Jury recommends Parkland school shooter to life in prison - WPBF West Palm Beach

STARTS NOW. HIS RULING WAS YET ANOTHER GUT PUNCH FOR SO MANY OF US. WE DEVASTATINGLY LOST OUR LOVED ONES ON THAT TRAGIC VALENTINE TODAY. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE DEATH PENALTY. 100%. I PRAY THAT THAT ANIMAL SUFFERS EVERY DAY OF HIS LIFE IN JAIL. RIGHT NOW IT’S SIX ANGER. SADNESS AND SHOCK. VICTIMS FAMILIES VISIBLE, TAKEN ABACK AS PARKLAND SCHOOL SHOOTER NIKOLAS AVOIDS THE DEATH PENALTY. THE JURY RECOMMENDS LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE. NIKOLAS CRUZ WAS 19 YEARS OLD WHEN HE OPENED FIRE WITH AN AR 15 TYPE ASSAULT STYLE RIFLE IN HIS FORMER KILLING 14 STUDENTS AND THREE STAFF MEMBERS AND WOUNDING 17 OTHER PEOPLE LIVES OF MANY CHANGED FOREVER. VALENTINE’S DAY 2018. THE DEADLIEST SHOOTING THAT HAS EVER GONE TO TRIAL IN THE US. GOOD EVENING. I’M TODD MCDERMOTT AND I’M TIFFANY KENNEY. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. THE JURORS AGREED THAT THE SCHOOL SHOOTING WAS HEINOUS, ATROCIOUS OR CRUEL ENOUGH TO WARRANT A DEATH SENTENCE. BUT AT LEAST ONE JUROR THOUGHT THAT THOSE FACTORS DID NOT OUTWEIGH WHAT THE DEFENSE PRESENTED, AND THEREFORE THEY RECOMMENDED IN PRISON. WE HAVE LIVE TEAM COVERAGE FOR YOU FROM BROWARD COUNTY THIS EVENING AS A ROSIER AND TO OUR JAKE WE HAVE THE EMOTIONAL REACTIONS FROM THE FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS. WE’LL HEAR FROM SOME OF THE JURORS AS WELL. WE BEGIN WITH OUR CO-ANCHOR ON THE JURY’S RECOMMENDATION AGAIN AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY AND WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. FELICIA. WELL, JOHN AND TIFFANY, JURY’S DECISION COMES 7 HOURS AND TWO DAYS AFTER. THE DELAY IN DELIBERATIONS ENDING A THREE MONTH TRIAL THAT GRAPHIC VIDEOS AND PHOTO SHOWS FROM THE MASSACRE. HEART WRENCHING TESTIMONY FROM VICTIMS FAMILY MEMBERS AND A TOUR OF THE BUILDING WHERE THAT SHOOTING. 17 PEOPLE DIED ON VALENTINE’S DAY AT MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL IN PARKLAND. IN 2018. TODAY THAT JURY RECOMMENDED TO SENDING NIKOLAS CRUZ TO PRISON FOR THE REMAINDER OF HIS LIFE AND A DECISION THAT LEFT MANY FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS IN TEARS ANGERED AND BAFFLED. NOW YOU HAVE SENT THE MESSAGE OUT THERE TO EVERYONE. IT’S FINE GETTING OUR 15 IN. GET A SEMIAUTOMATIC WEAPON AND YOU WILL JUST GET OFF BY PLEADING THAT. YOU ARE INSANE. IT’S THE WRONG MESSAGE. YEARS AND YEARS AND. LISTEN IN TO THE NEWS HEARING. BUT SHOOTINGS IN THIS COUNTRY. AND TODAY WE LET SOMEONE OFF THAT MURDERED 17 PEOPLE IN COLD BLOOD. THE JUDGE SET A SENTENCING HEARING FOR NOVEMBER. VICTIMS AND FAMILY MEMBERS ARE EXPECTED TO SPEAK BEFORE SENTENCE IS OFFICIALLY HANDED. AND OUR TEAM COVERAGE CONTINUES TONIGHT WITH OUR ANGELA ROZIER, WHO BEEN FOLLOWING THIS TRIAL SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING. SHE WAS THERE AS FAMILY MEMBERS EXPRESSED THEIR FRUSTRATION WITH THAT VERDICT. ANGELA THAT’S RIGHT, FELICIA. THEY WERE STUCK. SOME WERE ANGRY AND DISAPPOINTED WHEN THEY HEARD THAT VERDICT. BUT YOU KNOW HERE INSIDE BROWARD COUNTY COURT JUDGE ELIZABETH SHAW, FOUR COURTROOM, WELL, IT WAS PACKED WITH