Nikolas Cruz, the suspect who confessed to the February 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, is appearing in court on Wednesday. A judge could set a trial date for Cruz, 19, who is facing murder charges for the attack, where 17 people died and 17 others were injured. Watch Cruz’s appearance live in the player above.
Last week, police released a redacted video and transcript of the police interview Cruz had with a detective after he was apprehended. Cruz didn’t deny being the one who committed act, but he said he heard the voice of a demon in his head that told him to do things. He even said the demon told him to carry out an attack at a park a week earlier, but he didn’t do it. Detective John Curcio of the Broward County Police expressed skepticism over this demon voice. He accused Cruz of using it as an excuse, but Cruz insisted that was not the case.
The video that was released did not include parts of the conversation that dealt with the shooting itself or what happened.
Cruz’s defense attorneys have indicated that Cruz would potentially plead guilty, as long as prosecutors agreed not to move for the death penalty. So far, attorneys for the state have not agreed to this. Should the case go to trial, and the jury convicted Cruz of first-degree murder, they would then determine whether he should get the death penalty or life in prison.
[Image via Mike Stocker-Pool/Getty Images]
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