Emergency Hearing On Parkland School Shooting Suspect's Confession
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FT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - Lawyers for Parkland school shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz argued in court Friday against the release of his full confession.
The 19-year old is accused of going on a mass shooting spree at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High on Valentine's Day, killing 17 people.
In an emergency hearing, defense attorneys David Frankel and Melisa McNeill asked Judge Elizabeth Scherer to prevent Cruz's interview with Broward Sheriff Detective John Curcio from being released because "publication of certain portions of the statement will cause significant trauma to an already beleaguered community, impede the defendant's constitutional right against self-incrimination, as well as his right to a fair and impartial trial."
State law already prohibits releasing the confession.
The state attorney's office is already redacting that part of the video. The entire video lasts 12 hours.
Judge Scherer ruled that she would review the full confession and the redacted version that prosecutors would release and make her ruling in the future.
Cruz's lawyers have said that in exchange for life in prison their client would plead guilty. So far, prosecutors have refused to waive the death penalty.