ALL THOSE FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS HERE TO HEAR THAT VERDICT TODAY. AS MANY THEM SAT AND WATCHED, THEY WERE SURPRISED. AND THEY ALSO SAID THAT THEY WERE SURPRISED. HEAR THAT THE PERSON WHO CONFESSED TO SHOOTING, KILLING THEIR LOVED ONES WOULD NOT GET THE DEATH PENALTY. NOW, AS YOU HEARD EARLIER, ANNE RAMSEY’S DAUGHTER, HELENA, 17, WAS KILLED DURING THAT SHOOTING. SHE SAYS THIS WAS THE WRONG VERDICT. IF THIS MURDERER MENTAL PROBLEMS IS STILL MANAGED TO GET A GUN, HE STILL MANAGED GET AN AR 15 TO MOW DOWN OUR KIDS. AND THOSE FAMILY MEMBERS STILL SHAKING THEIR HEADS. LOVED ONES COULD BE SEEN. YOU KNOW, HUGGING EACH OTHER AND CRYING AND TRYING TO COMFORT EACH OTHER AS THEY CONTINUE TO WONDER, WILL THEY EVER GET ANY JUSTICE. AND LINDA BIEGEL, SHULMAN’S SON, MIGUEL, HE WAS A TEACHER AT, MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL. HE DIED TRYING TO SAVE HIS STUDENTS. SHE SAYS SHE WILL NEVER STOP FIGHTING. REPORTING LIVE IN FORT LAUDERDALE, ANGELA ROZIER WPBF. FIVE NEWS. THANK YOU, ANGELA. AND UNDER FLORIDA LAW, A DEATH SENTENCE REQUIRES A UNANIMOUS VOTE. IT’S STILL UNCLEAR WHAT FINAL VOTE TALLY WAS. AMONG THE JURORS TODAY, MANY FAMILY MEMBERS, THOUGH, THEIR ANGER WITH JURY. AS WELL AS OUR SYSTEM. OUR. IT’S HARD, JAKE. WE OUR TEAM COVERAGE TONIGHT WE ACTUALLY CAUGHT UP WITH ONE OF THOSE JURORS. SHE’S JOINING ME TONIGHT FROM BROWARD COUNTY AND. TARA, WHAT WAS THE REACTION THAT JUROR YOU SPOKE WITH TODAY. WELL, FELICIA, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, SHE WAS IN A RUSH TO GET OUT OF THERE. SHE WAS ROLLING HER ROLLING SUITCASE TO, HER CAR, WHAT SHE’D BEEN LIVING OUT OF ESSENTIALLY WHILE SHE WAS SEQUESTERED. SHE DID SAY THAT SHE FELT SORRY AND SAD FOR THE LOSSES OF FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS. BUT THEN SHE ALSO SAID THAT SHE WAS RELIEVED AND HAPPY IT WAS OVER. NOW, THE JURY FOREMAN HAD A DIFFERENT TAKE ON IT. PHE SAID THAT HE ACTUALLY FELT PHYSICAL PAIN. THE VERDICT CAME DOWN. AND THEN OF COURSE, THE FAMILIES, THE VICTIMS FAMILIES SAYING THEY HAD A LOT TO SAY TO THE PEOPLE BEHIND THAT PANEL. A VERY TOUGH, VERY ANXIOUS NERVOUS, HAPPY THAT IT’S OVER. VERY HAPPY THAT IT’S OVER. WAS IT WHAT LED YOU TO YOUR DECISION? I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT ANY WORDS TO THE FAMILIES, VICTIMS VERY, VERY SORRY FOR THE FOR THEIR LOSSES. I DON’T KNOW IF YOU COULD SEE MY FACE. BUT, YOU KNOW, I BAD FOR THEM. I IT YOU KNOW IT’S. LIKE I SAID, THERE’S NOTHING WE COULD DO. THAT’S THE WAY THE LAW IS. AND THAT’S HOW WE GOT. YOU LISTEN TO ALL THE EVIDENCE AND AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT HE DID TO MURDER GOING UP AND DOWN ALL THOSE THREE FLOORS OF STAIRS AND HUNTING ALL OF HIS VICTIMS, SHOOTING THEM FROM DOWN THE HALL AND THEN GOING OVER AND EXECUTE SHOOTING THEM AT POINT BLANK RANGE. HOW COULD YOU HOW COULD YOU NOT GIVE HIM THE DEATH PENALTY? AND I THINK THAT THAT ONE JUROR THAT THAT VOTED FOR LIFE IS GOING TO LIVE TO REGRET THAT FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. AND WE HEARD LOT OF THAT HERE TODAY FROM FAMILY MEMBERS AND JUST PEOPLE STANDING AROUND THE COURTHOUSE SAYING THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT