FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A jury of seven males and 5 ladies was tentatively chosen Tuesday for a penalty trial to decide whether or not Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz must be sentenced to loss of life or get life in jail for the 2018 assault, capping an almost three-month winnowing course of that started with 1,800 candidates.
The jurors had been picked from a ultimate group of 53 candidates by prosecutors and protection attorneys. Those chosen survived three rounds of questioning that started on April 4 and dragged on via quite a few delays brought on by diseases and different components. Eight of 10 alternates had been chosen earlier than Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer adjourned late Tuesday.
The jury might be finalized Wednesday. Both sides nonetheless have peremptory challenges that might change the principle panel’s ultimate make-up — the protection has two and the prosecution has six.
The jury will decide whether or not Cruz, 23, receives the loss of life sentence or life in jail with out parole for the murders of 14 college students and three workers members at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, 2018. Opening statements, initially anticipated in May, are actually scheduled for July 18.
Cruz pleaded responsible in October to these murders and 17 counts of tried homicide, so the jurors will solely decide his punishment. They should be unanimous for Cruz to get the loss of life penalty — if not less than one votes for all times, that might be Cruz’s sentence.
The jurors presently on the principle panel are two banking executives and two expertise employees, a probation officer, a human assets skilled, and a Walmart retailer inventory supervisor. Also included are a librarian, a medical claims adjuster, a authorized assistant, a customs officer, and a retired insurance coverage govt. The protection used a late peremptory problem as alternates had been being chosen to take away a retired well being care govt who had initially been seated on the principle panel.
At least 5 presently seated are gun homeowners.
The panel can have a activity by no means confronted by a U.S. jury — no American mass shooter who killed not less than 17 individuals has ever made it to trial. Nine others died throughout or instantly after their taking pictures assaults, killed both by police or themselves. The suspect within the 2019 slaying of 23 at a Walmart retailer in El Paso, Texas, is awaiting trial.
In the primary section of jury choice, the potential panelists had been merely requested if their employment and life circumstances would permit them to serve the 4 months the trial is anticipated to final. About 80% had been eradicated as a result of their employers would not pay them, they’re self-employed, or that they had school obligations or holidays deliberate.
In the second section, the 300 remaining panelists had been requested their opinions on the loss of life penalty and whether or not they could possibly be truthful to Cruz. Finally, about 85 had been requested about their lives and work histories, whether or not they might abdomen seeing ugly crime scene and post-mortem images and even when they play violent video video games and consider white individuals have benefits in society not obtainable to racial minorities.
The choice course of was upended a number of occasions. One day, the sheriff’s deputies who guard the courtroom thought some potential jurors had been about to assault Cruz and pulled him to security as they shortly eliminated the threatening panelists. On one other day, Scherer had to dismiss a gaggle of potential jurors as a result of one wore a T-shirt referencing the taking pictures that supported the victims and survivors. Selection additionally was delayed for 2 weeks when lead protection lawyer Melisa McNeill contracted COVID-19.
The jurors might be uncovered to graphic proof, together with crime scene and post-mortem images, and tour the three-story classroom constructing the place Cruz methodically stalked the halls, taking pictures at anybody in entrance of him and into school rooms. It has not been cleaned because the taking pictures and stays bloodstained and bullet-pocked, with Valentine’s Day items strewn about.