor Mike Satz. He described the shootings in cold, clinical detail, pointing out not only who was shot but how many times, whether they survived, and the ages of those who died.
• Witnesses testify: The first witnesses, a former teacher and former students, describing harrowing details. Cellphone videos taken by survivors were shown to the jury but only heard by the public in the courtroom gallery. Several people left the courtroom when they heard gunshots, an alarm going off and screaming. “Someone help me!” a victim’s voice filled the courtroom. A second audio clip introduced as evidence left the loud sound of the heavy gunfire echoing in the courtroom. “Shut it off!” one family member pleaded from the audience.

• High emotions: Family members of the victims consoled each other as the videos were played. Among those in court were Tom and Gena Hoyer, whose 15-year-old son Luke was killed; Fred and Jennifer Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter Jaime was killed; and Max Schachter, whose 14-year-old son was killed. Throughout the day, some jurors struggled to keep their emotions in check, but most listened intently without flinching.
• Continuance request: An expert witness told the defense counsel that she has a serious medical condition and that her doctor recommended she refrain from taking part in the case. The defense requested a 45-day continuance in the trial; the judge has not made a ruling.
• Support dogs: Two emotional support dogs guided by their two handlers were in the hallway after the videos were played. Victims’ families and others were petting the dogs. ”Get ready for court again tomorrow,” one handler said to the other as they left the courthouse for the day.
• Looking ahead: Testimony resumes at 9 a.m. Tuesday. The defense decided to make its opening statement after the prosecution finishes presenting its case.

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

Sun Sentinel staff writers Rafael Olmeda, Scott Travis and Natalia Galicza contributed to this report.