UPDATE: Florida jury spares Parkland school gunman from death penalty

[BumRushDaShow]

Last edited Thu Oct 13, 2022, 01:10 PM - Edit history (3)

Source: Reuters

Oct 13 (Reuters) - A Florida jury on Thursday decided to spare Nikolas Cruz, the gunman who killed 17 people in 2018 at a high school in the city of Parkland, from the death penalty, instead calling for life in prison.

Some family members of victims shook their heads in the Fort Lauderdale courtroom as the jury rejected the prosecution's request for the death penalty for Cruz in one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history, determining that aggravating factors were outweighed by mitigating circumstances.

Cruz, 24, pleaded guilty last year to premeditated murder at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, about 30 miles (50 km) north of Fort Lauderdale. Cruz used a semi-automatic rifle to kill 14 students and three staff members.

The sentencing trial, held after Cruz's guilty plea, lasted three months. Jurors began their deliberations on Wednesday. Under Florida law, a jury must be unanimous in its decision to recommend that a judge sentence Cruz to be executed. The only other option in the case was life in prison.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/florida-jury-has-reached-verdict-parkland-shooter-case-media-reports-2022-10-13/

---

Last updates/headlines -

UPDATE: Florida jury says man who confessed to Parkland school shooting should be sentenced to life

Oct 13 (Reuters) - Jurors determined Thursday that Nikolas Cruz should be sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole for a 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people. Jurors determined in each of 17 murders that mitigating circumstances outweighed aggravating factors, so the death penalty was not supported.

Cruz, 24, had pleaded guilty last year to premeditated murder at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. He used a semi-automatic rifle to kill 14 students and three staff members in one of the deadliest school shootings in American history.

The prosecution during the three-month sentencing trial had argued Cruz's crime was both premeditated as well as heinous and cruel, which are among the criteria that Florida law establishes for deciding on a death sentence.

Cruz's defense team had acknowledged the severity of his crimes, but asked jurors to consider mitigating factors including lifelong mental health disorders resulting from his biological mother's substance abuse during pregnancy.

Oct 13 (Reuters) - Jurors determined Thursday that Nikolas Cruz should be sentenced to death for a 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people. Jurors determined in at least one of the murders that there were aggravating factors that would support a death sentence, but in other cases they did not.

Cruz, 24, had pleaded guilty last year to premeditated murder at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. He used a semi-automatic rifle to kill 14 students and three staff members in one of the deadliest school shootings in American history.

The prosecution during the three-month sentencing trial had argued Cruz's crime was both premeditated as well as heinous and cruel, which are among the criteria that Florida law establishes for deciding on a death sentence. Cruz's defense team had acknowledged the severity of his crimes, but asked jurors to consider mitigating factors including lifelong mental health disorders resulting from his biological mother's substance abuse during pregnancy.

Under Florida law, a death sentence could only have been handed down if jurors had unanimously recommended he be executed. The only other option was life in prison. Cruz, who at the time of the shooting was 19 and had been expelled from the high school, had apologized for his crimes and asked to be given a life sentence without the possibility of parole in order to dedicate his life to helping others.

Article updated for MULTIPLE counts. Article headline updated again! Apparently the news sources are responding to each count.

Previous update and headline -

UPDATE: Florida jury says man who confessed to Parkland school shooting should be sentenced to death

Oct 13 (Reuters) - Jurors determined Thursday that Nikolas Cruz should be sentenced to death for a 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people. Jurors determined in at least one of the murders that there were aggravating factors that would support a death sentence, but in other cases they did not.

Cruz, 24, had pleaded guilty last year to premeditated murder at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. He used a semi-automatic rifle to kill 14 students and three staff members in one of the deadliest school shootings in American history. The prosecution during the three-month sentencing trial had argued Cruz's crime was both premeditated as well as heinous and cruel, which are among the criteria that Florida law establishes for deciding on a death sentence.

Cruz's defense team had acknowledged the severity of his crimes, but asked jurors to consider mitigating factors including lifelong mental health disorders resulting from his biological mother's substance abuse during pregnancy. Under Florida law, a death sentence could only have been handed down if jurors had unanimously recommended he be executed. The only other option was life in prison.

