Can the Florida jury’s decision here be said to be just? No matter what anyone’s opinion is about the death penalty, it’s hard not to appreciate the anguish and pain of those families, who expected and wanted more. If actions as twisted, abhorrent, heartless and callous as Cruz’s do not warrant death, it’s difficult to know of a circumstance that would. This verdict left Parkland victims’ families livid, with one father saying he was “disgusted by those jurors.” His was a sentiment that was widely shared. Ultimately, with three jurors holding out, he will be sentenced to life without parole. Their mission was to decide whether “aggravating factors” associated with Cruz’s conduct – including the cold, calculated and premeditated nature of his actions – were enough to overcome the “mitigating factors.” The defense pointed to such mitigating factors as the drug and alcohol use of his mom while he was still in her womb, as well as his troubled upbringing and the overall turmoil in his life. In order for that result to be achieved, however, it would have required 12 jurors to unanimously conclude that such a penalty was warranted. But prosecutors, in consultation with the families, wanted to pursue death for the shooter. Cruz, who was 19 when he opened fire in Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, had already pleaded guilty last year for his 2018 actions – which left 17 dead and another 17 injured. The only reason the Parkland case went to trial was for prosecutors to secure the death penalty.
Together, these verdicts call into question whether our justice system is still viable - or, instead, if it’s irreconcilably broken.
While that looked more like the justice people thirsted for, many are now wondering whether the families will see any of that jury award at all. In the Sandy Hook case, the shooting denier was hit with a nearly $1 billion judgment that must be paid to the families. In the Parkland case, the school shooter evaded the death penalty, leading many to wonder where justice has gone – or whether that word can even be used in connection with the result. As such, America was focused like a laser beam on what justice would look like to the juries sitting in judgment on both matters. Gun violence and the tragic consequences of mass shootings continue to trouble our nation.
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