FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Jurors in the penalty trial of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz viewed graphic video Tuesday of him murdering 17 people as he stalked through a three-story classroom building at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School four years ago.The video, compiled from 13 security cameras inside the building, was not shown to the gallery, where parents of many of the victims sat.
Prosecutors say it shows Cruz shooting many of his victims at point-blank range, going back to some as they lay wounded on the floor to kill them with a second volley of shots.The 12 jurors and 10 alternates stared intently at their video screens.
Many held hands to their faces as they viewed the 15-minute recording, which has no sound.Some started squirming. One juror looked at the screen, looked up at Cruz with his eyes wide and then returned to the video.Cruz looked down while the video played and did not appear to watch it.
He sometimes looked up to exchange whispers with one of his attorneys.RELATED: Life or death? Parkland high school shooter’s penalty trial set to beginThe video was played over the objection of Cruz’s attorneys, who argued that any evidentiary value it has is outweighed by the emotions it would raise in the jurors.