Cruz, who at the time of the shooting was 19 and had been expelled from the high school, had apologized for his crimes and asked to be given a life sentence without the possibility of parole in order to dedicate his life to helping others. The sentencing proceedings included testimony from survivors of the shooting as well as cellphone videos in which terrified students cried for help or spoke in hushed whispers as they hid. The Parkland shooting had led to renewed calls for tighter gun control in the United States.

UPDATE:

Jurors determined in at least one of the murders that there were aggravating factors that would support a death sentence, but in other cases they did not.

Original article and headline -

Florida jury says man who confessed to Parkland school shooting should be sentenced to life

Oct 13 (Reuters) - Jurors determined Thursday that Nikolas Cruz should be sentenced to life in prison for a 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people. Cruz, 24, had pleaded guilty last year to premeditated murder at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

He used a semi-automatic rifle to kill 14 students and three staff members in one of the deadliest school shootings in American history. The prosecution during the three-month sentencing trial had argued Cruz's crime was both premeditated as well as heinous and cruel, which are among the criteria that Florida law establishes for deciding on a death sentence.

Cruz's defense team had acknowledged the severity of his crimes, but asked jurors to consider mitigating factors including lifelong mental health disorders resulting from his biological mother's substance abuse during pregnancy.

Under Florida law, a death sentence could only have been handed down if jurors had unanimously recommended he be executed. The only other option was life in prison. Cruz, who at the time of the shooting was 19 and had been expelled from the high school, had apologized for his crimes and asked to be given a life sentence without the possibility of parole in order to dedicate his life to helping others.

[Meadowoak]

1. Should have got the death penalty.

[The Grand Illuminist]

61. Agreed

nt

[Raine]

92. Definitely nt

[Tommy Carcetti]

2. Curious to know the jury split.

This was a huge waste of time and legal expense on Broward County's part, and did nothing more than played with the emotions of the victim's families.

They should have simply agreed to sentence him to life and been done with it. It would have been so much easier for everyone involved.

Of course, the Death Penalty is pointless in general. It's long past its time.

[samnsara]

4. i dunno...my grandmother was a murder victim and IF they had ever found the guy who did it

..i would want to hear the verdict regarding my grandmothers sexual assault and death.

[Tommy Carcetti]

6. His guilt was never at issue.

So all of this was needless theater.

Cruz was very obviously an irreparably damaged person, but he was also barely an adult so there was no chance that 12 people in the most liberal county in Florida was going to unanimously sentence him to death.

This was stupid and pointless.

But then again, so is the death penalty in general.

[SoCalDavidS]

12. That's Your Opinion

The Death Penalty may be barbaric, but there have to be circumstances where it is warranted.

Cruz will take this as a victory, make no mistake about that. The families who lost their loved ones will have to watch as he goes on for perhaps 7 decades, while they will never recover.

[Tommy Carcetti]

19. There's really not any circumstances where I see it as warranted.

Ever.

The state has the power and authority to remove people from public society for their actions, including for the rest of their natural lives.

It doesn't have the power and authority to willfully kill them.

[SoCalDavidS]

24. Agree To Disagree

I'll never change your mind, nor will you change mine.

I think there are cases which warrant death. Like I said, he'll take this as a victory, and that disappoints me. The people of FL should not have to sustain him in prison for potentially 7 decades.

[SoCalDavidS]

59. Vote Was 11-1 In Favor Of Death

Broward County may be a Democratic area, but every single juror except 1, wanted the Death Penalty.

The Defense got the 1 juror they wanted. They likely were dishonest when initially asked whether they could give the Death Penalty.

[24601]

93. Our Tampa news stations reported the jury vote was 9-3.

I believe they said that there was one very strident juror opposing conviction and that they convinced two more jurors to vote not guilty.

[csziggy]

28. The penalty phase is a required part of a trial

And especially necessary in a case where the convicted person could lose the rest of their life, whether to the death penalty or to life in prison.

I agree with you that the death penalty is "stupid and pointless" but this step has to be done in an effort to prevent wrongful death or imprisonment.

What is also "stupid and pointless" are the appeals if the proper steps are not taken in the process. I am glad that the jury's recommendation is a life sentence - which is what the murderer's attorney requested. This will reduce the appeals and therefore the cost to the state, the way most death sentences do.

