>> THE SCHOOL MASSACRE. GOOD AFTERNOON. >>
.
. >>> RIGHT NOW AT NOON AFTER FOUR LONG YEARS, OPENING STATEMENTS
ARE UNDER WHICH.
THEY JUST HAPPENED IN THE
PARKLAND SCHOOL SHOOTER PENALTY
TRIAL.
>>Gio:RS JURORS WILL DECIDE IF
NIKOLAS CRUZ WILL GET LIFE IN
PRISON OR THE COMPANY.
ALEX FINNIE JOIN US LIVE FROM
THE COURTHUES IN FT. LAUDERDALE.
>>Kristi: SHE SAY WHAT IS HAS
BEEN SAID SO FAR IN COURT TODAY.
ALEX.
>>Alex: GIO AND KRISTI, AS
DIFFICULT IT WAS TO LISTEN TO.
AS HARD AS IT WAS FOR US TO
HEAR, WHAT THE PARENTS HAD TO
LISTEN TO.
SATZ SAYS THIS IS A PLANNED
SYSTEMATIC MASS MURDER OF 14
CHILDREN, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AND
COACH.
CALLS IT A COLD, CALCULATED,
MANIPULATIVE AND DEADLY ATTACK
SETTING UP THE POWERFUL OPENING
STATEMENT THAT LASTED WELL OVER
AN HOUR.
HE BROUGHT THE JURY BACK BO THE
DAY OF THAT MASSACRE AND TALKED
OF HOW CRUZ GOT TO THE CAMPUS
THAT DAY.
AND THE EXACT TIME OF THAT
MASSACRE.
WE NOTICED 2 -- 21 -- 23.
FIRED A WEAPON AT FOUR STUDENTS
IN THE HALLWAY OF MARJORY
STONEMAN DOUGLAS AFTER HE ALERT
A STUDENT IN THE STAIRWELL THAT
SOMETHING BAD WAS GOING TO
HAPPEN AND A POWERFUL TOUCHING
MOMENT THERE WHEN THE
PROSECUTION WENT MOMENT BY
MOMENT, SHOT BY SHOT, AND THEN
THERE WAS THIS.
READING OFF ALL OF THE VICTIMS
NAMES GOING VICTIM BY VICTIM.
A CONSTANT THAT WE ARE HEARING
AS WELL THROUGHOUT THIS OPENING
STATEMENT IS CRUZ AND ALSO THE
FACTOR THAT’S MAY HAVE LED TO
WHAT HAVE CAUSED HIM TO DO THIS
SAYING THAT HE WAS JUST REALLY A
DISTURBED YOUNG MAN AS EVIDENT
IN THE RECORDINGS HE MADE
SHORTLY BEFORE THE SHOOTING.
SATZ SATZ TOUCHED ON THAT AS
WELL AND I WANT FOR YOU TO TAKE
A LISTEN.
>> HELLO.
MY NAME IS NICK.
I AM GOING TO BE THE NEXT SCHOOL
SHOOTER OF 2018.
MY GOAL IS AT LEAST 20 PEOPLE
WITH AN AR-15 AND SOME TRACER
ROUNDS.
IT IS GOING TO BE A BIG EVENT.
AND WHEN YOU SEE ME ON THE NEWS,
YOU WILL KNOW WHO I AM.
YOU ARE ALL GOING TO DIE.
I CAN’T WAIT.
OH YEAH, I CAN’T WAIT.
COLD, CALCULATED, MANIPULATIVE,
AND DEADLY.
>>Alex: JUST REALLY SUCH
CHILLING WORDS THERE.
A.WHEN OUR CAMERA PANNED OVER
SEVERAL TIMES TO THOSE SITTING
IN THE COURT ROOM.
LOVED ONES, PARENTS HAVING TO
LISTEN TO US.
LISTEN TO THIS ENTIRE OR DEAL.
YOU CAN IMAGINE THE STRESS, PAIN
AND ANGUISH THEY WERE GOING
THROUGH AT THIS TIME.
