GUILTY FL - 17 killed in Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, Parkland, 14 Feb 2018 *shooter Guilty, School officer NG* #5

[Gardenista]

Max Schachter just made me reorient my whole stance on the penalty verdict! Very impactful statement! I didn’t watch the penalty phase and didn’t realize that NC had received so much help/intervention.

I’m surprised the def atty had the nerve to object! She had to know this judge who hates her (lol) is not going to accommodate her at this point.

Can you imagine if a victim in the Darrell Brooks case goes after one of his children like they did in this case? Judge Dorow would kick them out so fast their heads would be spinning lol.

 

[PrairieWind]

Just saw the defense say the victims are attacking the children of the defense attorneys and the judge is allowing it. If this is true, it's more evidence that this judge is off the rails.

I'm not able to watch. What happened?

 

[Gardenista]

I'm not able to watch. What happened?

One of the defense attorney objected to the parents verbally attacking them and their children. Judge is letting it continue.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Live updates: Nikolas Cruz to be sentenced for 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida

A Florida judge will officially sentence Nikolas Cruz, now 24, for the February 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, which left 17 dead and 17 injured. The victims' families will also make statements. Follow live here.

www.cnn.com

...After some survivors and families of victims of the Parkland school shooting gave statements on how the massacre impacted them and how they feel about shooter Nikolas Cruz avoiding the death penalty, Cruz’s defense attorney Melisa McNeill raised an objection.

She pointed to how some of the statements heard in the court on Tuesday were attacking the defense counsel that “followed and maintained their constitutional duty” where the state provides every criminal defendant the right to legal representation.

“I did my job and every member of this team did their job, judge. And we should not personally be attacked for that, nor should our children,” McNeill said, requesting the judge ask the families and survivors to refrain from attacking the defense team. “They know this isn’t proper. The know that attacking defense counsel, attacking the judicial system and attacking the jurors is not permissible. It sends a message to this community that if you sit as a juror and the verdict you’re not in agreement with, that you will be chastised and you will be degraded.”...

I watched a few of the victim impact statements. It's going to be a difficult two days for the families. I hope they can begin to heal after they've had the opportunity to confront the perpetrator who ruined so many lives. JMO

 

[Weki]

I’m not sure that the defense attys children were attacked. A reference was made (by mother Patricia Padauy Oliver) but not an attack on the children. That’s the usual defense atty bs.

I think it was in poor form for her to object at this point. Just take it! These families have been sitting there quietly listening for months so let them say what they want to say. I think the idea that defense counsel’s behavior is beyond reproach always is wrong. Some def attys take it too far and insult victims families in their behavior and if that’s what these families perceived they have a right to say so at the appropriate time. JMO

 

[PrairieWind]

One of the defense attorney objected to the parents verbally attacking them and their children. Judge is letting it continue.

Verbally attacked how? Like a threat?

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Families unleash grief and anger on Parkland school shooter

Cruz’s two-day sentencing hearing began Tuesday with the families of the 17 people he murdered getting their first chance to speak to him directly.

www.detroitnews.com

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz’s two-day sentencing hearing began Tuesday with the families of the 17 people he murdered getting their first chance to speak to him directly, using emotional and often angry terms to describe the devastation he brought to their lives.

Debra Hixon – the wife of athletic director Chris Hixon, a Navy veteran who died trying to stop the Feb. 14, 2018, shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School – was the first to address Cruz. The killer wore a bright red jail jumpsuit and showed no emotion from behind a face mask.

“You stole him from us, and you did not receive the justice that you deserved,” Debra Hixon said. “There is no mitigating circumstance that will outweigh the heinous and cruel way you stole him from us.”...

 

[Gardenista]

Verbally attacked how? Like a threat?

If you scroll back about 1 hour 45 min on the video, you can watch

 

[Weki]

If you scroll back about 1 hour 45 min on the video, you can watch

Do you remember who supposedly attacked the defense attys children? I recall Patricia Oliver with the heavy accent referencing the defense attys children once. I’m not denying the def attys have been heavily criticized by some. 1:45 on this feed goes to the McNeil’s objection.

 

[PrairieWind]

If you scroll back about 1 hour 45 min on the video, you can watch

I watched quite a bit. I am not seeing the attack however I guess.

 

[Gardenista]

This is nuts.

 

[Weki]

Whoa judge went off!! The head of the public defender’s office came to admonish the judge! I don’t blame her for putting the PD office in their place! No one attacked the def attys children. And to say the families are inciting violence by their comments? Now the def attys are playing victim? The audacity!

Judge said the def attys gave a middle finger to the judge and were laughing etc and the families have a right to call it out! I feel the same. Again defense attys go too far and incite anger in victims families and now they have to sit there and take it!

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I wish I could see his face under the mask.

I have not seen anyone else in the courtroom wearing a mask. Defense team probably advised NC to wear a mask to hide his facial expressions. JMO

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

This is nuts.

More fireworks than Fourth of July!

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Recess until tomorrow at 1:30PM.

 

[BUF]

The tension in that courtroom has been intense at times and I think today it has finally come to a head. I so feel for these families who have lost their children and loved ones who have had to sit quietly. Today they finally had a chance to get it out.

 

[turaj]

This may be a very unpopular post but I have never seen victim impact statements with this tone. I agree that if ever the DP then this case might have been the one but using this time to berate defense attorneys just doing their jobs, berate a jury who did not just have one against the DP for Cruz (as indicated by one speaker) but 3 and the latest one is trashing the court (aka judge). Sorry but I did not hear from many of these speakers what this did to their families etc. The one yelling "Karma" was the worst. I get the anger but I don't think the statements should go after attorneys, judge and most of all jurors. I did not like the childish way the judge handled this. Do I make sense at all?

 

[Weki]

I have not been a fan of this judge but I am with her today. She made the point that defense was bringing more attention to the couple comments directed at defense attys by making these objections. Those comments weren’t made by everyone. And saying their children were attacked was pure hyperbole. Then to add that these comments would incite violence against the def attys? Wow!

Good for the judge for shutting them down! My guess is because of her inexperience these def attys have been outta pocket with her. And she knows it!

 

[Gardenista]

Judge proved the defense attorney's point. It made me laugh. She's a hypocrite and she needs consequences after her antics today.

 

[Weki]

This may be a very unpopular post but I have never seen victim impact statements with this tone. I agree that if ever the DP then this case might have been the one but using this time to berate defense attorneys just doing their jobs, berate a jury who did not just have one against the DP for Cruz (as indicated by one speaker) but 3 and the latest one is trashing the court (aka judge). Sorry but I did not hear from many of these speakers what this did to their families etc. The one yelling "Karma" was the worst. I get the anger but I don't think the statements should go after attorneys, judge and most of all jurors. I did not like the childish way the judge handled this. Do I make sense at all?

My perspective as someone who only kept an eye on this penalty trial through snippets here and there and social media, I sense that the combination of an inexperienced judge and a disrespectful defense team created a lot of frustration and anger in everyone. Also, the length of the trial. And obviously the disappointing outcome is still fresh. These families feel let down by the process!

I agree, yes every defendant has the right to a fair trial and defense attys should not be criticized for doing their jobs. But I think if the defense attys are disrespectful and go out of their way to minimize the pain of the victims families, they’ve earned the ire of these families. Laughing, hugging the defendant, wearing white for closings, etc will make a certain impression. Those things to me are going above and beyond and adding insult to injury. And this leads to more insulting behavior coming back at them. So I guess I feel like they’ve asked for this!