Attorneys argue over school shooter's fate: death or prison

Attorneys argue over educational organization shooter's fate: demise or prison

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The prosecutor with every one other accompanied by protection attorney for Florida educational organization shooter Nikolas Cruz agreed Tuesday that his 2018 assault that killed 17 people was horrible, nevertheless disagreed inside their closing arguments on whether it was an take deed of evil worthy of execution or one of a broken human being who should exist imprisoned for life.

Lead prosecutor Mike Satz with every one other accompanied by his protection counterpart, Melisa McNeill, painted for the 12 jurors competing pictures of what drove Cruz's assault at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Valentine's Day.

For Satz, Cruz was driven by antisocial personality untidiness — inside lay terms, he's a sociopath. He deserves a demise judgement since he "was hunting his victims" while he stalked a three-story classroom building for septet minutes. He fired his AR-15-style semiautomatic rummage into some victims at near range with every one other accompanied by returned to wounded victims while they lay helpless "to complete them off."

Satz pointed to Cruz's internet writings with every one other accompanied by videos, where he talked concerning his murderous desires such while when he wrote, "No mercy, no indeed questions, dual tap. I am going to kill a ... ton of people with every one other accompanied by children."

"It is said that what one writes with every one other accompanied by says is a window into their soul," Satz said while the three-month trial neared its conclusion. The killings, he said, "were unrelentlessly heinous, atrocious with every one other accompanied by cruel."

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McNeill said neither Cruz nor herself has at some time denied what he did with every one other accompanied by that "he knew just from incorrect with every one other accompanied by he chose wrong." But she said the former Stoneman Douglas student is "a broken, brain-damaged, mentally ill young man," doomed from conception by the heavy drinking with every one other accompanied by medicine use of his birth mother throughout pregnancy. She argued for a judgement of existence lacking parole, assuring them he will never stroll without charge again.

"It's the just thing to do. Mercy is what makes us civilized. Giving mercy to Nikolas will speak additional concerning who you are than it will at some time speak concerning him," McNeill told the jury.

Cruz, 24, pleaded culpable a year ago to murdering 14 students with every one other accompanied by trio staff members with every one other accompanied by wounding 17 others.

The jury will only resolve his sentence, with every one other accompanied by a unanimous ballot is required for death. Jurors tin ballot for demise if they exist convinced by the prosecution's aggravating factors such while the multiple deaths with every one other accompanied by the preparation outweigh the defense's mitigating circumstances such while his birth mother's drinking. They tin too ballot for existence not here of mercy for Cruz. Deliberations are expected to start Wednesday.

Cruz, dressed inside an off-white sweater, sat impassively throughout the presentations, occasionally exchanging notes accompanied by his attorneys. A large number of the victims' parents, wives with every one other accompanied by family members packed their segment of the courtroom, numerous of them weeping throughout Satz's presentation. The mother of a murdered 14-year-old girl fled the courtroom earlier to bursting into loud sobs inside the hallway. Just minutes earlier, the families had greeted every one other accompanied by smiles, handshakes with every one other accompanied by hugs.

Satz meticulously went into and not here of the murders, reminding the jurors how every one victim died with every one other accompanied by how Cruz looked some inside the eye earlier to he report them multiple times.

"They all knew what was going on, what was going to happen," Satz said.

As he had throughout the trial, Satz played safety videos of the shooting with every one other accompanied by showed photos. He talked concerning the demise of one 14-year-old girl. Cruz report her with every one other accompanied by at that hour dated went spine to shoot her again, putting his firearm opposed to her chest.

"Right on her skin. She was report quartet times with every one other accompanied by she died," Satz said. He at that hour dated noted a YouTube comment, which jurors saw throughout the trial, inside which Cruz said: "I don't cerebrum shooting a girl inside the chest."

"That's exactly what he did," Satz said.