AND CONTINUE GOING THROUGH FOR
SEVERAL MONTHS.
I DO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT HERE
AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WE KNOW SO
FAR.
CRUZ PLEADED GUILTY LAST OCTOBER
AS MANY MAY REMEMBER TO 17
COUNTS OF MURDER AND 17 COUNTS
ATTEMPTED MURDER THAT CARRY AS
LIFE SENTENCE IN PRISON WITHOUT
THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE.
HERE IS WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
THE PENALTY CASE.
THE PEOPLE TEE PART OF THIS
TRIAL IS WHAT WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT TODAY.
THAT STARTED AT 9 A.M., WHETHER
OR NOT CRUZ WILL GET LIFE IN
PRISON OR THE COMPANY.
WE KNOW THAT THE TRIAL IS
EXPECTED TO TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS.
BEFORE I GO HERE, THIS IS
REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR
VIEWERS TO KNOW.
KEEP IN MIND THAT THE JURY’S
DECISION MUST BE UNANIMOUS IN
ORDER FOR THE COMPANY TO HOLD.
FOR NOW, THAT IS THE VERY LATEST
LIVE IN FT. LAUDERDALE, ALEX
FINNIE, LOCAL 10 NEWS.
>>Kristi: SO MUCH ANGUISH FOR
THOSE POOR FAMILIES.
THANK YOU.
TEAM COVERAGE FOR REPORTER
CHRISTINE VASQUEZ.
>>Gio: HE HAS BEEN IN THE COURT
ROOM FOR OPENING STATEMENTS.
WHAT DO YOU SAY?
>> Reporter: COULD YOU FEEL THE
WEIGHT OF THE MOMENT WHEN YOU
ARE IN THAT COURT ROOM
ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF
FAMILY MEMBERS HERE FOR SOME OF
THE PARKLAND SHOOTING VICTIMS.
I HAVE BEEN COVERING THE
HEARINGS.
FAMILY MEMBERS I HAVE NOT SEEN
BEFORE ME TODAY.
THE ENTIRE FAMILY OF MURDER
VICTIM HELENA RAMSEY.
THAT WAS DIFFICULT FOR THEM AS
THE LEAD PROSECUTOR MAKE SATZ.
SPEAKING TO THE JURY.
OPENING STATEMENTS TO
INTROJURORS TO THE OVERVIEW,
RIGHT, OF THE CA IS THEY WILL BE
HEARING AND TRYING OVER THE NEXT
COUPLE OF MONTHS.
FOR THE PROSECUTION, THAT MEANS
THEY NEED TO PROVE-YEAR-OLD WHAT
WE CALL ACT GRA VENTILATORING
FACT -- PROVE BEYOND A
REASONABLE DOUBT AGGRAVATING
FACTORS.
ACCORDING TO THE STATE STATUTE,
THAT WILL COMPEL A JURY TO PICK
DEATH OR A MORE SEVERE
SENTENCING OPTION AND THINGS THE
WAY THE DEFENDANT WITH THESE
MURDERS WERE COLD, CALCULATED,
PREMEDICATED.
WORDS OUT OF FLORIDA STATE
STATUTES.
THAT IT WAS ESPECIALLY HEINOUS
AND CRUEL.
SO AS THE LEAD PROSECUTOR IS
WALKING THE JURORS THROUGH THE
MANNER IN WHICH NIKOLAS CRUZ,
THEN 19 REMEMBER ARRIVES AT THE
SCHOOL IN AN UBER.
HE EXPLAINS THE AR-STYLE GUN.
BUT REALLY THE MOMENT AS HE IS
GOING HALLWAY BY HALLWAY.
RIGHT.
HE IS TAKING THE JURORS THROUGH
THE FACTS OF THE CASE.
HE IS DOING THIS IN A WAY TO
ALSO, AGAIN, REALLY SPEAK TO
THIS COLD, CALCULATED WAY THAT
HE INTEND ODD TO SHOOT THESE
PEOPLE.
HE PLANNED ON DOING IT.