JUSTICE HERE WAS NOT DONE. ALICIA ALICIA, TARA, JAKE WHITE, LIVE FOR US HERE IN BROWARD COUNTY. THANK YOU FOR THAT REPORT. NOW, IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO GET TO THIS MOMENT. THE TRIAL, AS YOU KNOW, KEPT GETTING DELAYED FOR SEVERAL REASONS IN PART DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND ARGUMENTS OVER WHAT COULD BE PRESENTED AND TESTIMONY COULD BE HEARD IN COURT. IT WAS ALMOST ONE YEAR AGO WHEN CRUZ PLED GUILTY TO MURDERING PEOPLE AT MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL ON VALENTINE’S DAY 2018. JURY SELECTION FOR THE SENTENCING TRIAL BEGAN IN APRIL, BUT TWO WEEKS INTO IT, THE JUDGE ORDERED TO RESTART THE PROCESS BECAUSE OF A PROCEDURAL ISSUE REGARDING A GROUP OF POTENTIAL JURORS. IN JUNE, SEVEN MEN AND FIVE WOMEN WERE SWORN IN FOR THE PENALTY TRIAL, WHICH STARTED IN JULY. NOW, SINCE THEN, WE’VE HEARD FROM SURVIVORS, PARENTS, MENTAL HEALTH EXPERTS, AND WE SAW NEW VIDEOS FROM THE DAY OF THE MASSACRE. BOTH SIDES MADE THEIR FINAL ARGU EVENTS TUESDAY. AND THEN THAT BROUGHT US HERE NOW. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS THE DEADLIEST MASS SHOOTING TO EVER GO TO TRIAL IN THE US. NINE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE U.S. WHO FATALLY SHOT AT LEAST 17 PEOPLE DIED DURING OR IMMEDIATELY AFTER THEIR ATTACKS BY EITHER TAKING THEIR OWN LIFE OR FROM POLICE GUNFIRE. NOW, OUR LOCAL LEGAL EXPERTS ARE ALSO WEIGHING IN ON TODAY’S VERDICT. THEY’RE REACTING TO THIS. WE TALKED TO PALM BEACH COUNTY STATE ATTORNEY DAVE ARENBERG, AS WELL AS CRIMINAL DEFENSE MARK SHINER. THEY SAY THEY WERE A BIT SURPRISED BY TODAY’S VERDICT, BUT THEY ALSO EMPHASIZE HOW RARE IT IS TO GET THE DEATH PENALTY HERE IN FLORIDA, SAID ATTORNEY ARENBERG TELLS US, FOR EXAMPLE, HERE IN PALM BEACH COUNTY, THEY HAD ONE DEATH PENALTY VERDICT IN THE PAST 20 YEARS. THEY SAY THE STATE AND CRUZ’S DEFENSE TEAM EACH PRESENTED THE CASE AS BEST AS THEY COULD. BUT THEY WONDER IF THE PARKLAND SHOOTER DID NOT RECEIVE THE DEATH PENALTY. THEN WHAT CASES DO CLOSER? EVERYONE IS THE BEST THING IN THIS CASE IS MR. CRUZ IS NOT GOING TO HAVE A PLEASANT LIFE PRISON. I ACTUALLY HAD TO TURN AWAY FROM THE SCREEN ON SOME OF THEM BECAUSE YOU SEE THESE FAMILIES WHO HAVE JUST BEEN THROUGH HELL AND BACK AND THEY WERE THERE EVERY DAY IN THE OF GETTING ONE FINAL BIT OF JUSTICE. AND FOR THEM, IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS DENIED. BUT NIKOLAS CRUZ WILL NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY AGAIN OUTSIDE OF A PRISON PRISON. SO WHAT COMES NEXT? WELL, THE JUDGE WILL HER RULING ON FIRST. WE WILL ALSO HEAR FROM VICTIMS IN THIS CASE. WE WILL HEAR FROM TEACHERS OR FROM STUDENTS WHO WERE THEY WILL SPEAK TO THE JUDGE AND TELL HER HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY AND HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT NIKOLAS CRUZ UNDER FLORIDA LAW. THE JUDGE CANNOT, THOUGH, FROM THE JURY’S RECOMMENDATION OF LIFE IN PRISON AND. OF COURSE, WE WILL HAVE COVERAGE DURING THAT SENTENCING HEARING. FOR NOW, THOUGH, I WANT TO SEND IT BACK TO TODD AND TIFFANY IN THE STUDIO. GUYS, BACK TO YOU. ALL RIGHT, FELICIA, THANK YOU. THOSE AT VICTIM IMPACT ST