DEATH PENALTY LAW, THE DETAILS AND A REPORTER WE BRIEF IS NEXT. >> FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS AS OF
THIS WEEK NO DAY HAS GONE BY
WITHOUT THE STONEMAN DOUGLAS
HIGH COMMUNITY IN OUR MINDS,
WHETHER OR NOT IN THE HEADLINES
AND THERE HAVE BEEN PLENTY OF
THOSE.
THE MOST RECENT POTENTIAL
CHANGES TO FLORIDA’S DEATH
PENALTY LAWS DIRECTLY TIED TO
THE JURY RECOMMENDATION OF THE
PARKLAND SHOOTER.
THIS WEEK LOCAL TEN’S CHRISTINA
VASQUEZ PUTS ALL OF THAT INTO
CONTEXT.
>> THE COURT IMPOSES A MANDATORY
LIFE SENTENCE.
>> IN NOVEMBER.
>> WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF
PAROLE.
>> THE LIFE SENTENCES OF
PARKLAND TRIAL JUDGE IMPOSED ON
THE PARKLAND SHOOTER FOR THE
MURDER OF 17 STAFF AND STUDENT
ON VALENTINE’S DAY 2018 WERE
RECOMMENDED BY DIVIDED JURY,
THREE WHO CHOSE LIFE.
>> THE ENERGY WAS SO HEATED,
THAT WE WANTED TO GET OUT OF
THAT ROOM.
>> THERE WERE MANY OF US IN THAT
ROOM THAT TRULY DID FRIDAY TO
SEEK JUSTICE.
>> AND NINE WHO RECOMMENDED
DEATH.
>> BEING THE FACES OF EACH
FAMILY’S SEEING THEIR REACTION,
IT DOES STILL FEEL IN PART LIKE
WE FAILED THEM.
>> I DON’T THINK JUSTICE WAS
SERVED IN THAT CASE.
>> AND NOW THIS, A PROPOSED
CHANGE TO JURY VERDICTS IN DEATH
PENALTY CASE.
IF PASSED STATE LAW WOULD TOGGLE
BACK TO NONUNANIMOUS JURY
RECOMMENDATIONS.
IF AT LEAST EIGHT JURORS
DETERMINE THE DEFENDANT TO BE
SENTENCED TO DEATH, THE BILLS
READ, THE JURY’S RECOMMENDATION
TO THE COURT SHALL BE A SENTENCE
OF DEATH.
>> TWNS IS IMPORTANT THAT NOT
JUST ONE PERSON HAS THAT SOLE
POWER AND IS FULLY AWARE THAT
THIS IS A POWER THAT THEY HAVE
IN THEIR HANDS.
I THINK IT IS FAIR.
>> PARKLAND WAS THE DEADLIEST
U.S. MASS SHOOTING TO GO BEFORE
A JURY.
>> MAN DID WE FEEL EVERY INCH OF
THAT, YOU KNOW, WALKING THROUGH
THE SCHOOL GROUNDS.
>> THERE IS AN ACTIVE SHOOTER
WORKING AT DOUGLAS, MULTIPLE
GUNSHOTS ARE BEING FIRED.
>> THE 1200 BUILDING OF MARJORIE
STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL.
>> I HEARD THE SHOTS COMING FROM
THE FRESHMAN BUILDING.
>> STANDS AS A HAUNTING
REMINDER.
>> OF THE HORRORS THAT UNFOLDED
ON VALENTINE’S DAY 2018.
>> THE GUNSHOTS WERE GETTING
CLOSER AND LOUDER.
THE BARREL OF THAT AR-15 JUST
AMBUSHED OUR CLASSROOM.
>> JURORS DURING THE PARKLAND
SHOOTER PENALTY PHASE TOURED THE
BUILDING, PRESERVED AS
A-- PUNCTUATED BY DAY OF LOVE
MOMENTOS, A CHILLING VIEW OF
TERROR SUSPENDED IN TIME.
>> I KNEW SHE HAD PASSED AWAY.
>> SHOT DEAD RIGHT NEXT TO ME.
>> BROWARD SCHOOL TELLS ME IT
REMAINS THE DISTRICT’S INTENT TO
DEMOLISH THE 1200 BUILDING AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE ONCE IT IS
RELEASED BY THE STATE ATTORNEY’S
OFFICE.
YOU SEE THE BUILDING IS STILL
PART OF A CASE.