AND TALKS AT ONE POINT HOW AFTER
HE KILLED SOMEBODY, HE KNEELS
DOWN, TAKES OFF HIS VEST.
HE HAS HIS TACTICAL VEST WITH
MORE AMMUNITION.
THOSE WERE THE MOMENTS WHERE
FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE PARKLAND
SHOOTING VICTIMS IN THAT COURT
ROOM, YOU CAN SENSE, WAS FEELING
IT THE MOST.
GINA MONTOVOLO’S DAD -- THE
SECOND SAYS HER NAME, AGE AND
HOW MANY TIMES SHE WAS SHOT, HE
LITERALLY CLOSES HIS EYES AND
TAKES A DEEP BREATH.
SOME OF THESE PARENTS, THEY HAVE
BECOME ACTIVISTS OVER THE YEARS.
FACTS OF THE CASE THEY KNOW VERY
WELL.
SHE SPENT FOUR YEARS LIVING IN
THIS SUSPENDED GRIEF.
SOME OF THEM BEING -- AS MANY OF
YOU KNOW -- VERY VOCAL AND
BECOMING GUN CONTROL ADVOCATES.
IN THE COURT ROOM, I REALIZED
FOR THEM, SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN
SO PUBLIC SPEAKING OF THE DEATH
AND LOSS OF THEIR LOVED ONES, TO
BE HERE, OPENING STATEMENTS, THE
TRIAL GETTING UNDER WAY.
A SWORN-IN JURY LISTEN TO THE
STATE.
A RECOGNITION THAT ALL THESE
YEARS LATER THE FINAL CHAPTER AS
ONE FATHER OF THE MURDER VICTIM
SAYS IS NOW UNDER WAY.
HELEN THAT’S FAMILY GOING
THROUGH THE DETAILS.
BY "THEY" I MEAN LEAD PROS
COUNTRIER MIKE SATZ.
THE MOM HAD TO LEAVE THE COURT
ROOM.
SHE HAD TO GET UP AND WALK AWAY.
FAMILY MEMBERS TRYING TO HOLD
THEMSELVES TOGETHER.
I HAD A CHANCE TO BRIEFLY SPEAK
WITH THEM.
THEY SAID THEY WANTED TO HAVE
THE COURAGE TO BE THERE TODAY
FOR HER.
AND WHAT IS INTERESTING THE JURY
MEMBERS THEMSELVES.
12 JURORS.
SEVEN MEN, FIVE WOMEN.
THESE ARE THE FOLKS WHO WILL BE
MAKING THE ULTIMATE
DETERMINATION WHETHER NIKOLAS
CRUZ GETS LIFE OR DEATH.
ALSO TEN ALTERNATES.
WHAT THE JUDGE HAS DECIDE TO DO
IS SAT THEM ALL TOGETHER IN THE
JURY BOX -- THEY ARE ACTUALLY IN
ALPHABETICAL ORDER.
A JUDGE END KATE IN A PREVIOUS
HEARING WANTED TO KNOW WHICH ONE
-- INDICATE IN A PREVIOUS
HEARING WHICH ONE A JUROR OR AN
ALTERNATE.
IN THE COURT ROOM, I HAVE ENTIRE
VIEW OF THE ENTIRE JURY BOX AND
AS LEAD PROSECUTOR MIKE SATZ
GRILLS DOWN WHAT SEEMS LIKE
GRANULAR DETAILS.
THE EXACT TIME OF SHOOTING.
HOW MANY EXACT CASINGS THEY
FOUND IN EACH CASE AS HE IS
BUILDING THAT OUT.
THERE IS A COUPLE STAFF THOSE
INJURES THEY BEGAN TO NOTE TAKE.
TWO MOMENTS HAPPENING TO THE
FRONT OF ME AND TO THE RIGHT OF
ME WE ARE FEELING -- WHAT I CALL
IT THE WEALTH OF THE HOME.