His power of speech breaking, Satz concluded his two-hour awarding by reciting the victims' names, at that hour dated saying that for their murders "the suitable judgement for Nikolas Cruz is the demise penalty."

McNeill throughout her awarding acknowledged the horror Cruz inflicted with every one other accompanied by said jurors have every one just to exist angry, "but how numerous times have we made decisions based solely on annoyance with every one other accompanied by regretted it?"

She focused on her belief that heavy drinking by his birth mother, Brenda Woodard, throughout gestation infrequent gravidity left-hand him accompanied by fetal liquor spectrum disorder. She said that accounts for his bizarre, troubling with every one other accompanied by occasionally brutal behavior starting at number of years 2.

"There is no indeed hour dated inside our lives when we are additional in danger to the will with every one other accompanied by the whims of another anthropoid actuality than when we are growing with every one other accompanied by developing inside the wombs of our mothers," McNeill said. Woodard "poisoned him inside the womb. He was doomed inside the womb."

She said Cruz's increasingly erratic personality left-hand his widowed adoptive mother, Lynda Cruz, overwhelmed. He punched holes inside walls when he lost video games, destroyed furnishings with every one other accompanied by killed animals. Visitors described the place of residence while "a war zone," McNeill said.

She pleaded accompanied by the jurors to present with Cruz a existence sentence, telling them that flat if they are the only holdout they shouldn't terror what the response will exist from the families or the community.

Gesturing in the direction of the victims' families, she said, "There is no indeed punishment you could at some time present with Nikolas Cruz that would at some time build him hurt while a a large amount of while those people have with every one other accompanied by while a a large amount of while they will carry on accompanied by to hurt every one single day."

"Sentencing Nikolas to demise will not alter that. It will not convey spine those 17 deceased people. Sentencing Nikolas to demise will literally work for no indeed motive other than vengeance," she said. Instead, she said, "Look into your heart. Look into your soul. The just thing here, not the well liked thing, is a existence sentence."

Cruz's massacre is the deadliest pile shooting that has at some time gone to trial inside the U.S. Nine other people inside the U.S. who fatally report at least 17 people died throughout or straight away following their attacks by self-destruction or police gunfire. The have a suspicion inside the 2019 massacre of 23 at an El Paso, Texas, Walmart is awaiting trial.

___

Associated Press reporters Freida Frisaro inside Miami with every one other accompanied by Curt Anderson inside St. Petersburg, Florida, contributed to this report.

