Former BSO Deputy Scot Peterson Arraigned In Fort Lauderdale Court
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami/AP) — It's been over 18 months since the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
On Monday, former Broward sheriff's Deputy Scot Peterson who is facing felony charges for his failure to enter the school while the gunman carried out the shooting was arraigned. Neither Peterson nor the judge was in the courtroom. Peterson's attorney submitted a written plea on his behalf.
On Friday, Peterson's attornies filed a motion to dismiss all charges. They claim prosecutors stretched the laws "beyond their breaking points" when they charged him last month with child neglect, culpable negligence, and perjury for his actions during and after the 2018 shooting that left 17 dead and 17 wounded.
Attorney Joseph DiRuzzo III wrote in filings filed last week that while Peterson was the deputy assigned to the school, he was not the students' legal caregiver.
He also wrote the Broward Sheriff's Office's policy for confronting active shooters said deputies "may" enter a building, not "shall."
Prosecutors have not responded in court.
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