Florida jury spares Parkland school gunman from death penalty - Reuters

Oct 13 (Reuters) - A Florida assemblage connected Thursday decided to spare Nikolas Cruz, the gunman who killed 17 radical successful 2018 astatine a precocious schoolhouse successful the metropolis of Parkland, from the decease penalty, alternatively calling for beingness successful situation without anticipation of parole.

Some household members of victims shook their heads successful the Fort Lauderdale courtroom arsenic the assemblage rejected the prosecution's petition for the decease punishment for Cruz successful 1 of the deadliest schoolhouse shootings successful U.S. history. Cruz, 24, showed small emotion portion sitting astatine the defence lawyers' array lawyer arsenic the verdict was read.

Cruz pleaded blameworthy past twelvemonth to premeditated execution astatine Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School successful Parkland, astir 30 miles (50 km) northbound of Fort Lauderdale. Cruz, who was 19 astatine the clip of the transgression and had been expelled from the school, utilized a semi-automatic firearm to termination 14 students and 3 unit members.

The assemblage recovered that mitigating factors, specified arsenic disorders described by witnesses arsenic stemming from his biologic mother's substance maltreatment during pregnancy, outweighed aggravating factors. The prosecution had argued that Cruz's transgression was premeditated arsenic good arsenic heinous and cruel, which are among criteria that Florida instrumentality establishes for deciding whether a decease condemnation should beryllium imposed.

Under Florida law, a assemblage indispensable beryllium unanimous successful deciding to urge that a justice condemnation a suspect to beryllium executed, requiring a decision that aggravating factors outweighed mitigating factors connected astatine slightest 1 transgression count.

Jury foreperson Benjamin Thomas told a Florida TV presumption that 1 juror insisted that Cruz not get the decease punishment due to the fact that of his intelligence illness.

"There was 1 with a hard 'no,' she couldn't bash it," Thomas said successful an interrogation posted connected the website of CBS Miami affiliate WFOR-TV, adding that 2 different jurors "ended up voting the aforesaid way."

Some household members expressed dismay that jurors did not telephone for the decease penalty.

"I'm disgusted with our ineligible system. I'm disgusted with those jurors," said Ilan Alhadeff, whose girl Alyssa Alhadeff was killed. "... What bash we person the decease punishment for? What is the intent of it?"

"It's beauteous unreal that cipher paid attraction to the facts of this case, that cipher tin retrieve who a unfortunate is and what they look like," added Tony Montalto, whose girl Gina was killed. "I cognize each time due to the fact that I spot my beauteous daughter's look astir our location and successful my dreams and I miss her precise much."

The three-month punishment signifier of the proceedings included harrowing grounds from survivors arsenic good arsenic cellphone videos taken by students that time showing them crying for assistance oregon speaking successful whispers portion successful hiding.

Defense witnesses included Cruz's half-sister, who testified that their parent drank heavy and utilized drugs including cocaine portion she was large with Cruz. When Cruz pleaded guilty, helium apologized for the killings and said helium wants to dedicate his beingness to helping others.

NOV. 1 SENTENCING

Broward County Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer acceptable the ceremonial sentencing for Nov. 1.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, speaking astatine a quality league successful the metropolis of Cape Coral concerning the state's hurricane betterment efforts, voiced disappointment astir the verdict.

"This is not what we were looking for," DeSantis said.

The United States has experienced galore schoolhouse shootings successful caller decades including 1 successful May successful Uvalde, Texas, that near 19 children and 2 teachers dead.

Some of the teenagers who survived the Parkland rampage formed "March for Our Lives," an enactment that called for weapon power authorities specified arsenic a prohibition connected assault-style rifles. President Joe Biden successful June signed the archetypal large national weapon betterment authorities successful 3 decades, which helium called a uncommon bipartisan achievement, though it did not see an battle weapons ban.

Debbi Hixon, whose hubby Chris Hixon was the school's diversion manager and was killed aft confronting Cruz during the massacre, said connected Thursday, "It does and it should accidental thing to nine - that we person to look astatine who we let to ain firearms, however we code intelligence wellness successful our communities, and wherever we springiness grace erstwhile it's warranted."

Anne Ramsay, whose girl Helena Ramsay was killed, added, "There is nary excuse successful this state to person weapons of warfare connected the streets. If you don't get that, past thing is incorrect successful this country."

Reporting by Brian Ellsworth successful Miami and Brendan O'Brien successful Chicago; Additional reporting by Donna Bryson and Rich McKay; Editing by Will Dunham and Jonathan Oatis

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