The sentencing trial of Parkland gunman Nikolas Cruz has been delayed once again as Hurricane Ian continues to strengthen on its path towards Florida.
Judge Elizabeth Scherer postponed the trial until Monday when the state will resume its rebuttal case.
The rebuttal began on Tuesday with witnesses testifying that Cruz’s gun magazine and boots were decorated with swastikas. Jurors were also shown his internet history, including searches for Nazi paraphernalia and child porn as well as racist comments about Black people.
Forensic psychiatrist Dr Charles Scott then detailed how he disgnosed Cruz with antisocial personality disorder. Antisocial personality disorder, also known as sociopathy, is a mental disorder where ab individual consistently shows no regard for right and wrong, ignores the rights and feelings of others and shows no remorse for their actions, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Jurors were shown video clips from Dr Scott’s interviews with Cruz back in March 2022 as evidence of how he reached his diagnosis. In the clips, the mass shooter tries to claim that he placed swastikas on his items as a symbol “of peace” and describes how he skinned and burned lizards alive from the age of four.
The state is seeking to show that Cruz is a sociopath who planned his attack and has no remorse for murdering 17 victims – challenging Cruz’s defence that fetal alcohol spectrum disorders led him to carry out one of the worst mass shootings in American history.
On Valentine’s Day 2018, Cruz, then 19, travelled to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School with an AR-15 and gunned down students and staff.
In October, Cruz, now 24, pleaded guilty to 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder.
Jurors will now decide whether to sentence him to death or to life in prison.