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"What happens this winter is up to us."\u003c/p>\u003cp>So a lengthy way the Centers for Disease Control with every one other accompanied by Prevention says only concerning 11.5 million Americans have received the updated shots, which are meant to provide a boost of defence opposed to both the first strain of COVID-19 with every one other accompanied by the BA.5 variant that is presiding around the world. Jha said studies propose that if additional Americans obtain the updated vaccines, \"we could save hundreds of lives every one day this winter."\u003c/p>\u003cdiv class=\"ad-placeholder\" data='autoembed'>\u003c/div>\u003cp>More than 330 people die on signify every one day of COVID-19, according to CDC data, accompanied by the U.S. demise toll standing at over 1.05 million. \u003c/p>\u003cp>Jha acknowledged the slower step of vaccinations, saying, "we expected September to exist a month where it would fair start picking up.\" He added that the White House expects additional Americans to obtain the updated boosters this month around the hour dated when they obtain their yearly flu shots. He too emphasized that they should look to obtain them in a short time to exist protected when they congregate accompanied by family with every one other accompanied by friends.\u003c/p>\u003cdiv id='afs:Card:360787040889' class='hub-peek-embed' content-id='551906ac80381a5e9aaf8383ea32ccab'>Hub peek embed (apf-Health) - Compressed layout (automatic embed) \u003c/div>\u003cp>"I believe people should obtain vaccinated earlier to Halloween,\" he said. \u003c/p>\u003cp>Jha criticized Congress, which has refused the White House's $22 billion budget appeal for virus response, saying that has kept the U.S. from building a stockpile of tests to use inside the event of a new winter surge.\u003c/p>\u003cp> "You can't fight a deadly virus lacking resources,\" he said, "and congressional inaction is really costly."\u003c/p>","alertLinkDateTime":null,"storyLayout":{},"reporters":[{"id":"afs:Reporter:230091199076","fullName":"Zeke Miller","displayName":"Zeke Miller","biography":"Zeke is AP's leader White House correspondent","twitterId":"ZekeJMiller","email":"zmiller@ap.org","picture":{"id":"afs:Medium:369647750281","type":"Photo","caption":null,"order":0,"imageMimeType":"image/jpeg","imageFileExtension":".jpeg","imageRenderedSizes":[369,200],"aspectRatio":1.00271739130435,"gcsBaseUrl":"https://storage.googleapis.com/afs-prod/media/afs:Medium:369647750281/","embedCaption":null,"uploaded":true,"flattenedCaption":null,"updated":"2022-09-06T19:42:01.734144","alignment":null,"videoMimeType":null,"videoFileExtension":null,"videoRenderedSizes":[],"externalId":null,"audioMimeType":null,"audioFileExtension":null,"title":null,"noEmbedCaption":false,"headline":null,"jwMediaId":null,"jwVideoStatus":false,"isPlayer":null},"mediumKey":"afs:Medium:369647750281","showReporterPage":false,"showReporterBrief":true}],"headlinePlacement":null,"relatedStoryEmbeds":[],"disableNativo":false}],"disclaimerText":null,"dividerColor":null,"expandedStoryCount":null,"feed":[],"headlineWidget":false,"hubPeekLinkText":null,"hubPeekTagId":null,"hubPeekTagName":null,"hubPeekCanonicalName":null,"hubPeekIsPr":null,"minimizedStoryCount":null,"tagObjs":[{"id":"apf-politics","name":"Politics","canonicalName":"politics","isPr":false},{"id":"apf-Health","name":"Health","canonicalName":"health","isPr":false},{"id":"Coronaviruspandemic","name":"COVID-19","canonicalName":"coronavirus-pandemic","isPr":false},{"id":"CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention","name":"Centers for Disease Control with every one other accompanied by Prevention","canonicalName":"centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention","isPr":false},{"id":"Governmentandpolitics","name":"Government with every one other accompanied by