Howdy Dammit said:

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I'll side with the teachings of the Church and my interpretation of Jesus's teachings

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Romans 13:3-4 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.

What is the sword used for? This gives the government the authority to dispense justice. In a case where there is no reasonable doubt, then there is no reason not to execute according to holy scripture.

If you're not for all the torture then fine. But they have God given authority to dispense justice.

It would be absurd to hold that you can in self defense act as judge, jury and executioner, but the judge, jury and executioner cannot.

ThunderCougarFalconBird said:

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Death. But not by snoo snoo.

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Well, since he's muslim... I think gay snoo snoo should be allowed. Bacon grease for lube.

Nikolas Cruz is atheist, not Muslim. Unless you were thinking about Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, in which case he is.

I got side tracked by the guys talking about the Fort Hood shooter still being alive.

Four Seasons Landscaping said:

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Am I legitimately the only one who feels like life without parole would be harder to go through than getting a needle?

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There are some advantages to the death penalty:

1) If executed, he won't ever get out again no matter how much bleeding hearts feel that he was punished unjustly. It doesn't matter what someone did, there will be people out there who are convinced that he is absolutely innocent and should be released immediately

2) Even with "life without parole", there is always a potential for some judge to order a new trial years after the fact and require the prosecutors to do it all over again. There needs to be a finality at some point -- as long as he is alive, that won't happen.

3) If executed, taxpayers don't have to pay money to keep him alive year after year after year after year.

Keep in mind that he now wants to "spend his life helping people".

I remembered reading about this earlier and it didn't take long to find articles about it.

From https://meaww.com/nikolas-cruz-trial-parkland-school-shooter-is-delusional-wants-to-help-people

Quote:

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Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz, 23, who pleaded guilty to murdering 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018, told Texas counselor Wesley Center that he wants to assist those in need after the end of his imprisonment. ... He had some sort of epiphany while he was in (jail) that would focus his thoughts on being able to help people. "His life's purpose was to be helping others."

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From https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida-school-shooter-nikolas-cruz-thinks-hes-going-get-prison

Quote:

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Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz is so delusional, he thinks he will get out of prison at some point, according to a mental health expert hired by the defense team.

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"He had some sort of epiphany while he was in (jail) that would focus his thoughts on being able to help people," Center told prosecutors during a pretrial interview this year. "His life's purpose was to be helping others."

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For 1, he won't get out unless the governor commutes his sentence, which he definitely won't (two members from the board of executive clemency would have to recommend that he be granted clemency in order for the governor to consider commuting his sentence, and I don't think a governor can reduce first degree murder (which carries a minimum life sentence without parole in Florida) to second degree murder as part of a commutation), for 2, he pled guilty to first degree murder and the minimum sentence is life without parole, so if he gets the death penalty and his appeals are successful, he would get a new sentencing trial to determine if he should get life without parole or the death penalty or he would be resentenced to life without parole, but he wouldn't get a trial to determine his guilt, and for 3, the death penalty costs more than life without parole because of appeals, lengthier trials and attorneys' fees.

Shoulda thought about helping people before killing them…would've saved a bunch of lives and probably helped others in the long run…

But he didn't…

Off with his head…

Terrorism should always be net wuth the death penalty
Hanging from the gallows like with Haman

Verdict in!

Families gathering in court room

Well, his life's going to be even more wasted than it already is I guess...

Judge on bench

Jury filing in.

That judge

A lot of counts, judge looking over everything. Taking a long time. Tension is high in the room.

Here we go…

Death?

FireAg said:

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Death

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Nope

Basically a juror thinks he deserves to live because he had a bad childhood.

It will come out that it will be 11-1 for death and if we find out who, it will be a woman.

Count 1. Life

They are unanimous in their aggravating factors.

They have to be unanimous in their death verdict. At least one juror believed the mitigating factors outweighed the aggravating. So not unanimous on death.

Count 2: Life

(These are taking a while to read)

There are 17 counts

Yup...he's getting life...

Stupid...

Before answering the OP, I would like to know how his prison stint is going. He is slight of build and meek, and could easily be passed around the shower on a weekly basis. In general, a death penalty case is more expensive, but for a kid Cruz's age it may make the economics flip to life being more expensive. Outside of cost, I'd have to say whichever punishment the offender fears more is the one I want.

Buy wait...doesn't the judge get the final say?

Would she go with jury recommendation or her own verdict?

The bald dad looks like he's about to explode...

PhatMack19 said:

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That judge

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Very talented!! Appointed by former Governor Rick Scott

Her dad was an attorney for President Bush. She is a Republican

One family just got up and walked out...

This judge Elizabeth Scherer might be the hottest judge on the circuit

Nm

Prosecution gets agreement from the judge for the victims and victims' families to present their thoughts on the final sentence...

That will take place starting on Nov 2...

If he got the death penalty, the judge could have changed it to life, but she can't change life to death.

I thought it was November 1st.

Could barely hear...you might be right...

She did say Tuesday, and that is indeed 11-1...