Let's lock him up and forget his name forever.

[gopiscrap]

43. agreed

[mahina]

13. Peace to her

My God

[samnsara]

3. im watching a delayed version i guess as so far they all say hes eligible for death sentence

..but life in prison at his age is a death sentence

[SoCalDavidS]

17. The People He Murdered Are The Ones Who Got The Death Sentence

He wanted to live out his life, miserable as it may be. He'll consider this a victory.

He goes on, those he killed do not.

[BuddhaGirl]

56. It's time to move on from "an eye for an eye"

That's archaic b.s. imo.

Life in prison sounds way worse.

[SuperCoder]

5. I am confused.

The judge has read several instances where the jury has recommended the death penalty. It's not done yet.

The dude deserves the death penalty. Nothing less.

How the hell could any jury recommend less than death? Were the 17 people he killed given a chance at life? Then he shouldn't either.

Ridiculous.

[Tommy Carcetti]

9. A death sentence required a unanimous verdict.

You try to expect 12 people in the most liberal county in Florida to all come agree to sentence someone who is barely an adult to death.

It wasn't going to happen, ever. Why they even bothered to try is beyond me.

And I say that as someone who lives 15 miles from where all of this took place. Who visited the memorials after the shooting. It was an unspeakable horrible crime, no doubt.

But it's done. And the perpetrator will never spend another day in his life as a free man, and will presumably have years to have to deal with the consequences of his actions.

And I'm more than fine with that.

[BumRushDaShow]

18. Note the update - there were multiple verdicts and now the report is at least one is for "death"

and others were "life", so not sure how they handle that mixed verdict.

[catsudon]

7. in florida? wow

If murdering 17 high school kids doesn’t warrant the death penalty, then Florida needs to get rid of it entirely. There was absolutely no reason for the families to have to sit through all of this.

There is no act that deserves the death penalty more than what happened in Parkland. He undeniably committed the crime and undeniably took the lives of a bunch of children. If there’s ever been a textbook example of a death penalty case, it’s this one.

[Tommy Carcetti]

10. You don't know much about Broward County, do you?

And yes, this trial was a waste of time and yes, Florida should get rid of the death penalty. Along with everywhere else in this country.

It serves no purpose.

[BumRushDaShow]

14. Apparently this was a multi-part verdict and at least one charge received a penalty of "death"

OP has been updated with the news source update!

[Hortensis]

22. If a law makes execution possible, does it create a "need" or duty to execute?

Interestingly, all of the mass school shootings have been committed by early and middle-stage adolescents 20 or under. He was a really nasty, screwed up 19yo with demonstrated serious mental issues. Young enough to still be enraged at all the mean kids at school.

If something had interrupted him, like a broken ankle, likely today he'd just be a screwed up later-stage adolescent whining about having to work when rich people don't, and all he deserved would be mental health counseling he'd too likely never receive.

What's this to do with deserving the death penalty? Just tossing in some gray.

[hay rick]

8. Do we thirst for justice or vengeance? nt

[Lonestarblue]

16. Vengeance. That's the Christian way.

[hay rick]

23. LOL. Now I remember why I haven't been to church in recent decades.

[sarisataka]

31. If that's true

Seems DU has quite a few Christians.

Some of whom often ridicule religion in general and Christians specifically

[hay rick]

58. Yes, it's not just "Christians" and Repubicans.

It's American culture.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. NOTE UPDATE - One charge was for "death" and the others "life"

[SoCalDavidS]

21. Really?

I missed that.

[BumRushDaShow]

25. All the initial breakings were "life", then they switched to "death'

then stuff is changing again!

I am not watching the thing but it could be that each victim represents a charge and they were deliberating on each.

AP has changed theirs -

Parkland school shooter to get life sentence for killing 17

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz will be sentenced to life without parole for the 2018 murder of 17 people at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, after the jury said Thursday that it could not unanimously agree that he should be executed.

The jury’s recommendation came after seven hours of deliberations over two days, ending a three-month trial that included graphic videos, photos and testimony from the massacre and its aftermath, heart-wrenching testimony from victims’ family members and a tour of the still blood-spattered building.

