Sentencing phase of Parkland school shooting continues Tuesday

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The penalty phase for the Parkland school shooter will resume in South Florida on Tuesday.

A jury will decide whether Nikolas Cruz will be sentenced to death or life in prison with no parole.

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Cruz pleaded guilty to killing 17 people.

On Monday, prosecutors laid out their case.

The details of the shooting were too difficult to hear for some family members, forcing them to leave the courtroom.

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Survivors of the 2018 Parkland school shooting took the witness stand on Monday.

“We were just like sitting ducks, no way to stand up for ourselves, no way to protect ourselves,” one survivor testified.

Cruz buried his head in his hands as the details of the shooting were laid out.

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Tony Montalto’s 15-year-old daughter Gina was killed in the shooting. Montalto wants Cruz sentenced to death.

“He should have every chance that he gave my beautiful daughter Gina and the others that day. He had no problem being the judge, the jury and the executioner,” Montalto said.

The jury must be unanimous to recommend the death penalty.

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The trial is expected to last through October.

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