-Angelot Ndongmo-

Cousins!

Nikolas Cruz recently stood before the court; emotionless to face his actions dating back to the 2018 high school massacre in Parkland, Florida that left 17 dead and many others wounded!

He leaned in rhythmically towards the mic, to say the words “guilty” after each human being’s name he murdered or attempted to, was read out in court. It was difficult to witness the names of his umpteen victims being read out, as the raw emotions of friends and loved ones gathered in the courtroom. 

Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer, did her due diligence asking a series of questions to determine his mental competency; he was then allowed to enter his pleas.

As Wesh reports, he was charged with 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted first-degree murder, for those he attacked at Marjory Stoneman High School back on February 14, 2018 in Parkland. 

Cruz, now 23 years of age, addressed the court and victims’ family members on video clip stating  “I’m very sorry for what I did. … I can’t live with myself sometimes.” 

He displayed a little emotion that could not connect, as it was delivered with sentences like “I am doing this for you and I do not care if you don’t believe me…” or when he stated “he can’t even watch tv anymore”, then visibly showed sadness as he reached for his chin visibly fighting back tears. It was the most emotion he had shown.

There wasn’t so much as a sniffle, as victim after victim names were read out, but the thought of having a tough time watching tv seemed to really get his tears flowing.

Now that he’s plead guilty, they will move on to a penalty trial where 12 jurors will determine if he will live locked away for the remainder of his life with no chance of parole, or the death penalty. As this is a high profile case, they will be interviewing thousands of potential jurors over approx. 3 months and intend to begin testimony in January 2022.

The 7 minute rampage Cruz went on, caused a lifetime of catastrophe for the loved ones left behind. Fourteen students and three staff members snuffed out in the blink of an eye. He moved through the school callously executing his victims.

Cruz’s attorneys wanted to submit a guilty plea in exchange for life in prison, no parole and no trial causing family members to have to relive the trauma. Satz, who is Cruz’s 79 year old chief prosecutor, said no deal. He believes in the death penalty and will be ready to push for it in this case too. 

Cousins, do you feel Cruz should live behind bars permanently or be forced to bow out via the death penalty?