politics","canonicalName":"government-and-politics","isPr":false}],"textColor":null,"layoutType":null,"customLayoutType":null,"styleName":null,"endDateTime":null,"teamLimit":25,"medalCounts":null,"medalsUpdated":null,"olympicYear":null,"notificationUrl":null,"notificationText":null,"notificationTitle":null,"notificationType":null,"notificationUpdated":null,"adUnits":null,"displayPositionHome":null,"displayPositionApp":null,"featuredCard":null,"publishedDate":"2022-10-11 21:00:22","enableTblRegion":false},{"id":"urn:publicid:ap.org:f0400d42ed63911edf6149c9649c27a8","shortId":"urn:publicid:ap.org:f0400d42ed63911edf6149c9649c27a8","allowAd":true,"borderColor":null,"brackets":null,"bracketsSettings":null,"cardTitle":null,"embedCardTitleColor":null,"cardHeadline":null,"cardType":"Wire Story","collectionTagObjs":null,"contents":[{"id":"urn:publicid:ap.org:f0400d42ed63911edf6149c9649c27a8","shortId":"f0400d42ed63911edf6149c9649c27a8","bylines":null,"canonicalUrl":"health-business-government-and-politics","contentType":"text","disableConnatix":false,"downloadSettings":{},"embedCaption":null,"embedHeight":null,"embedHTML":null,"embedLinkURL":null,"firstWords":"\u003cp>WASHINGTON (AP) — Families who obtain costly health indemnity into and not here of employers could see a cost shatter if they sign up while an alternative for coverage into and not here of the Affordable Care Act marketplace this fall.\u003c/p>\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2022-22184.pdf\">Treasury Department on Tuesday announced new rules\u003c/a> that determine the tax breaks for sure families when they buy private health indemnity plans into and not here of the Affordable Care Act.\u003c/p>","hasTextOverlay":false,"headline":"New rules fasten 'flaw' for families seeking Obamacare coverage","description":null,"interactiveLinkUrl":null,"interactiveLinkUrlText":null,"language":"en","leadPhotoId":"f6be6e9b30c74583812ec0a7466b2337","leadVideoId":null,"localLinkUrl":"https://apnews.com/f0400d42ed63911edf6149c9649c27a8","localMemberName":null,"media":[{"id":"f6be6e9b30c74583812ec0a7466b2337","type":"Photo","caption":"\u003cp>FILE - The healthcare.gov website is seen, on Dec. 14, 2021 inside Fort Washington, Md. 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That meant numerous families didn't be eligible for the tax breaks offered into and not here of the ACA, popularly known while "Obamacare." \u003c/p>\u003cdiv id='afs:Card:360787040889' class='hub-peek-embed' content-id='f0400d42ed63911edf6149c9649c27a8'>Hub peek embed (apf-Health) - Compressed layout (automatic embed) \u003c/div>\u003cp>"Today's deed resolves a flaw inside earlier ACA regulations to convey additional affordable coverage to concerning one million Americans," Health with every one other accompanied by Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said inside a statement. "Our goal is simple: depart from no indeed one behind, with every one other accompanied by present with everyone the tranquillity of cerebrum that comes accompanied by health insurance." \u003c/p>\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-us-department-of-and-human-services-government-politics-24684188cb67c576ed00d01b2f53c09c\">number of uninsured Americans has dipped to a famous low of 8%\u003c/a> this year, accompanied by an estimated 26 million people inside the U.S. still lacking health insurance. \u003c/p>\u003cp>Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act marketplace begins Nov. 1.\u003c/p>","alertLinkDateTime":null,"storyLayout":{},"reporters":[],"headlinePlacement":null,"relatedStoryEmbeds":[],"disableNativo":false}],"disclaimerText":null,"dividerColor":null,"expandedStoryCount":null,"feed":[],"headlineWidget":false,"hubPeekLinkText":null,"hubPeekTagId":null,"hubPeekTagName":null,"hubPeekCanonicalName":null,"hubPeekIsPr":null,"minimizedStoryCount":null,"tagObjs":[{"id":"apf-politics","name":"Politics","canonicalName":"politics","isPr":false},{"id":"apf-Health","name":"Health","canonicalName":"health","isPr":false},{"id":"apf-business","name":"Business","canonicalName":"business","isPr":false},{"id":"apf-usnews","name":"U.S. News","canonicalName":"us-news","isPr":false},{"id":"Governmentandpolitics","name":"Government with every one other accompanied by