Under Florida law, a death sentence requires a unanimous vote on at least one count. Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer will formally issue the sentence later.

(snip)

https://apnews.com/article/parkland-shooter-jury-recommendation-live-updates-15c5121be1b8b7a73b85607d602e6ba2

[niyad]

20. Why would one of the deaths meet the standard, but not the others?

[SheltieLover]

30. I think there were aggravating factors in one case

Not sure what they were. No stomach for this stuff.

[WinstonSmith4740]

26. Just got in from walking the dogs.

So I'm watching this as a delayed broadcast, and am listening to Count 8 right now. Considering all the times the jury found aggrevating factors beyond a reasonable doubt, I'm being blown away by the posts here that say he escaped the death penalty. Some here are saying this is the most liberal area of Florida, and there was no way they'd ever find 12 people who would recommend the death penalty. So just curious about something. Was this trial held in the jurisdiction where the murders were committed, or did his lawyers go shopping for the jurisdiction where they knew the possibility of the death penalty was remote?

And, what the hell...I'll throw it out there. Regardless of where this trial took place, I just can't shake the feeling that with what I'm hearing right now, if he wasn't a white guy, there'd be no doubt about the death penalty.

[SuperCoder]

27. God...life in prison...

WTF. Did the kids he shot get their lives?

Freaking red states. Awful hateful people. No sense of justice whatsoever.

"We don't care that he shot kids. So long as we can keep our guns!"

[Tommy Carcetti]

34. You're blaming "red states" on the refusal to impose the death penalty?

Also, you don't know anything about Broward County, either, it seems.

Sheesh.

[csziggy]

44. No, life in prison is a worst sentence than death

Plus, with appeals a death sentence could take decades. to enact - as it should. Given the murderer's mental problems, I believe that a life sentence is the appropriate punishment.

In addition, we and the victims and their families will not have to hear his name every few years as appeals work their way through the courts. We can lock him up and forget him.

[Fullduplexxx]

53. Nonsense ...If that were true he would have begged for the d.p. instead of life without

[csziggy]

55. With the death penalty, he would still spend much of his life in prison

As appeals worked their way through the courts. And that still would not guarantee that he would ever be put to death. Although he might eventually get the release of death, it would not be a quick release - as it used to be.

I used to be pro-death penalty until I realized that it is far too often given to the wrong person. Or if the right person is convicted, they are not quickly eliminated from society because the system has to make sure that the wrong person is not killed. Death without parole is kinder to society but a much more dire existence for the perpetrator.

Life without parole means he will never have the chance to get a release, whether from death or some change in his status allowing him out. He will forever be locked up in a cell. And the general public can forget he ever existed - though his victims and their families cannot.

[sarisataka]

46. Sorry, I have to LOL at the irony

People are awful and hateful for not choosing to execute someone...

[XorXor]

70. Interesting times, my friend

[question everything]

29. So which is it? The title said death but the update says life? you should edit

[obamanut2012]

33. The OP's headline is wrong

I am down here, we watched it live -- he has life in prison, not the DP.

[SheltieLover]

35. Looks as if news keeps updating the story.

Not sure which it will be either.

My problem with life sentence is it allows for qpukes to pardon! 🤬

[Tommy Carcetti]

37. Nobody's pardoning Nicolas Cruz.

Nobody.

I mean, come on.

Seriously, people.

[SheltieLover]

41. One never knows.

I'm usually adamantly against the death penalty, but would make an exception for this monster if it were within my power.

[Tommy Carcetti]

45. Yes, they'll pardon Nikolas Cruz.

Like they pardoned Charles Manson, right? Or the Unabomber?

[SheltieLover]

51. Consider that KY Gov who pardoned a bunch of people who committed brutal crimes

As another member said, we aren't going to change each other's minds, so we will have to agree to disagree.

I would strongly prefer they make aan example of this sociopath & put him to death.

There is no question of his guilt.

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

40. Jury recommends life without parole, shooter avoids death penalty

[obamanut2012]

32. LBN rules state the header must show the actual headline

[question everything]

36. Then it should be locked and start a new one

why would any source give a wrong headline?

[obamanut2012]

39. The source is correct -- the OP's is wrong

[BumRushDaShow]

38. Yes - they have updated it multiple times (as have AP and CNN)

Updating again!