YOU ARE FEELING THE GRIEF, THE
PAIN AND LITTLE BIT OF THE
RELEASE OF, OH, MY GOSH, IT HAS
BEEN MORE THAN FOUR YEARS AND
THIS TRIAL IS FINALLY UNDER WAY.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF ME YOU CAN
SEE SOME OF THE JURORS REALLY
PAYING ATTENTION.
LEANING IN.
DILIGENT.
TWO OF THE JURORS THAT CAUGHT MY
EYE THE MOST.
ONE OF THEM WAS BROWARD COUNTY
LIBRARY WORKER.
SHE WAS REALLY TAKING THE TIME
AND PROCESSING, SITTING AND TAKE
IT DOWN.
THE OTHER UNA BIG TAKER IS A
COMPLIANCE OFFICER -- SUPERVISOR
FOR A MEDICAL DEVICE COMPANY AND
THIS IS A LITTLE INTERESTING, IF
YOU THINK OF THAT KIND OF WORK
BEING A COMPLIANCE SUPERVISOR.
IT MEANS SHE SPEPTS -- SPENDS
HER WORLD WHAT IS THE FACTS.
WHAT IS THE DATA.
DOES EVERYTHING ALIGN.
INTERESTING KNOWING HER
OCCUPATION.
KNOWING HER BEING ONE OF THE
BIGGEST NOTETECHERS.
THAT’S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
THE DEFENSE HAS A RIGHT TO LOOK
AT IT OF THE STATE OR DECIDE TO
DO IT AFTER THE STATE PROVIDES
ITS CASE IN CHIEF.
THE DEFENSE SAYS IT CAN REST OR
DELIVER THEIR OPENING STATEMENT.
THAT IS WHAT THE DEFENSE HAS
DONE, RESERVE THE RIGHT OF
DELIVERING THEIR OPENING
STATEMENT RIGHT NOW.
COURT IS IN RECESS FOR THE NEXT
HOUR.
AND WHEN THEY RETURN, THEY WILL
BE GETTING RIGHT INTO TRIAL
TESTIMONY AND THESE JURORS HAVE
AN UNIQUE PLACE IN U.S. HISTORY
AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A
LITTLE BIT EARLIER ACCORDING TO
FBI ACTIVE SHOOTER.
NOT MANY MASS SHOOTERS TO THIS
SCALE ACTUALLY MAKE IT TO TRIAL.
THE JURY WILL BE TASKED WITH --
STARTS THIS AFTERNOON THE STATE.
LISTEN TO EVIDENCE ABOUT THOSE
AGGRAVATING FACTORS.
TALKING COLD, CALCULATED,
PREMEDITATED, BEHIND USE, THOSE
ARE SOME OF THEM.
AFTER THAT HAPPENS WE WILL HEAR
FROM THE DEFENSE.
THE DEFENSE WILL HAVE EVIDENCE
OF WHAT IS CALLED MITIGATING
CIRCUMSTANCES.
THIS IS INFORMATION THEY THINK
MAY COMPEL A JUROR TO NOT CHOOSE
DEATH.
TO CHOOSE LIFE INSTEAD.
EVIDENCE WITHIN THAT IS LIKELY
TO BE ABOUT HIS CHILDHOOD AND
HIS BACK GROUNDS.
THE AGE OF WHICH HE COMMITTED
HIS CRIME.
MIKE SATZ, THE LEAD PROSECUTOR
IS ADDRESSING THAT HALFWAY
THROUGH HIS DELIVERY SAYING THAT
THE EVIDENCE WE ARE GOING TO
SHOW YOU WILL OUTWEIGH ANYTHING
YOU WILL HEAR ABOUT THIS MAN’S
BACKGROUND.
SO THERE WE ARE.
WE ARE ON OUR WAY.
BACK TO YOU.
>>Kristi: ALL RIGHT, CHRISTINA,
THANK YOU FOR BREAKING THAT DOWN
FOR US.
WE APPRECIATE IT.
OVER TO REPORTER JANINE
STANWOOD.
>>Gio: SHE HAS MORE ON OPENING
STATEMENTS WITH LEGAL ANALYST
DAVID WEINSTEIN.
