Parkland, Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz on Wednesday pleaded guilty in court to all counts of murder and attempted murder and will now face sentencing with the possibility of receiving the death penalty
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th October, 2021) Parkland, Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz on Wednesday pleaded guilty in court to all counts of murder and attempted murder and will now face sentencing with the possibility of receiving the death penalty.
Cruz killed 14 students and three staff members at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on February 14, 2018.
After the judge in the case accepted the guilty plea, Cruz read a statement in which he apologized and made a case against drug use and racism.
"I am very sorry for what I did, and I have to live with it every day, and that if I were to get a second chance, I would do everything in my power to try and help others," Cruz said. "I hate drugs, and I believe this country would do better if everyone would stop smoking marijuana and doing all these drugs and causing racism and violence out in the streets."
Cruz admitted to his frequent use of marijuana while media reported about his involvement in a racist and anti-Semitic online group chat and demonstrated an interest in violence.
Following the guilty plea, a jury will now decide whether Cruz deserves the death penalty. He faces a minimum sentence of life in prison, which the court noted does not come with the possibility of parole in Florida.
The judge and legal teams agreed to convene again on October 26 for a status conference, during which they will discuss court motions, exchange evidence and engage in other communication related to the trial.
