On Monday, Nikolas Cruz’s defense team was found guilty of killing 17 and wounding 17 others in a fatal shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. on February 14, 2018, and began the arraignment. Cruz faces 17 counts of first-degree murder and 17 counts of attempted 17-degree murder.
It turned out to be one of the deadliest school shootings in US history. Cruz began his killing spree at age 19 and continued until his arrest. In October, he pleaded guilty to 17 counts of first-degree murder and 17 counts of attempted murder.
He was a student at the school who exhibited suspicious behavior until February 2017, when he was sent to an adult education center. Before that he was a student at the school.
Additionally, the ongoing trial sheds light on the ins and outs of his mental health, which is believed to have been shattered by his mother’s drinking problems.
Where exactly are Linda and Roger Cruz, Nikolas Cruz’s adoptive parents?
Nikolas Cruz grew up with his adoptive family in Parkland, Florida, which is known for its wealth. Shortly after Nikolas was born, his biological parents, Linda and Roger, adopted him with the help of a private attorney.
Both Roger and Lynda left before the tragedy struck, Roger when the boys were young and Lynda in November 2017, barely two months before the incident.
The short version states that she died of pneumonia in November 2017 at the age of 68. Her child had turned 18 the year before, so it had been a year since that milestone. She was left alone to raise Nikolas and his brother, both of whom were adopted, for a significant portion of her childhood after the death of their marriage when Nikolas was a young child.
Nikolas is Lynda and Roger’s biological child, but they raised him as their own.
According to Paul Gold, a longtime neighbor of the Cruz family, Linda Cruz was a compassionate mother whose life was made difficult by the presence of her two children, who exhibited problematic behavioral patterns.
Gold made the observation that “Nikolas had major emotional disorders and had trouble controlling his anger.” [Citation needed] He explained that Nikolas had a charming side, but when he “freaked out,” he would start “throwing things, breaking things, start grabbing his ears and shrieking.”
According to a report in the Sun-Sentinel based on the testimony of Lynda Cruz’s cousin, Nikolas Cruz knocked out his mother’s teeth, and at the time of her death she was still paying the $2,000 in dental bills she owed.
His birth mother, Brenda Woodard, has an extensive record of criminal behavior
Nikolas Cruz’s legal team claimed that the “irreparable” condition of their client’s brain was caused by his birth mother’s drug and alcohol use while pregnant with Nikolas Cruz.
Melissa McNeill, the lead public defender, said in her opening statement that all of the “decisions” made by the defendant on the day in question were ultimately influenced by Brenda Woodard, his biological mother. And this despite the fact that the accused was the one who “viciously murdered 17 people”.
She went on to explain that at the time she became pregnant his mother was a drug addict and an alcoholic and was working as a prostitute on top of all these other problems.
The defense claims that Cruz’s “brain” was a direct result of his mother’s drinking.
The attorney said the jury would hear witnesses, including Cruz’s birth sister and a former girlfriend and co-defendant, about Woodard’s continued use of alcohol, drugs and tobacco during her pregnancy. The attorney also mentioned that Cruz’s birth sister would be one of the witnesses.
According to the Independent, McNeil said he smoked cigarettes, used crack cocaine and drank alcohol during his pregnancy as a form of prenatal care. In contrast, he has suffered permanent and irreparable brain damage as a result.
According to Ms McNeill, the jury must “understand the person behind the crime” before deciding whether Cruz “lives or dies.” It was her claim that Cruz suffered from Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
Zachary Cruz, the Sagittarius in Parkland’s half brother, is in his 20s
Brenda, Cruz’s biological mother, became pregnant for the second time, this time with a child whose biological father was not the same as the first. In 1999 she gave birth to his half-brother Zachary, who was their only child together.
The same adoptive parents, Linda and Roger, also adopted his half-brother and the two brothers have the same half-sister, Daniella Woodard, who is now 31 years old. His adoptive parents are named Linda and Roger.
Zachary, who is Nikolas’ half brother?
According to the court documents, Daniella, who currently resides in Miami, has been involved in illegal activities in the past. This includes convictions for felonies such as assault, evading arrest, and fraudulent use of credit cards.
Recently, a legal representative for Nikolas Cruz’s birth sister raised some concerns with the judge before the jury was brought into the courtroom to hear the case.
Danielle Woodard, Cruz’s birth sister, is believed to be due to testify in court on Monday.
Zach Rosenberg, the attorney claiming to represent Woodard, said he was not advised she would be appearing today. Woodard was the witness, he claimed. He asked the judge to issue a protective order that would prevent her from testifying, and the judge granted his request.
Following the incident, Cruz was reportedly “overwhelmed with grief.”
At the conclusion of Thursday’s hearing, in a statement issued by his attorney, Cruz apologized “to anyone who felt frightened or threatened by his presence on Marjory Stoneman Douglas’ campus last week.”
The attorney explained that “Zachary suffered and is still experiencing trauma that none of us could ever have imagined.” . He was 17.”
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students are only allowed to bring clear backpacks to school.
Cruz had no choice but to uproot his life and start fresh after his mother’s death. He had to leave his friends and school behind.
“Then, in the month of February, the only member of his family he was in touch with, his brother, brutally murdered 17 people. Zachary couldn’t contain his desperation. Mourning for the murdered and the bereaved. Mourning for his own brother, whom he adores “According to Cruz’s attorney, the suspect did not expect to see anyone when he traveled to Parkland School. He just wanted to “try to make sense of the situation.”
The final sentence of the statement read, “Zachary is a typical 18-year-old kid who has experienced something deeper than any of us could imagine.” Zachary has experienced something deeper than we can imagine. Zachary Cruz is not one of us to fear; rather, he is someone who needs our compassion.
Was he punished for his brother’s crime?
Zachary Cruz has been charged with a second-degree misdemeanor that carries bail averaging $25. Instead, last week the judge in Cruz’s case ordered bail of $500,000, ordered a psychological evaluation and electronic surveillance, and barred Cruz from any contact with his older brother.
Cruz was chained and surrounded by three armed deputies during his first court appearance, which took place on closed-circuit TV on March 20. This is not typical of someone appearing in court for trespassing.
The warning signs that were ignored by virtually everyone
His lawyer called the carnage the cause of his client’s “hysteria.”
Although prosecutors brought up three prior felonies to which Cruz pleaded guilty, records from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office and the Coral Springs Police Department show that his interactions with law enforcement were much broader.
Between 2011 and 2017 he is named or referred to in at least 36 incidents, investigations and call reports.
The shooter’s sibling was banned from buying firearms
A second judge presiding over the case on Thursday issued an injunction barring Zachary Cruz from accessing firearms.
Cruz is barred from possession of firearms and ammunition for a period of 12 months under the terms of the Risk Protection Order, which is a separate legal process from pleading in trespassing.
The Broward County Sheriff’s Office requested the order, citing new Florida legislation created after the school shooting a month ago.
On March 21, Judge Jack Tuter issued an interim risk protection order against Cruz. Thursday’s verdict was signed by the same judge who issued the order.
Violating the order is a misdemeanor punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
In accordance with Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School’s new Public Safety Act, law enforcement personnel now have the power to temporarily confiscate guns from people who have arrested them in order to conduct an involuntary mental health assessment.
Tuter drew attention to the fact that the sheriff’s office did not indicate that Cruz was the firearms owner while explaining why the restraining order should be issued. According to the ruling, there is likely evidence that Cruz “poses a significant risk of self-harm” if given a pistol or ammunition. This conclusion was made based on the allegations presented to the court.