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Sentencing hearing set for Parkland school mass murderer

Ines Hixon, wipes away tears as she leaves the podium with her husband, Tommy Hixon, after she gave a victim impact statement during the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Tommy Hixon's father, Christopher, was killed in the 2018 shootings. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Judge Elizabeth Scherer orders Chief Assistant Public Defender David Wheeler to sit in the back of the courtroom during the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Assistant Public Defender Melisa McNeill makes an objection to the content of some of the victim impact statements during the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Assistant Public Defender Melisa McNeill sits at the defense table during a break in victim impact statements during the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Teresa Robinovitz is consoled after presenting her victim impact statement in the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Robinovitz's granddaughter, Alyssa, was killed in the 2018 shootings. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Patricia Padauy Oliver speaks with Broward County Public Defender Gordon Weekes during a break in the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Padauy Oliver's son, Joaquin Oliver, was killed in the 2018 shootings. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Assistant State Attorney Carolyn McCann, left, squeezes Meghan Petty's hand after Petty gave her victim impact statement in the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Petty's sister, Alaina, was killed in the 2018 shootings. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Gena Hoyer leaves the courtroom at the Broward County Courthouse after the sentencing hearing of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. Hoyer's son Luke was killed in the shooting. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, Pool) Debbie Hixon, right, kisses her daughter-in-law, Ines Hixon, after she gave a victim impact statement in the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Debbie Hixon's husband, Christopher, was killed in the 2018 shootings. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Meghan Petty is comforted as she takes a break from giving her victim impact statement during the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Petty's sister, Alaina, was killed in the 2018 shooting Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Max Schachter leaves the courtroom at the Broward County Courthouse for the sentencing hearing of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. Schachter's son Alex was killed in the shooting. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, Pool) Bree Wikander, third from left, pets a therapy dog outside the courtroom at the Broward County Courthouse for the sentencing hearing of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. Wikander's son Benjamin was injured in the shooting. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, Pool) Linda Beigel Shulman arrives at the courtroom at the Broward County Courthouse for the sentencing hearing of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. Beigel Shulman's son Scott Beigel was killed in the shooting. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, Pool) Bree Wikander walks to the courtroom at the Broward County Courthouse for the sentencing hearing of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. Wikander's son Benjamin was injured in the shooting. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, Pool) Patricia Padauy Oliver speaks during her victim impact statement in the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Padauy Oliver's son, Joaquin Oliver, was killed in the 2018 shootings. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz sits at the the defense table during his sentencing hearing at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people more in 2018. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz enters the courtroom for his sentencing hearing at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people more in 2018. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz enters the courtroom for his sentencing hearing at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people more in 2018. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Patricia Padauy Oliver speaks during her victim impact statement in the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Padauy Oliver's son, Joaquin Oliver, was killed in the 2018 shootings. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Patricia Padauy Oliver speaks during her victim impact statement in the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Padauy Oliver's son, Joaquin Oliver, was killed in the 2018 shootings. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Teresa Robinovitz is consoled after presenting her victim impact statement in the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Robinovitz's granddaughter, Alyssa, was killed in the 2018 shootings. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Patricia Padauy Oliver speaks with Broward County Public Defender Gordon Weekes during a break in the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Padauy Oliver's son, Joaquin Oliver, was killed in the 2018 shootings. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Assistant State Attorney Carolyn McCann, left, squeezes Meghan Petty's hand after Petty gave her victim impact statement in the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Petty's sister, Alaina, was killed in the 2018 shootings. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Gena Hoyer leaves the courtroom at the Broward County Courthouse after the sentencing hearing of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. Hoyer's son Luke was killed in the shooting. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, Pool) Debbie Hixon, right, kisses her daughter-in-law, Ines Hixon, after she gave a victim impact statement in the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Debbie Hixon's husband, Christopher, was killed in the 2018 shootings. