Continuing Coverage: Parkland school gunman sentencing trial - Week 2
FORT LAUDERDALE - The sentencing trial for Parkland school gunman Nikolas Cruz continues this week.
Cruz, who pleaded guilty to 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder last October, is facing life in prison without parole or the death penalty.
Last week, the jury heard from a number of witnesses, including students and teachers who were in the 1200 building of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on the day of the attack and survivors who were injured.
Also taking the stand were law enforcement officers who were the first on the scene and the medical examiner who performed autopsies on several of those who died.
Altercation between Cruz and officer in jail at center of early Day 8 testimony
BSO Sgt. Kevin Forsberg testifies
#CruzTrial next witness called by the state is Sgt Kevin Forsberg with BSO. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 27, 2022
#CruzTrial Forsberg, with BSO, is being shown images of cellphones located in the 1200 building after the shooting. He’s also being shown a phone that was later identified as Nikolas Cruz‘s cell phone. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 27, 2022
#CruzTrial Detective Forsberg, BSO, now identifying the evidence bag he prepared with Cruz’s phone inside. He is holding it on the stand. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 27, 2022
BSO Sgt. Raymond Beltran, who brawled with Nikolas Cruz in jail, opens Day 8 testimony
#CruzTrial Sgt Raymond Beltran with BSO is the first witness to be called to the stand today. He is being questioned about Nov 13th, 2018 when he went to the main jail. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 27, 2022
The charge of parkland shooter getting into a brawl with a BSO detention deputy 9 months after mass shooting back in spotlight at shooter’s sentencing trial. Bso sgt Raymond Beltran testifying about what happened in Nov 2018 @CBSMiami
— Joan Murray (@joanmurraycbs4) July 27, 2022
#CruzTrial Sgt Beltran says he came in contact with Cruz at the jail the afternoon of Nov 13th 2018. He told him to stop dragging his feet. Cruz charged at him. That surveillance video has been released and we have aired it on CBS 4. Video below. @CBSMiami pic.twitter.com/lAB04cfQMI
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 27, 2022
#CruzTrial Sgt Beltran with BSO, continues to elaborate on what happened in jail that day. He says Cruz was dragging his slides. Cruz said they were broken. He told him to go get a diff pair. Then Cruz flips him off & attacks the Sgt. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 27, 2022
#CruzTrial Sgt Beltran says during the altercation at jail Cruz is trying to go for his taser with both hands. At one point he has the Sgts taser. He also turned it on. At that point the Sgt said he was panicked thinking about Cruz incapacitating him with the object. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 27, 2022
#CruzTrial Sgt Beltran is explaining how someone can get the taser out of the holster. In the surv video being show right now you can see the light turn on when the taser activates…the two prongs shoot out, getting ready to connect with the target. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 27, 2022
#CruzTrial “he took a couple punches at me.” Sgt beltran says after that he struck Cruz, put the taser on his back and then cuffed him. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 27, 2022
#CruzTrial the defense is trying to get Sgt Beltran impeached for a reckless driving charge he has in Washington State. Judge says they will not allow them cross examine him on the matter. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 27, 2022
Man who sold AR-15 to Cruz opens Day 7 testimony
Court set to resume at 12:45pm
Judge Elizabeth Scherer calls for recess.
