Last month we learned that Nikolas Cruz had escaped the death penalty in Florida despite an open and shut case that he had murdered 17 people, most of them children. How that happened was explained by the jury foreman in an interview after the decision was announced. In Florida the death penalty can only be imposed if the 12 jurors are unanimous. In this case, one juror refused to consider the death penalty and two others eventually sided with her.

Today the formal sentencing is taking place and part of that process includes impact statements from the families of the victims. I’ve watched about seven of these statements and despite four years passing, all of these relatives are still clearly suffering from very fresh pain and immense grief. Each statement was unique but many of the the family members agreed that Nikolas Cruz deserved suffer or to die for his actions. Several also took out a lot of their anger on the defense.

For instance, here’s the mother of Joaquin Oliver pointing to each member of the defense as she says “I am broken.” You don’t have to keep watching but if you do, you’ll see she’s really attacking the defense team pretty directly.

The sister of Alaina Petty, who was only 14 when she was killed, gave a statement. Her demeanor was very subdued but her words were unflinching. She made it clear that she felt he should have faced the death penalty. “Knowing he gets to live out the rest of his natural life, something Alaina doesn’t get to do because of his disgusting and vile actions on Feb. 14, 2018,” she said. She continued, “He has escaped this punishment because a minority of the jury was given the power to overturn the majority decision made by people who are able to see him for what he is, a remorseless monster who deserves no mercy.” She went on to describe his actions as “unimaginably evil.” Here’s a bit of what she said, again mocking the defense argument that Cruz had a hard life.

"She died but it doesn't matter because his (Cruz) life wasn't cupcakes, rainbows and sunshine." Sister of victim Alaina Petty giving victim impact statement saying there is no justice because he didn't get the dp. #ParklandSchoolShooter sentencing. pic.twitter.com/Ez9yB0UJCx

— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) November 1, 2022

Next up was Max Schachter, the father of Alex Schachter, who gave a long statement about the trial and the defense, noting that it’s a lie to claim Nikolas Cruz was a kid who slipped through the cracks or “fell off the grid.” Here’s a bit of what he said, again taking it directly to the defense, calling them liars.

"He had well over 200 individual sessions with mental health professionals! Does that sound like someone that fell off the grid?!" – Max Schachter giving a passionate victim impact statement speaking directly to the defense team. pic.twitter.com/RW5kI9oVZ7

— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) November 1, 2022

He argued that Cruz was the “worst of the worst” based on what he did. “You make me sick,” he said to the defense attorneys.

"You obviously have a very high tolerance for murder! God knows what you're showing your kids on television."

Max Schachter to public defender Melisa McNeill.

This appears to be what the defense team is upset about. #ParklandShooter pic.twitter.com/eFZq1dSy4R

— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) November 1, 2022

Schaechter said that early on he had hatred for Cruz’s adoptive mother but learned over time that she’d actually spent her entire life trying to get him help. She did everything she could but ultimately none of it worked. “But you can’t fix evil,” he said.

"You can't fix evil!"

Max Schachter – "Where's his brain damage?! To say that is insulting to people that really suffer from brain damage!"#ParklandMurderer pic.twitter.com/v7lzL74KmF

— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) November 1, 2022

That must have gotten to the defense table because a few minutes later they were complaining to the judge about being personally attacked.

Defense is upset that some of the victim statements today are directly attacking the defense team members and their children.
(I do know we've been in other trials where this would not be allowed. Some judges won't even let victim family members address the defendant directly.) pic.twitter.com/3qMWTyrzAc

— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) November 1, 2022

That led to a statement from the prosecution arguing that the victims had a right under the Florida constitution to speak their minds at sentencing. The defense then tried to argue they weren’t trying to silence anyone but that the judge knew the statements were out of line. As you can see, the judge had had enough of their whining.

The contention between Judge Scherer and defense attorney Melisa McNeill that was evident during the trial, continues today. #ParklandMurderer
Watch: pic.twitter.com/cEYQblJ4VS

— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) November 1, 2022

Finally, after that disruption, Ann Marie Ramsay spoke on behalf of her daughter Helena Ramsay. “When the trial started, I wasn’t sure whether the murderer should get the death penalty or life, but after listening to all of the details it was most certainly, for me, the death penalty,” she said. “You are pure evil,” she added, looking directly at Cruz.

Here’s the full video of the impact statements, at least the ones that have been given today. It really is a shame, in my view, that Cruz will live some semblance of a life despite the horror he has inflicted on all of these people.

Update: The defense attorneys kept arguing that the victim’s families were out of line to make comments about them and their children and asked the judge to order the prosecution to put a stop to it. The judge clearly felt that a few stray comments from grieving family members weren’t worth highlighting. But one of the defense attorneys decided to argue the point. “Judge, I can assure you that if they were talking about your children, you would definitely notice it,” he said. The judge ordered him to sit down and then reconsidered and excused him to the back of the room.

Maybe the defense has a point about some of the comments being out of line but read the room. Having the defense attorneys whine that their parenting skills were criticized or their children were mentioned by victims whose children were murdered by their client seems tone deaf beyond belief. I wish the judge had just told them to suck it up. What they’ve experienced is literally nothing compared to what these families have suffered.