politics","canonicalName":"government-and-politics","isPr":false}],"textColor":null,"layoutType":null,"customLayoutType":null,"styleName":null,"endDateTime":null,"teamLimit":25,"medalCounts":null,"medalsUpdated":null,"olympicYear":null,"notificationUrl":null,"notificationText":null,"notificationTitle":null,"notificationType":null,"notificationUpdated":null,"adUnits":null,"displayPositionHome":null,"displayPositionApp":null,"featuredCard":null,"publishedDate":"2022-10-11 18:42:03","enableTblRegion":false},{"id":"urn:publicid:ap.org:4352a932216557ee3d2d23e0de377be1","shortId":"urn:publicid:ap.org:4352a932216557ee3d2d23e0de377be1","allowAd":true,"borderColor":null,"brackets":null,"bracketsSettings":null,"cardTitle":null,"embedCardTitleColor":null,"cardHeadline":null,"cardType":"Wire Story","collectionTagObjs":null,"contents":[{"id":"urn:publicid:ap.org:4352a932216557ee3d2d23e0de377be1","shortId":"4352a932216557ee3d2d23e0de377be1","bylines":"By BOUAZZA BEN BOUAZZA","canonicalUrl":"russia-ukraine-africa-business-north","contentType":"text","disableConnatix":false,"downloadSettings":{},"embedCaption":null,"embedHeight":null,"embedHTML":null,"embedLinkURL":null,"firstWords":"\u003cp>TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Tunisians have been hit accompanied by soaring food prices with every one other accompanied by shortages of basic staples inside recent weeks, menacing to turn simmering discontent inside the North African country — the cradle of the Arab Spring protests — into larger turmoil.\u003c/p>","hasTextOverlay":false,"headline":"Empty shelves or unaffordable food: Tunisia's crisis deepens","description":null,"interactiveLinkUrl":null,"interactiveLinkUrlText":null,"language":"en","leadPhotoId":"46a65b54ab7e4c27a2c054279585f531","leadVideoId":null,"localLinkUrl":"https://apnews.com/4352a932216557ee3d2d23e0de377be1","localMemberName":null,"media":[{"id":"46a65b54ab7e4c27a2c054279585f531","type":"Photo","caption":"\u003cp>People store at a supermarket, inside Tunis, Tunisia, Monday, Oct. 10, 2022. Sugar, vegetable oil, rice, flat bottled aqua – Tunisians have suffered shortages of multiple staples inside recent weeks. And costs are soaring on products still available. (AP Photo/Hassene Dridi)\u003c/p>","order":0,"imageMimeType":"image/jpeg","imageFileExtension":".jpeg","imageRenderedSizes":[3000,2000,1000,800,600,400,200],"aspectRatio":1.38100352923124,"gcsBaseUrl":"https://storage.googleapis.com/afs-prod/media/46a65b54ab7e4c27a2c054279585f531/","embedCaption":null,"uploaded":true,"flattenedCaption":"People store at a supermarket, inside Tunis, Tunisia, Monday, Oct. 10, 2022. Sugar, vegetable oil, rice, flat bottled aqua – Tunisians have suffered shortages of multiple staples inside recent weeks. And costs are soaring on products still available. (AP Photo/Hassene Dridi)","updated":"2022-10-11T08:09:26.835903","alignment":null,"videoMimeType":null,"videoFileExtension":null,"videoRenderedSizes":[],"externalId":null,"audioMimeType":null,"audioFileExtension":null,"title":null,"noEmbedCaption":false,"headline":"Tunisia Food Crisis","jwMediaId":null,"jwVideoStatus":false,"isPlayer":"JW"}],"audioMedia":[],"mediumIds":["46a65b54ab7e4c27a2c054279585f531","f99be9cdf7964eb9bfcac7cefdfb404d","af96677296d6428dab37fe112938f058","fe02d2e24ca849309681d04b2454c8c2","9b5aaaf229d949bba4f2ed0d4a37e9db"],"mediaCount":5,"published":"2022-10-11 07:55:42","tagObjs":[{"id":"apf-Health","name":"Health","canonicalName":"health","isPr":false},{"id":"apf-europe","name":"Europe","canonicalName":"europe","isPr":false},{"id":"apf-africa","name":"Africa","canonicalName":"africa","isPr":false},{"id":"apf-business","name":"Business","canonicalName":"business","isPr":false},{"id":"apf-WorldNews","name":"World News","canonicalName":"world-news","isPr":false},{"id":"Tunisia","name":"Tunisia","canonicalName":"tunisia","isPr":false},{"id":"NorthAfrica","name":"North Africa","canonicalName":"north-africa","isPr":false},{"id":"Tunis","name":"Tunis","canonicalName":"tunis","isPr":false}],"tags":[{"id":"apf-Health","name":"Health","canonicalName":"health","isPr":false},{"id":"apf-europe","name":"Europe","canonicalName":"europe","isPr":false},{"id":"apf-africa","name":"Africa","canonicalName":"africa","isPr":false},{"id":"apf-business","name":"Business","canonicalName":"business","isPr":false},{"id":"apf-WorldNews","name":"World