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Jurors have not yet heard from Cruz’s team at length, as the defense deferred its opening statements and did not cross-examine any students or teachers who survived the shooting. Attorneys for Cruz only asked basic questions of a few other witnesses.
Cruz pleaded guilty in October to 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder, and the ongoing phase of his criminal trial is to determine his sentence. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, while Cruz’s defense attorneys are asking the jury for a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Lead public defender Melisa McNeill is expected to give the opening statements for the defense. She and her team will lay out Cruz’s life history and the mitigating circumstances they believe led him to commit the crime, such as his birth mother’s history with drugs and the death of his adoptive parents.
The defense case may include testimony from Cruz’s siblings. Last week, Judge Elizabeth Scherer granted the state’s motion to compel depositions for Zachary Cruz, the gunman’s brother, and Richard Moore, who Zachary currently lives with in Virginia. Zachary Cruz and Richard Moore were ordered by the court to appear September 6 for deposition to “answer each and every question that are posed by the state.”
The defense has said it will not attempt to blame the crime on any third party or anyone except Cruz.
If jurors recommend Cruz be sentenced to death, they must be unanimous.
Geography teacher Scott Beigel, 35; wrestling coach Chris Hixon, 49; and assistant football coach Aaron Feis, 37, also were killed, each while running toward danger or trying to help students to safety.
CNN’s Eric Levenson and Dakin Andone contributed to this report.