

“Because Nikolas was exposed to all of those substances while he was still in the womb, he contracted a disease. Any consideration that leads you to feel that the death penalty should not be applied in this instance constitutes a mitigating factor.”Ĭruz allegedly displayed symptoms of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and antisocial personality disorder beginning at a young age, according to McNeill, who emphasized Cruz’s biological mother’s use of illicit substances and alcohol while she was carrying him. When we tell you Nik’s tale, when we tell you the chapters of his life, we will give you reasons to live,” a public defender named Melisa McNeill stated Monday inside a courtroom in the state of Florida. In a similar manner, his adoptive parents also adopted his half-brother. 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. In 1999, she gave birth to his half-brother, Zachary, who was their shared sibling. Zachary Cruz, the Parkland Shooter’s Half-Brother, Is Now In His 20sīrenda, who is Cruz’s real mother, became pregnant for a second time, but this time she was carrying a child for a different man. McNeill, the jury needs to “understand the person behind the crime” before they can make a decision regarding whether Cruz “lives or dies.” She asserted that Cruz suffered from fetal alcohol spectrum illness (FASD). In contrast, as a consequence of this, he now has brain damage that cannot be repaired.Īccording to Ms.
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The lawyer also stated that Cruz’s biological sister would be one of the witnesses.Īccording to the Independent, McNeil stated that he used smokes, crack cocaine, and alcohol during his pregnancy as a form of prenatal care.


The attorney stated that the jury would hear from witnesses, including Cruz’s biological sister as well as a former friend and co-defendant, regarding Woodard’s ongoing use of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco while she was pregnant. She went on to explain that when his mother became pregnant, not only did she have no job, but she was also an alcoholic, a drug addict, and worked as a prostitute.
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Before that, he was a student at the school.Īside from that, the ongoing trial sheds light on the specifics of his mental health, which are alleged to have been damaged by his mother’s drinking problems. He was a student at the school with a tendency for behavioral issues until February 2017, when he was transferred to an adult learning center. In October, he entered a plea of guilty to 17 charges of murder in the first degree as well as 17 charges of attempted murder. Cruz went on a shooting spree when he was 19 years old and shot multiple people. It ended up being one of the deadliest school shootings in the annals of United States history. Cruz is charged with 17 counts of first-degree murder and 17 counts of 17th-degree attempted murder in connection with the shooting. On Monday, the defense team for Nikolas Cruz was found guilty of killing 17 people and injuring 17 others during a deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on February 14, 2018, and began delivering its case. Where Are Nikolas Cruz Parents Linda And Roger Cruz? What Happened To His Brother Zachary Cruz?
