The National Association of School Resource Officers says Scot Peterson is the first U.S. law enforcement officer tried for allegedly failing to act during a school shooting.
wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu
The National Association of School Resource Officers says Scot Peterson is the first U.S. law enforcement officer tried for allegedly failing to act during a school shooting.
WUSF Public Media - WUSF 89.7 | By
Associated Press
Published May 30, 2023 at 11:50 AM EDT
Jury selection begins Wednesday in the trial of former Broward County Sheriff's Deputy Scot Peterson, who remained outside a three-story classroom building at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School during
Nikolas Cruz's six-minute attack on Feb. 14, 2018. Opening statements are scheduled for early June, and the trial could last two months.
Peterson, 60, is charged with
seven counts of felony child neglect for four students killed and three wounded on the 1200 building's third floor. Peterson arrived at the building with his gun drawn 73 seconds before Cruz reached that floor, but instead of entering, he backed away as gunfire sounded. He has said he didn't know where the shots were coming from.
Peterson is also charged with three counts of misdemeanor culpable negligence for the adults shot on the third floor, including a teacher and an adult student who died. He also faces a perjury charge for allegedly lying to investigators. He could get nearly a century in prison if convicted on the child neglect counts and lose his $104,000 annual pension.
[...]
For Peterson to be convicted of child neglect, prosecutors must first show he was legally a caregiver to the juvenile students. Florida law defines a caregiver as “a parent, adult household member or other person responsible for a child’s welfare.”
Eiglarsh has argued there is an exemption for most police officers that covers his client. Circuit Judge Martin Fein ruled that is for the jury to decide, noting that Florida courts have found babysitters, landlords and even kidnappers to be caregivers.
If jurors find Peterson was a caregiver, they then must determine whether he made a “reasonable effort” to protect the children or failed to provide the care necessary to maintain their health.
[...]