THIS TIME THE UPCOMING TRIAL OF
SCOTT PETERSON, THE FORMER
DEPUTY FACING SEVERAL CHARGES
THAT INCLUDE MULTIPLE COUNTS OF
CHILD NEGLECT RELATED TO THE
2018 SCHOOL SHOOTING.
AS FOR WHAT HAPPENED ONCE THE
BUILDING IS EVENTUALLY DE
MOLGISHED, BROWARD SCHOOL TELLS
ME FUTURE PLANS FOR THE SITE
HAVE YET TO BE DETERMINED.
>> CHRISTINA VASQUEZ RIGHT HERE
FOR WHAT WE CALL OUR REPORTER
DEBRIEF SEGMENT.
SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT BECAUSE A
LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT NOT KNOW IS
YOU ARE ONE OF THE VERY FEW
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IN THAT
BUILDING.
DID THE WALK-THROUGH WHEN THE
JURY WAS THERE.
AND SO I WANT PEOPLE TO KIND OF
HEAR YOUR IMPRESSIONS AS A, AN
OBJECTIVE OBSERVER, BUT YET A
MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY WHO
CAN’T NOT BE IMPACTED BY WHAT
YOU SAW.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
AND FOR BEING HERE AND THE
OPPORTUNITY, I REALLY APPRECIATE
THAT.
THERE ARE CERTAIN CASES THERE
ARE CERTAIN STORIES AND
EXPERIENCES THAT AS YOU KNOW
JUST SIT WITH YOU.
AND THIS WILL BE ONE OF THEM FOR
ME.
IN FACT THE WORD I WOULD USE IS
THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL,
I KNOW, HAUNT ME FOR THE REST OF
MY LIFE.
I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER WHAT IT
WAS TO BE IN THAT BUILDING.
ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I PUT
THAT PIECE TOGETHER ANSWERING
THE QUESTION OF WHAT IS GOING TO
HAPPEN WITH THE 1200 BUILDING IS
BECAUSE IT IS ONE OF THE TOP
QUESTIONS I RECEIVE POST TRIAL.
AND WHEN YOU GO TO THAT BUILDING
AND YOU ARE ON THE SCHOOL
GROUNDS, THE FIRST TIME I REALLY
UNDERSTOOD HOW CLOSE THE
BUILDING IS TO CURRENT
CLASSROOMS THAT STUDENTS AND
STAFF ARE UTILIZING.
AND IT REALLY IS THIS IMPOSING
STRUCTURE THAT JUST SPEAKS TO
WHAT WAS THE DARKEST DAY FOR
THAT COMMUNITY.
>> SO WHEN WERE YOU THERE, AS
IMPACTFUL AS IT WAS, IT WAS A
SIGNIFICANT TRIP FOR NOT ONLY
THE JURORS IN THE SENTENCING
PHASE BUT SCOTT PEDDERSON’S
TRIAL JURORS WILL LIKE LIKELY
SEE IT TOO.
IS THAT AN IMPACTFUL MOMENT FOR
A JURY.
>> WELL, WHAT IS INTERESTING IS
A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE TWO
CASES THAT WE LEARNED, SO THE
JURORS IN THE PARKLAND TRIAL
WILL DID INSIDE THE BUILDING.
WE LEARNED FROM THE DEFENSE
ATTORNEY FOR SCOTT PETERSON, HIS
REQUEST IS FOR THE JURORS NOT TO
GO INTO THE BUILDING BUT TO SEE
THE EXTERIOR IF THE PRINT FOR
REASONS THAT HE WILL ARTICULATE
FOR THE JURY.
>> WHERE SCOTT PETERSON WAS.
>> TO GET A SENSE OF THE
DISTANCE AND WHAT HE SAYS
PRONOUNCED ECHO IN THE AREA.
>> I HAVE TO SAY AS DIFFICULT AS
IT WAS TO BE IN THOSE SPACES T
IS GREW SOME T IS BLOODY T IS
ABSOLUTELY CHILLING TO SEE WHAT
TRULY IS, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT
FEAR, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT
TERROR, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A
JOURNEY TO, FOR SURVIVAL, THOSE
CONCEPTS ARE GROUNDED AND
ANCHORED AND VERY DIFFICULT
PHYSICAL EVIDENCE IN THOSE
SPACES.
BUT I FOUND IT AT THE TIME TO BE
INCREDIBLY HELPFUL IN ITS OWN
WAY BECAUSE IT PROVIDED SO MUCH
CONTEXT.
