The man who shot and killed 17 people at a school in Parkland, Florida has been given a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

 

The person who carried out the massacre at the school in Parkland, Florida, has been legally sentenced to spend the rest of his life in jail without the chance of being released.

On Wednesday, November 2, 2018, Nikolas Cruz, who was responsible for the deaths of 17 people on February 14, 2018, was formally sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of release. This came after the relatives of his 17 victims spent the previous two days berating him.

The judge who presided over his case, Elizabeth Scherer, gave him 17 life sentences for the massacre that took place at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school in the suburbs of Fort Lauderdale.

In addition, Judge Scherer handed down a sentence of life in prison with a mandatory minimum of 20 years to serve on 14 of the 17 counts of attempted murder, and he sentenced the other three counts of attempted murder to life without the possibility of parole. The judge determined that there should be no breaks between any of the counts.

On October 13, the jury that had been deliberating over Cruz's case for the past three months reached a verdict of 9-3 in favor of sentencing him to death. However, according to Florida law, the verdict must be unanimous in order for Cruz to be executed.

During the questioning that took place before Cruz was sentenced, the court brought up the fact that Cruz is currently taking medicine, but he was able to comprehend what was going on.

The punishment took place after two days of victim impact evidence, during which the parents, wives, brothers, and other relatives of the deceased victims as well as those of the surviving wounded walked up to a lectern to meet Cruz face to face.

The judge praised the families of the wounded as well as the wounded themselves, calling them courageous, graceful, and patient.

During the course of their impact statements, numerous members of the defendant's family voiced their disapproval of the law that mandates unanimous jury agreement for a death sentence. The families have voiced their disappointment that their loved ones would not be executed.