Judge in Florida school shooter case refuses to step down


              Assistant Public Defender Melisa McNeill speaks during a hearing in the penalty phase of the trial of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale on Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. The defense filed a motion asking Judge Elizabeth Scherer to recuse herself based on comments she made in court when lead defense attorney Melisa McNeill announced the defense's intention to rest their case last week. The motion was denied. Cruz previously plead guilty to all 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the 2018 shootings. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool)
            
              Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz is shown at the defense table during a hearing in the penalty phase of Cruz's trial at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale on Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. The defense filed a motion asking Judge Elizabeth Scherer to recuse herself based on comments she made in court when lead defense attorney Melisa McNeill announced the defense's intention to rest their case last week. The motion was denied. Cruz previously plead guilty to all 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the 2018 shootings. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool)
            
              Judge Elizabeth Scherer is shown on the bench during a hearing in the penalty phase of the trial of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale on Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. The defense filed a motion asking Judge Elizabeth Scherer to recuse herself based on comments she made in court when lead defense attorney Melisa McNeill announced the defense's intention to rest their case last week. The motion was denied. Cruz previously plead guilty to all 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the 2018 shootings. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool)
            
              Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz sits at the defense table during a hearing in the penalty phase of his trial at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale on Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. The defense filed a motion asking Judge Elizabeth Scherer to recuse herself based on comments she made in court when lead defense attorney Melisa McNeill announced the defense's intention to rest their case last week. The motion was denied. Cruz previously plead guilty to all 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the 2018 shootings. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool)
Judge in Florida school shooter case refuses to step down