NOW BUT LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF RAIN HEADED TOWARD THE ISLANDS, MINIMAL WIND IMPACTS.
>>> ALSO BREAKING NEWS IN THE
PENALTY PHASE PART OF THE TRIAL
FOR THE PARKLAND SCHOOL SHOOTER,
THE DEFENSE SAYING TODAY THEY
ARE READY TO REST THEIR CASE.
>> THE ANNOUNCEMENT SURPRISING
PROSECUTORS, LET’S GO TO
REPORTER CHRISTINA VASQUEZ.
I EVERYBODY WAS REALLY TAKEN
ABACK BY THIS ONE.
>> YOU HAVE THAT EXACTLY RIGHT,
THIS WAS CLEARLY NOT ANTICIPATED
BY ANYONE, IN FACT REALLY
CATCHING THE JUDGE, EVEN THE
PROSECUTION OFF GUARD.
TAKE A LOOK.
>> THE DAY OF AFTER PRESENTING
THE 26TH WITNESS, THE DEFENSE
WITH AN ANNOUNCEMENT.
.THAT STUNNED THE COURTROOM.
>> DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING READY
FOR TODAY?
>> NO.
>> IN PART BECAUSE THE DEFENSE
PREVIOUSLY STATED THEY PLANNED
TO PRESENT UPWARDS OF 80
WITNESSES AND THEN A TESTY
EXCHANGE.
>>> THINGS THE MOST UNCALLED
FOR, UNPROFESSIONAL WAY TO TRY
THE CASE.
YOU ALL KNEW ABOUT THIS, EVEN IF
YOU DIDN’T MAKE YOUR DECISION
UNTIL THIS MORNING, TO HAVE 22
PEOPLE PLUS EVERY ATTORNEY MARCH
INTO COURT AS IF IT’S SOME KIND
OF GAME, NOW THE STATE’S NOT
READY, THEY’RE NOT GOING TO HAVE
A WITNESS READ READY, I HONESTLY
HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A LEVEL
OF UNPROFESSIONALISM IN MY
CAREER.
IT’S UNBELIEVABLE.
>> [INDISCERNIBLE] YOU INSULTED
MY ON THE RECORD IN FORGIVE
MY CLIENT AND I BELIEVE --
>> .
>> YOU’VE BEEN INSULTING ME THE
ENTIRE TRIAL TO TAKING YOUR
HEADPHONES OFF, ARGUING WITH ME,
STORMING OUT, SO QUITE FRANKLY,
THIS HAS BEEN LONG OVERDUE SO
PLEASE BE SEATED.
>>> THE JUDGE THEN QUESTIONING
THE DEFENDANT ABOUT WHETHER HE
UNDERSTANDS AND AGREES WITH HIS
DEFENSE TEAM’S STRATEGY.
>> YOUR LAWYERS HAVE INDICATED
THAT YOU’RE GOING TO REST YOUR
CASE, AND HAVE YOU HAD TIME TO
CONSIDER THIS DECISION?
>> YES.
>> ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THIS
DECISION.
>> [INDISCERNIBLE] IS THERE ANY
WITNESS THAT YOU KNOW OF EITHER
LISTED OR NOT LISTED THAT IT
FEEL NEEDS TO BE CALLED BY YOUR
LAWYER, LAWYERS THAT HAS NOT
ALREADY BEEN CALLED?
>> NOT ONLY.
>> AND DO YOU UNDERSTAND WE HAVE
A MOTION ABOUT YOUR BROTHER
TESTIFYING, AND HIS LAWYER SAME
AND WE HAD A HEARING ON IT AND
BASED ON YOUR DECISION TO REST
YOUR BROTHER IS NOT GOING TO BE
TESTIFYING.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?
>> YES, MA’AM.
>> AND THE PROSECUTION ALSO READ
INTO THE RECORD A LIST OF ALL
THE DEFENSE WITNESSES THAT THE
JURY WILL NOW NOT HEAR FROM HIM,
AND THE JUDGE AGAIN, THE
DEFENDANT IN THIS CASE, JUST
PRESSING AND ASKING AND MAKING
SURE HE UNDERSTAND AND GETTING
CLARITY, ARE THERE ANY WITNESSES
THAT YOU ARE WONDERING WHY YOUR
DEFENSE TEAM MAY NOT BE
PRESENTING.
AFTER GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS
NIKOLAS CRUZ ENDS BY TELLING THE
COURT QUOTE I THINK WE’RE ALL
GOOD HERE.
SO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
AS THE JUDGE EXPLAINED TO THE
JURY IN THE CASE, THE JURORS
WILL COME BACK ON SEPTEMBER 27,
THAT’S WHEN THE STATE WILL START
WHAT IT EXPECTS TO BE A WEEKLONG
PROCESS OF IT REBUTTAL CASE.
NOW, IN THE WAY THAT WORK IS THE
STATE DOES HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
IN REBUTTAL TO CALL WITNESSES
AND ESSENTIAL THE POINT OF THAT
PART OF IS THIS THIS TRIAL
PROCESS IS TO REFUTE ANY
EVIDENCE PRESENTED IN THE
DEFENSE’S CASE.
AND THAT MOVESES INTO CLOSING
ARGUMENTS WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO
BE SCHEDULED THE WEEK OF
ONCOMING TEN AND THE JUDGE
REMINDING THE JURORS THAT ONCE
THEY GET INTO DELIBERATIONS THEY
WILL BE SEQUESTERED AND I CAN
SAY THE NEXT IMMEDIATE THING
WITHOUT THE JURORS IS MONDAY
AFTERNOON, ALL THE PARTIES WILL
RECONVENE FOR PRINCE PRETRIAL HE
>>> WHAT A TESTY EXCHANGE THERE