It is attainable Florida faculty shooter Nikolas Cruz talked himself right into a dying sentence.
Prosecutors performed video final week at Cruz's penalty trial of jailhouse interviews he did this yr with two of their psychological well being consultants. In frank and typically graphic element, he answered their questions on his bloodbath of 17 individuals at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas Excessive College on Feb. 14, 2018 - his planning, his motivation, the shootings.
Whereas it might't be identified what the 12 jurors are pondering, if any are wavering between voting for dying or life with out parole, his statements to Dr. Charles Scott, a forensic psychiatrist, and Robert Denney, a neuropsychologist, didn't assist his trigger.
"All of this made Cruz himself maybe one of many state's greatest witnesses," stated David S. Weinstein, a Miami protection legal professional and former prosecutor who has been monitoring the trial.
The jury will seemingly resolve Cruz's destiny this week. For the 24-year-old to get a dying sentence, the jury should be unanimous on a minimum of one sufferer. But when all 17 counts come again with a minimum of one vote in favor of life in jail, then that might be his sentence. Closing arguments are scheduled Tuesday, with deliberations starting Wednesday.
The 12 jurors and 10 alternates who will resolve whether or not Cruz will get the dying penalty or life in jail made a uncommon go to to the bloodbath scene in August, retracing Cruz's steps by way of the three-story freshman constructing, often known as "Constructing 12." After they left, a gaggle of journalists — together with CBS Miami's Joan Murray — was allowed in for a a lot faster first public view.
"It was actually frozen in time," Murray stated.
As a result of Cruz's protection is that his start mom's heavy consuming throughout being pregnant left him brain-damaged, prosecutors may have consultants study him for his or her rebuttal case.
Scott and Denney interviewed him individually for a number of hours. In every, Cruz sat throughout the desk, handcuffed, a sweater draped over his chest. He typically requested for a pen and paper so as to add diagrams and drawings to his explanations.
"The query is: What is going to the jury take away from the interviews? Chilly-blooded killer who was vengeful and excited in regards to the murders, or an individual so hopelessly deranged that he cannot be something however loopy?" stated Bob Jarvis, a professor at Nova Southeastern College's legislation faculty.
Excerpts from these interviews, a few of that are graphic:
How lengthy had Cruz been considering a college capturing?
"A really very long time," Cruz informed Scott, beginning when he was 13 or 14, about 5 years earlier than he did it.
"It was only a thought. I used to be studying books," Cruz stated. "It could come and go. It could pop up in my thoughts."
The ideas would return when he watched violent movies, significantly documentaries about mass shootings at Colorado's Columbine Excessive College, Virginia Tech and elsewhere, he stated.
How did Cruz plan the bloodbath?
"I did my very own analysis," Cruz informed Scott. "I studied mass murderers and the way they did it, their plans, what they obtained and what they used."
He detailed the teachings he realized: Look ahead to would-be rescuers coming round corners, hold far out of your focused victims, assault as quick as attainable - and "the police did not do something."
"I've a small alternative to shoot individuals for perhaps 20 minutes," Cruz stated.
How did Cruz put together?
He informed Scott he put his AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle in a bag the evening earlier than and slipped its magazines right into a capturing vest. He adjusted the gun's sights and imagined what the recoil would really feel like.
"I did not get any sleep," Cruz stated.
He donned the burgundy polo shirt he obtained when he was a member of the Stoneman Douglas Junior Reserve Officer Coaching Corps program so he may escape by mingling with fleeing college students.
"If I had all my (capturing) gear on, they'd have known as the cops," Cruz stated.
When he set out at 2 p.m., he informed the Uber driver he was within the faculty orchestra and the bag carried his instrument.
What did Cruz do when he arrived?
"I walked by way of the gates. Hopefully, there can be no safety guards, however I used to be improper," Cruz informed Scott. "I used to be wanting on the man and he was watching me."
When Cruz attended Stoneman Douglas, guards continuously checked him for weapons due to his erratic and typically violent conduct. When he was expelled a yr earlier than the capturing, a guard predicted he would ultimately return and shoot individuals.
Fearing he'd been found, Cruz sprinted right into a three-story classroom constructing and rapidly assembled his weapon. He informed a pupil who occurred upon him to flee as a result of one thing dangerous was about to occur.
He then went flooring to flooring, capturing down hallways and into lecture rooms, firing 140 pictures in all.
"I believed they'd scream," Cruz stated about his first three victims. He shot them point-blank exterior a locked classroom door. "It was extra like they handed out and blood got here pouring out of their head. It was actually nasty and unhappy to see."
However he continued.
"I believe I confirmed mercy to a few women. I used to be going to stroll away, however they confirmed nasty faces and I went again," Cruz stated. "I believed they have been going to assault me."
Cruz shot a number of of his victims a second time after they fell, together with his remaining one - a pupil writhing from a leg wound. He stated the boy "gave me a nasty look. A glance of anger."
"His head blew up like a water balloon," Cruz stated.
Why did Cruz cease capturing?
College students and lecturers fled the constructing or locked themselves in lecture rooms. The third-floor hallway was now empty aside from victims.
"I could not discover anybody to kill," he stated. "I did not wish to do it anymore and I did not assume there was anybody else within the constructing."
He dropped his gun and vest on the stairwell and fled. He was captured an hour later - the police officer had been searching for a younger male in a Stoneman Douglas ROTC polo.
Cruz's remaining say
As Denney was ending the ultimate interview, he requested Cruz if there was anything he ought to know. Cruz thought for 10 seconds earlier than responding: "Why I selected Valentine's Day."
"As a result of I believed nobody would love me," Cruz defined. "I did not like Valentine's Day and I needed to smash it for everybody."
"Do you imply for the members of the family of the children that have been killed?" Denney requested.
"No, for the varsity," Cruz replied.
The vacation won't ever be celebrated there once more, he stated.