Broward chief medical examiner Dr. Rebecca MacDougal testifies
#CruzTrial Dr. Rebecca MacDougal the chief medical examiner at the Broward ME’s office is the next witness to be called by the state. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 26, 2022
#CruzTrial Dr. MacDougal has testified as an expert witness in forensic pathology many times she testified. She’s now being questioned first about her examining witness Alex Schachter. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 26, 2022
#CruzTrial Dr. MacDougal, Chief ME for Broward, still on the stand being shown photos of Alex Schachters gun shot wounds. His father sobbing. Horrifying. pic.twitter.com/FjpF9DD91a
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 26, 2022
#CruzTrial Dr. MacDougal, Chief ME for Broward, pointing out Schachters wounds labeled A, B etc. She said his wounds are consistent with him standing when he was shot. She is pointing out gunshot wounds to his arm, hand, etc. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 26, 2022
Michael Morrison, who was present when Nikolas Cruz purchased his gun, testifies
#CruzTrial Day 7 of the sentencing trial for Nikolas Cruz. First witness of the day is Michael Morrison. Works at sunrise tactical supply a firearms dealer. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 26, 2022
#CruzTrial Morrison, an employee of Sunrise tactical supply, being shown Cruz’s application that was filled out before making a firearm purchase. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 26, 2022
#CruzTrial Michael Morrison was present for the sale of the firearm to Nikolas Cruz. Morrison is now explaining the process of making a firearm purchase. The form filled out is now being shown on the screen to the public. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 26, 2022
#CruzTrial Prosecutor Sats now reading off what Cruz checked off on his application to make the firearm purchase. That includes things like previous criminal history, drug use etc. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 26, 2022
#CruzTrial firearm was purchased by Cruz Feb 11th 2017. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 26, 2022
#CruzTrial Morrison says there were no additions to the rifle when it left the store. Morrison says Cruz made modifications to the weapon post-purchase. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 26, 2022
Nikolas Cruz' AR-15 shown during testimony
#CruzTrial the AR-15 that was used to carry out the massacre was just held up to witness Sgt Crespo of BSO. She also identified the rounds left over inside the weapon. @CBSMiami pic.twitter.com/qOhik8wBJT
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 25, 2022
Court will resume for afternoon session at 2:30pm
Judge Elizabeth Scherer has called for midday recess.
Broward Sheriffs Sergeant Gloria Crespo testifies
#CruzTrial Gloria Crespo with the Broward Sherriffs office called as the next witness. She was a crime scene investigator when the massacre took place. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 25, 2022
#CruzTrial Sgt Crespo, with BSO, is describing the photographs she took. One depicting the west stairwell showing the rifle bag left behind. It also depicts the backpacks left behind by the students after gunfire broke out. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 25, 2022
Gloria Crespo who was a bso csi at time of MSD massacre testified Monday at shooters sentencing trial that she processed third floor of building and found ‘red ear plugs’ shooter left behind to muffle gun sounds and found his cell phone @CBSMiami
— Joan Murray (@joanmurraycbs4) July 25, 2022
Morning session in recess
Judge Elizabeth Scherer calls for morning recess.
Laura Zecchini, Uber driver who brought Cruz to MSD testifies
#CruzTrial Laura Zecchini is the next witness. She works for Uber. She was the driver that drove Nikolas Cruz to MSD’s campus the day of the massacre, @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 25, 2022
#CruzTrial Laura Zecchini, Uber driver, now being shown the route she drove Cruz to MSD. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 25, 2022
#CruzTrial Laura Zecchini, Uber driver, says Cruz was on his phone while she was driving him to MSD to carry out the massacre in the 1200 building. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 25, 2022
The Uber driver who took the parkland shooter to MSD on day of massacre testified Monday that she picked him up at a home on loxahatchee rd. says he told her he was going to a ‘music’ class - ride took 12 min @CBSMiami
— Joan Murray (@joanmurraycbs4) July 25, 2022
Broward County CSI Miguel Suarez testifies
2nd prosecution witness at parkland shooter sentencing trial on week 2 is Miguel suarez a BSO csi- was called to MSD after massacre-documented one student and diagrammed 2nd floor @CBSMiami
— Joan Murray (@joanmurraycbs4) July 25, 2022
#CruzTrial Miguel Suarez with BSO’s crime scene unit is now being shown a diagram of the 1200 buildings second level. He is also being shown photos of the surveillance cameras and its location on the hallway ceilings. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 25, 2022
#CruzTrial Miguel Suarez of BSO identifying the fragments he found from the gunfire on the adjacent buildings rooftop. In total he collected 7 fragments. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 25, 2022
Former MSD student Justin Colton begins testimony in Week 2 of Parkland sentencing trial
#CruzTrial first witness of the day, Justin Colton. Former MSD student who graduated in 2021. @CBSMiami
— Nicole Lauren (@NLaurenTV) July 25, 2022
Parkland shooter sentencing trial begins week 2. First prosecution witness is Justin Colton a former MSD student who was a freshman at time of massacre. He says he heard gunshots ran for cover - says He was shot - right arm and lower back. Still has fragments in body @CBSMiami
— Joan Murray (@joanmurraycbs4) July 25, 2022