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Meghan Petty is comforted as she takes a break from giving her victim impact statement during the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Petty's sister, Alaina, was killed in the 2018 shooting Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Max Schachter leaves the courtroom at the Broward County Courthouse for the sentencing hearing of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. Schachter's son Alex was killed in the shooting. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, Pool) Bree Wikander, third from left, pets a therapy dog outside the courtroom at the Broward County Courthouse for the sentencing hearing of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. Wikander's son Benjamin was injured in the shooting. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, Pool) Linda Beigel Shulman arrives at the courtroom at the Broward County Courthouse for the sentencing hearing of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. Beigel Shulman's son Scott Beigel was killed in the shooting. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, Pool) Bree Wikander walks to the courtroom at the Broward County Courthouse for the sentencing hearing of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. Wikander's son Benjamin was injured in the shooting. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, Pool) Patricia Padauy Oliver speaks during her victim impact statement in the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Padauy Oliver's son, Joaquin Oliver, was killed in the 2018 shootings. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz sits at the the defense table during his sentencing hearing at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people more in 2018. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz enters the courtroom for his sentencing hearing at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people more in 2018. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz enters the courtroom for his sentencing hearing at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people more in 2018. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Patricia Padauy Oliver speaks during her victim impact statement in the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Padauy Oliver's son, Joaquin Oliver, was killed in the 2018 shootings. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Patricia Padauy Oliver speaks during her victim impact statement in the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Padauy Oliver's son, Joaquin Oliver, was killed in the 2018 shootings. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Max Schachter leaves the courtroom at the Broward County Courthouse for the sentencing hearing of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. Schachter's son Alex was killed in the shooting. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, Pool) Bree Wikander, third from left, pets a therapy dog outside the courtroom at the Broward County Courthouse for the sentencing hearing of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. Wikander's son Benjamin was injured in the shooting. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, Pool) Linda Beigel Shulman arrives at the courtroom at the Broward County Courthouse for the sentencing hearing of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. Beigel Shulman's son Scott Beigel was killed in the shooting. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, Pool) Bree Wikander walks to the courtroom at the Broward County Courthouse for the sentencing hearing of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. Wikander's son Benjamin was injured in the shooting. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, Pool) Patricia Padauy Oliver speaks during her victim impact statement in the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Padauy Oliver's son, Joaquin Oliver, was killed in the 2018 shootings. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz sits at the the defense table during his sentencing hearing at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people more in 2018. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz enters the courtroom for his sentencing hearing at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people more in 2018. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz enters the courtroom for his sentencing hearing at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people more in 2018. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Patricia Padauy Oliver speaks during her victim impact statement in the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Padauy Oliver's son, Joaquin Oliver, was killed in the 2018 shootings. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) Patricia Padauy Oliver speaks during her victim impact statement in the sentencing hearing for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Padauy Oliver's son, Joaquin Oliver, was killed in the 2018 shootings. Cruz was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than four years ago. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool) FILE - Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz is escorted from the courtroom following a hearing regarding possible jury misconduct during deliberations in the penalty phase of his trial on Friday, Oct. 14, 2022, at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Cruz will be sentenced to life in prison this week — but not before the families of the 17 people he murdered get the chance to tell him what they think. A two-day hearing is scheduled to begin Tuesday, Nov. 1, that will conclude with Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer formally sentencing Cruz for his Feb. 14, 2018, massacre at the Florida high school. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool, File) FILE - Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz is escorted into the courtroom for a hearing regarding possible jury misconduct during deliberations in the penalty phase of his trial on Friday, Oct. 14, 2022, at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Cruz will be sentenced to life in prison this week — but not before the families of the 17 people he murdered get the chance to tell him what they think. A two-day hearing is scheduled to begin Tuesday, Nov. 1, that will conclude with Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer formally sentencing Cruz for his Feb. 14, 2018, massacre at the Florida high school. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool, File)
Sentencing hearing set for Parkland school mass murderer