[Earthrise]

42. The link you provide to Reuter's has a title that says "sentenced to life" -

Florida jury says man who confessed to Parkland school shooting should be sentenced to life
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/florida-jury-has-reached-verdict-parkland-shooter-case-media-reports-2022-10-13/

[BumRushDaShow]

49. Yes - they (along with CNN and others) are reacting to verdicts for "counts" - updated again

The original had "life", then they changed it to "death" then they changed it back to "life".

(it's updated again)

[BumRushDaShow]

47. ADDITIONAL UPDATE - various news sources are reacting to charges for different counts

and updating their headlines as that happens.

[JudyM]

48. The verdict is life without parole, although the sentencing hearing was put off to Nov 1

[sarisataka]

50. In dynamic situations

It isn't unusual for an article headline to change multiple times.

[BumRushDaShow]

54. Oh I know

That is why I avoid anything that says "Live Updates". But unfortunately the reality is that every source now is no longer "static" and keeps updating their articles much of the day, and I end up doing the same here, literally 6 - 8 hours during a day making sure the headline and content "matches" what is at the link.

[Fullduplexxx]

52. Did do his Rittenhouse cry ...." help others " good lord 🙄

Ruthlessly murders then scores with the jury verdict

[honest.abe]

65. Fake empathy conned some of the jurors.

Pathetic the state now has to support him the rest of his life getting 3 meals a day, free healthcare, warm bed, activities, etc.

[Tommy Carcetti]

67. The state does that for a lot of people.

Many of them, like Cruz, have done bad or even horrible things.

Some of them tragically have not.

Also, you seem to be considerably overselling prison life.

[honest.abe]

68. "overselling prison life" ??

He won't get "3 meals a day, free healthcare, warm bed, activities"?

[Tommy Carcetti]

72. I mean...

The food is barely edible, the medical treatment is bare bones, "warm bed" isn't much of an issue in Florida prisons and I don't think there's a whole lot of AC there in the summer, and "activities" are...well, whatever.

You sound like he's being sent off to a spa resort.

It's prison. He won't leave the single property for the rest of his life. Won't take any vacations. Won't go to any restaurants. Won't be able to pick out his own clothes. Won't be able to drive a car anywhere. All the normal minor pleasures of life we take for granted, he won't get. Nothing.

And I'm fine with that, for what he has done and what he has openly admitted he has done.

Prison is a truly miserable life with very little freedom or enjoyment of life. Which is fine for the guys like Cruz who deserve it.

Less so for the poor people who through some misfortune don't.

[honest.abe]

74. Beats homeless and living on the streets. I wouldnt be surprised if he got some Netfilx movie deal.

Like Anna Sorokin. She making millions in the slammer.

[Tommy Carcetti]

75. Okay but stop acting like prison life is so luxurious.

And no, he's not going to be making millions off his story.

He's going to be living in a tiny cell for the next 6-8 decades of his life, and the only way out will be through the morgue.

Honestly, you do understand the concept of prison and the type of sentence he got?

[honest.abe]

76. Who said its luxurious??

But its not bad compared to millions who are homeless and struggling to eat and afford heathcare.

How do you know he wont make money off his story?? Was that part the sentence? Seems his story is perfect for the Netflix reality TV crime viewers.

[Tommy Carcetti]

78. You seemed to imply it was.

Almost certainly the victim's families would step in to prevent him from profiting from anything if he tried.

But how is he even going to try? He'll be in prison for the rest of his life. He'll have zero use for that money. What, is he going to buy a boat he can't use or a mansion he can't life in? It's preposterous.

[honest.abe]

79. I did not.

The money? He can buy high-buy priced lawyers to try to find a loophole to get his sentence reduced or overturned.

[Tommy Carcetti]

81. He pleaded guilty.

That's it.

There's no loophole.

There's nothing to be overturned.

The trial was just to see whether he got the death penalty or life in prison without parole.

He got life in prison without parole, and that's what he's going to serve.

[honest.abe]

83. So no case have ever been overturned when a someone pleaded guilty?

What if they didnt give him his Miranda Rights? Or some other odd legal loophole?