BECAUSE REMEMBER WHEN THE JURORS
WALKED THE PART THE SHOOTER DID
THROUGH THE BUILDING, THAT WAS
AFTER THEY HEARD ALL OF THAT
HARROWING TESTIMONY FROM
SURVIVORS, FROM MEDICAL
EXAMINERS, YOU KNOW, I SAW THE
SAME EVIDENCE THAT WAS NOT
SHARED TO THE PUBLIC BUT WE
SHARED WITH YOU ALL IN TERMS OF
VERBAL DESCRIPTIONS, THEY SAW OF
AUTOPSY PHOTOS AND CRIME SCENE
PHOTOS T IS A BIG BUILDING, A A
BIG CRIME SCENE, THREE FLOORS,
SEVERAL CLASSROOMS.
WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THAT
BUILDING, AT LEAST FOR ME IT
PROVIDED A LOT OF CONTEXT AND
SPATIAL CONTEXT AND ALL OF A
SUDDEN ALL OF THOSE PIECES OF
EVIDENCE OVER THAT COURSE OF
TIME JUST SORT OF CINCHED INTO
PLACE.
BUT IT WAS ALSO AGAIN HARROWING
BECAUSE I WOULD WALK INTO A
CLASSROOM AND I COULD HEAR THE
TESTIMONY.
BECAUSE NOW I COULD SEE WHAT THE
TEACHERS AND SURVIVORS WERE
SAYING, AND AS SOON AS I WOULD
WALK IN, FOR INSTANCE WHEN YOU
GO INTO TEACHER DEBORAH HOSSES
CLASSROOM, SHE HAD TOLD JURORS
THAT THE INTENSITY OF THOSE HIGH
VELOCITIESING BULLETS EMANATING
FROM THE AR-15 STYLE RIFLE THE
SHOOTER USED WAS RATTLING THE
CEILING TILES.
SHE TALKED ABOUT THERE WAS A
DUST AND HAZE IN THE CLASSROOM
AND YOU SEE THAT FILM OF WHITE
DUST OVERLAPTOPS THAT ARE STILL
OPEN, ALONG HER DESK THAT IS
SHOVELED IN THE CORNER WHERE YOU
SEE THAT EVIDENCE OF A MAD
ATTEMPT OF ALL OF THESE STUDENTS
AND STAFF TO TRY TO GAIN
SHELTER.
>> FROZEN IN TIME.
>> FROZEN IN TIME.
>> SO LET ME TAKE YOU THEN WITH
ALL OF THAT SAID, NOW THE
FLORIDA LEGISLATURE IS LOOKING
AT REVAMPING, SCROLLING BACK
REALLY THE DEATH PENALTY LAWS SO
THAT IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE
MORE, CLEARLY THE JUROR HAD A
COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO FELT THAT
DEATH WAS NOT APPROPRIATE.
SOME OF THE PARKLAND FAMILIES,
CERTAINLY THAT IS NOT A
UNANIMOUS GROUP IN POLITICS AND
POLICY.
SOME OF THEM THOUGHT THAT THE
DEATH PENALTY WAS NOT
APPROPRIATE AND YET YOU SAW THIS
BACKLASH SORT OF FROM SO MANY
PEOPLE WHEN THE SHOOTER WAS NOT
SENTENCED TO DEATH.
WHAT DO YOU FORE SEE GOING, WITH
WHAT YOU KNOW, AND WHAT YOU SEE,
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO
HAPPEN AS THIS IS DEBATED?
>> THE INTERSECTION OF THIS CASE
AND NOW THIS PROPOSED CHANGE TO
DEATH PENALTY JURY
RECOMMENDATIONS IS FASCINATING
BECAUSE THERE IS SUCH A PLUR
ALLITY OF PERSPECTIVES.
AS YOU JUST HIT UPON, YOU HAVE
SOME OF THE FAMILY BE MEMBERS
THAT FELT HERE IN FLORIDA, WE
HAVE THE DEATH PENALTY, THEY
VIEW THIS AS WHAT THE LEGAL
SYSTEM VIEWS IT AS, THE MOST
PUNITIVE FORM OF SENTENCING.
AND SO IN THAT OUTRAGE IS A WORD
YOU HEAR A LOT IN THAT ANGER,
THAT IS UNDERPINNED BY JUST
BOTTOMLESS GRIEF AND PAIN.