A LOT TO TAKE IN.
>>Janine: A LOT TO TAKE IN.
ALL I CAN SAY IS WOW, DAVID.
CHRISTINA IN THE COURT ROOM WHO
IS THERE AS THESE FAMILY MEMBERS
ARE CRYING, LISTEN TO MIKE SATZ’
OPENING STATEMENT.
WE ARE HERE IN THE STUDIO AND WE
PAID ATTENTION BECAUSE HE
DELIVERED EVERY SINGLE DETAILS,
AGES, CALIBER WEAPONS, WHAT
HAPPENED TO THESE VICTIMS.
NO NOTES AND VERY POWERFUL.
>> A SUPREME MASTER ROW OF THE
FACTS OF THE CASE.
VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE A FIRST
IMPRESSION.
YOU ONLY HAVE ONE CHANCE TO MAKE
THE FIRST IMPRESSION AND JURORS
WATCH EVERYTHING IN THE COURT
ROOM.
FOR MR. SATZ TO STAND UP IN THE
COURT ROOM AND HAVE A COMMAND OF
THE NAMES OF THE VICTIMS, THE
SHOTS FIRED, WHEN THE DEPARTMENT
WAS THERE, THE NUMBER OF BUT
LET’S, THE CALIBER.
HAS TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE
PEOPLE AND THE IMPACT OF THE
NEXT OF KIN AND THE VICTIMS OF
THIS HORRIBLE CRIME TO SIT IN
THE COURT ROOM NOT ONLY WITH A
DEFENDANT BUT TO RELIVE THIS
AGAIN AND HEAR WHAT THE PICTURE
WAS OF THAT THE PROSECUTION WAS
PARENTS THE JURORS NOW HAVE TO
LISTEN TO THE EMOTIONS HAVE TO
BE OVERWHELMING FOR THEM AND THE
JURORS TOO.
WE SEE WHAT PEOPLE IN THE
AUDIENCE IS GOING THROUGH.
THE HUMANIZATION OF WHAT IS
TAKING PLACE HERE AND THE
STATE’S ABILITY TO PRESENT THESE
FACTORS AND SHOW IN THEIR MIND
THE ONLY SENTENCE APPROPRIATE IS
DEATH IS GOING TO BE ON THE
MINDS OF THE JURORS AS THEY
START TO LISTEN TO THE EVIDENCE.
>> THESE JURORS CANNOT SPEAK TO
EACH OTHER ABOUT THIS CASE.
THEY CAN’T SPEAK TO ANYBODY
ELSE.
THEY CAN’T USE SOCIAL MEDIA.
THAT IS HARD IN THIS DAY AND AGE
YOU TURN ON YOUR PHONE AND YOU
GET A NEWS ALERT.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE.
>> IT IS GOING TO BE TOUGH.
THE JUDGE SOLD THE JURORS I WANT
TO YOU TURN OFF YOUR PHONE
COMING IN THE COURT ROOM.
I DON’T WANT PEOPLE BEING
BOTHERED ALREADY QUESTIONING
YOU.
BUT WHEN YOU TURN ON YOUR PHONE
AND HAVE NOTIFICATION, YOU WILL
BE FLOODED WITH EVERY TWEET,
BREAKING NEWS AND EVERYTHING
ELSE.
HARD FOR THE JURORS TO LISTEN TO
THE INSTRUCTIONS AND NOT PAY
ATTENTION TO THAT.
WHAT THEY NEED TO DO IS FOCUS
WHAT THEY WILL HEAR IN THE COURT
ROOM AND WHAT THEY WILL BE
DELIBERATING ABOUT.
>>Janine: WE WILL BE LISTENING
AND IT GETS BACK AT 1 D 15.
SEND IT BACK TO YOU.
WATCHING GAVEL-TO-GAVELLINE AT
LOCAL10.COM.
>>Kristi: WE ARE GOING TO
CONTINUE OUR LIVE SPECIAL
COVERAGE ON THE PARKLAND.
WE WILL BE STREAMING COVERAGE ON