[Tommy Carcetti]

86. Please stop conflating television drama for reality.

He plead guilty. He admitted he was guilty. He never disputed he was guilty. Everyone saw him do it and he isn't disputing that they did.

This isn't some case of a coerced confession with little evidence otherwise.

You know how silly you sound right now?

[honest.abe]

87. Ok I simply disagree with you.

Leave it that.

[honest.abe]

77. Anna Sorokin was paid $320,000 to adapt her life story of how she scammed the rich.

https://deadline.com/2022/02/netflix-paid-inventing-anna-anna-delvey-a-large-lump-sum-to-adapt-her-1234932449/

Ok maybe not millions but a hefty amount none-the-less.

[Tommy Carcetti]

80. First of all, she's a financial scammer who served three years of a sentence.

Not a mass murderer who's been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Secondly, I can guarantee you anyone who she defrauded will have good cause to get in on any money owed to them from that amount.

[honest.abe]

82. Its still a valid possibility and that's why the evil creep should be executed.

[Tommy Carcetti]

84. No. It's not valid. None of what you are claiming is valid.

He's being sentenced to a miserable life in prison, and good riddance to him. He'll slowly be forgotten until the day he dies, and by that time, it will barely be a headline.

That's it. That's all.

[honest.abe]

85. If it was your child slaughtered with bullet holes in their head would you feel the same way?

I doubt it.

[Tommy Carcetti]

88. I honestly don't know.

That's not how cases are to be decided, though.

Law is not about emotional whims.

[twodogsbarking]

57. There is no good outcome.

[oldsoftie]

60. Should've been dead 3 years ago. We never properly punish terrorists.

So we get more of the same. along with the insane hero worship that comes with it.

[Owl]

90. Agreed

[niyad]

62. Curious: what is the cost of keeping him in prison on a life sentence, vs. the cost of

having him an inmate on death row? I remember reading somewhere years ago that the differential is considerable.

[bedazzled]

63. Thank heavens they don't allow conjugal visits anymore

Otherwise he would end up like the Manson killer Tex Watson ... four kids conceived in prison!

[tonekat]

64. Three jurors spared him - NYT

Most jurors wanted the gunman who killed 17 people at a Parkland, Fla., high school to be executed, but three of the 12 jurors voted for a sentence of life in prison, the jury foreman said on Thursday.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/13/us/benjamin-thomas-jury-death-penalty.html

Great, let those three feed him and give him a place to sleep. He can surf their couches.

[Tommy Carcetti]

66. You do understand the concept of prison, don't you? nt

[Voltaire2]

69. Good for the three who voted 'no'.

Killing another person does not serve any good purpose.

[BigDemVoter]

71. I frankly don't think the state or country need to be in the business of killing their citizens.

Whatever others may think, I truly feel like life imprisonment in the hell of a Florida penitentiary would be sufficient.

This makes me think of the Manson murderers who killed people, because Charles Manson told them to. . . They thought it was all cute and funny when they were 21-years-old and they were carving swastikas on their foreheads and acting the fool. Now those same kids are in their 60s & 70s and are still stuck in prison. They don't find it so amusing today after spending really their entire productive lives behind bars and are facing the likelihood of being there until their last breaths. . .

Nikolas Cruz will be begging to be released, but his sentence is "without parole." I don't imagine that even years of model behavior will make a fat frog's ass of a difference.

Lastly, I don't suppose that Mr. Cruz will be winning any popularity contests in prison. I know I wouldn't like having to watch my ass like that. I would rather be put to sleep like a dog.

[XorXor]

73. Awhile ago I came to the conclusion that I am opposed to the DP even in cases where I wish I wasn't

That's probably not the best way to put it, but I think it describes my thought process on it. The urge to support the death penalty is usually a fleeting knee-jerk response of mine that usually fades once I allow my weird internal dialog to engage with itself. So in other words, any doubt I have about my views on this topic in the moment, are usually squashed upon further reflection. Now the real challenge to this will come if I'm ever put into a situation in which the victim was someone close to me. I like to think it would be the same, but I can't say that with absolute certainty.

[BumRushDaShow]

89. As a note about this

[Gore1FL]

91. Good. The death Penalty is wrong in all instances.

Frankly, wasting a lifetime in prison seems worse.