AND YOU HAVE THEIR PERSPECTIVE
WHICH IS HOW COULD EVEN THREE
JURORS ON THIS JURY PANEL NOT
THINK THAT THE MOST PUNITIVE
SENTENCE IN OUR LEGAL SYSTEM WAS
APPROPRIATE FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO
MY LOVED ONE, YOU HAVE NINE
JURORS ON THAT PANEL THAT DID
THINK THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE
PUNISHMENT AND IN SPEAKING WITH
THAT ONE JUROR WHO THOUGHT DEATH
WAS THE APPROPRIATE PUNISHMENT,
IT WAS INTERESTING TO NOTE, SHE
SAID HER AND HER COLLEAGUES,
THEY HAVE THE TRAUMA OF JUST NOT
WALKING THROUGH THE BUILDING
WHICH IS WE JUST DISCUSSED,
HEARING ALL OF THAT WITNESS
TESTIMONY THAT SHE DESCRIBED IT
AS GOING THROUGH 17 EULOGIES,
ALL OF THAT EVIDENCE, THEY FEEL
A TRAUMA OF FAILING, THAT THEY
FAILED THE FAMILIES AND THEN YOU
HAVE THE LEGAL PERSPECTIVE AND
ALL OF THIS.
THE ONE THING WE AS AMERICANS
VALUE OUT OF ALMOST ANYTHING
ELSE IS LIBERTY.
SO WHEN ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT
SOMETHING LIKE A DEATH DEATH
SENTENCE T IS THE ULTIMATE ACT
OF TAKING AWAY SOMEONE’S
LIBERTY.
YOU HAVE DECIDED AS A SOCIETY IN
THAT CASE, TO TAKE SOMEONE’S
BELIEVE SO LEGAL EXPERTS WILL
SAY THAT IS WHY DUE PROCESS AND
CONSTITUTIONAL SAFEGUARDS, THESE
THINGS ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK WHAT HATCHES IS WHEN
YOU HEAR THAT, THROUGH THE LENS
OF WHAT SAY ANOTHER CASE, HIGH
PROFILE CASE WHERE YOU HEARD
SOMEONE HAS BEEN EXONERATED FROM
DEATH ROW BECAUSE OF
ADVANCEMENTS IN DNA TECHNOLOGY
PROVE THEY WERE NEVER AT THE
SCENE.
BUT THEN WHEN YOU HEAR DUE
PROSERKS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT
SAFEGUARDS, YOU WANT TO MAKE
SURE A JURY OF YOUR PEERS ARE
UNANIMOUS IN DECIDING THAT DEATH
IS THE APPROPRIATE PUN IN AM.
IT IS ALMOST LIKE FOLKS CAN SEE
THAT THROUGH THE LENS OF A CASE
LIKE THAT THE PARKLAND SHOOTER
CASE IS SO EGREGIOUS AND SO
HORRIFIC AND IT IS ALSO IN ITS
OWN WAY AN OUTLIAR BECAUSE
REMEMBER, GUILT WAS NEVER AT
QUESTION, RIGHT.
AND SO.
>> WHICH PLAYED A LARGE PART IN
THAT.
>> THE LEGAL ANALYSTS SAY THAT
IS WHY THEY CAUTION TO TAKE A
CASE AS UNIQUE AS PARKLAND AND
USE THAT TO UNDERPIN A POLICY
CHANGE, THERE IS LITTLE WARNING
FLAGS SOME FOLKS PUTS OUT.
AND MY QUESTION WAS, AND I KNOW
YOU AND I TAWG ABOUT THIS A LOT.
WE KIND OF SHARE I THINK A
SIMILAR PROCESS TO OUR REPORTING
WHICH IS ALWAYS A THOUGHT OF
CONTEXT.
OKAY, WELL, WHERE DOES THIS
STAND ON A NATIONWIDE VIEW.
AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY
INTERESTING.
THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION
TELLING ME 27 STATE AS LAW THE
DEATH PENALTY, ONLY ONE IS
NONUNANIMOUS AND THAT IS ALABAMA
10-26789 THE TWO OTHER STATES
LET THE JUDGE DECIDE, BUT
FLORIDA WOULD BE AN OUTLIAR.
>> WE WILL SEE T IS GOING TO BE
AN INTERESTING SESSION.
AND YOUR PERSPECTIVE IS SO
UNIQUE AND SO AMAZING AND I’M SO
GLAD YOU WERE HERE TO SHARE THAT
WITH EVERYONE.
AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE MENTION
THAT I THINK I PERSONALLY AND I
THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE TOO
PROMISED THE FAMILIES WE WON’T
GIVE NOT RIGHT TO THE SHOOT ERR
BY SAYING HIS NAME OR SHOWING