Nikolas Cruz to Plead Guilty for Parkland School Shooting

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: New York Times




The former student who was accused of shooting and killing 17 people at his high school in Parkland, Fla., in 2018 plans to plead guilty to 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder, one of his lawyers said on Friday. The rampage at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, 2018, killed 14 students and three faculty members and wounded 17 and was one of the deadliest school shootings in American history.

The former student, Nikolas Cruz, who was 19 at the time and had a history of mental health and behavior problems, used a semiautomatic rifle that he had legally bought to carry out the assault, according to the police. “It is our intent to enter a change of plea as to both cases to all charges,” David Wheeler, one of Mr. Cruz’s lawyers, said in court on Friday. Mr. Cruz was scheduled to appear in court later on Friday morning to plead guilty in a separate case related to a fight with a guard in jail.

Judge Elizabeth Scherer said she would schedule a hearing for Wednesday for Mr. Cruz to change his plea in the Parkland shooting case. Before the shooting, Mr. Cruz recorded three videos on his cellphone that indicated that he, like many youthful perpetrators of mass shootings, wanted his name to be remembered. “When you see me on the news, you’ll all know who I am,” he said on one video. “You’re all going to die.”

The shooting led thousands of students who had grown up in an era of school shooting drills and lockdowns to walk out of their classrooms and march for tougher gun control laws and an end to gun violence. Some of the marches were led by teenagers who had survived the Parkland shooting and who quickly emerged as leaders of a younger generation of activists.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/15/us/nikolas-cruz-parkland-shooting-plea.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimes

[H2O Man]

1. Recommended.

I watched some of the pre-trial hearings. I assume his name will be remembered, though not the way he wants it to be. His will be a case study in forensic psychology, as he is an example of someone who provided society with numerous warning signs.

[Botany]

2. " ... mental health and behavior problems, used a semiautomatic rifle that he had legally bought ...

One more member of America's home grown well regulated militia.

Fuck the NRA.

[BigmanPigman]

3. I wonder what the story with the prison guard.

[irisblue]

5. from the article..

Snip--"Mr. Cruz was scheduled to appear in court later on Friday morning to plead guilty in a separate case related to a fight with a guard in jail."
Snip--"The case involving the fight with the officer in jail dates back to November 2018, when Mr. Cruz was accused of assaulting an officer and grabbing his electroshock weapon while being held in a Fort Lauderdale jail.

After Sgt. Raymond Beltran told Mr. Cruz to “not drag his sandals on the ground,” according to an affidavit, Mr. Cruz made an obscene gesture and “rushed” him and “struck him in the face.” The two men ended up on the ground, the affidavit said. Video shows that Mr. Cruz was on top of Sergeant Beltran at one point, punching him in the head several times, according to the affidavit."

Apparently asshole behavior

[BigmanPigman]

10. I guess he won't be getting "off easy"

for practicing good behavior. He doesn't sound like a model prisoner.

[LiberatedUSA]

12. He is gonna be a lifer.

A lifer needs to earn respect. The rest of his life will be spent trying stuff like this.

[marble falls]

4. And people wince at 45 not being jailed yet in 10 months

[cannabis_flower]

6. FWIW

Mr. Cruz’s trial is only really a formality. He is in jail and will stay in jail. It doesn’t really matter if the trial would have been in 2019, this year or next. Whatever. While Trump and all his minions mostly all go unpunished and free to roam about, play golf or even flee the country.

[marble falls]

8. My point is: there is no instant justice worth haveing. Before we throw the book at him. we have ...

... write it first. When we drop it, he'll be under it.

[Mawspam2]

7. So, it'll be life in prison w/o parole...

...but unclear if prosecutors will drop the death penalty.

[marble falls]

9. I think he's too crazy for the death penalty, but sane enough for a life sentence in prison.

[JohnnyRingo]

11. ..."wanted his name to be remembered".

Ironic that I'd forgotten his name and had to read to see who he is.
Goodbye forever.

[roamer65]

13. Any relation to Ted Cruz?

Make me wonder…