News","canonicalName":"world-news","isPr":false},{"id":"Tunisia","name":"Tunisia","canonicalName":"tunisia","isPr":false},{"id":"NorthAfrica","name":"North Africa","canonicalName":"north-africa","isPr":false},{"id":"Tunis","name":"Tunis","canonicalName":"tunis","isPr":false}],"updated":"2022-10-11 07:55:23","tagIds":["apf-Health","apf-europe","apf-africa","apf-business","apf-WorldNews","Tunisia","NorthAfrica","Tunis"],"title":"ML--Tunisia-Food Crisis","contentSponsor":null,"layoutType":"Small Photo","stackedStory":true,"notificationId":null,"eyebrow":null,"richEmbeds":[{"id":"afs:Card:521103274690","tag":null,"type":"Hub Peek","calloutText":null,"displayName":null,"leadHubLink":null,"richEmbedDetail":{"data":6,"rule":"seo","style":"Column List"},"isPermanentlyPlaced":true}],"sponsored":false,"contentBundle":null,"movieTitle":null,"immersiveUrl":null,"embedRatio":null,"embedType":null,"pullQuoteObjs":[],"dateline":null,"leadVideoAutoEmbed":false,"flattenedFirstWords":"TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Tunisians have been hit accompanied by soaring food prices with every one other accompanied by shortages of basic staples inside recent weeks, menacing to turn simmering discontent inside the North African country — the cr...","isTpContent":false,"socialEmbeds":[],"isPrContent":false,"storyHTML":"\u003cp>TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Tunisians have been hit accompanied by soaring food prices with every one other accompanied by shortages of basic staples inside recent weeks, menacing to turn simmering discontent inside the North African country — the cradle of the Arab Spring protests — into larger turmoil. \u003c/p>\u003cp>Sugar, vegetable oil, rice with every one other accompanied by flat bottled aqua periodically vanish from supermarkets with every one other accompanied by grocery stores. People stand inside dash for hours for these food essentials that have lengthy been subsidized with every one other accompanied by are now increasingly available inside rations only. When they do become visible on the shelves, numerous people cannot pay for to pay the staggering cost for them.\u003c/p>\u003cp>"I came to store with every one other accompanied by found people fighting to buy with every one other accompanied by the prices were extremely high," said shopper Amina Hamdi, 63, despairing at trying to buy basic goods. \u003c/p>\u003cp>"It is not possible to exist lacking food," said Aicha throughout a recent shopping trip to the go fishing with every one other accompanied by flesh market inside Tunis. "We tin exist lacking furniture, building material, nevertheless we have to eat." She only gave her earliest name for terror of persecution by police for speaking out.\u003c/p>\u003cdiv class=\"ad-placeholder\" data='autoembed'>\u003c/div>\u003cp>The management has blamed speculators, black market hoarders with every one other accompanied by the war inside Ukraine, nevertheless monetary experts speak the government's own budget crisis, with every one other accompanied by its inability to discuss terms a long-sought praise from the International Monetary Fund, have added to Tunisia's troubles.\u003c/p>\u003cdiv id='afs:Card:521103274690' class='hub-peek-embed' content-id='4352a932216557ee3d2d23e0de377be1'>Hub peek embed (Russia-Ukraine) - Compressed layout (automatic embed) \u003c/div>\u003cp>Fights occasionally shatter not here at food market queues, with every one other accompanied by scattered protests with every one other accompanied by sporadic clashes accompanied by police over rising prices with every one other accompanied by shortages have occurred around the country. In a suburb of the capital, Tunis, a young itinerant fruit vendor not long ago killed himself following police seized the scales he used to measure the heaviness of his wares.\u003c/p>\u003cp>His take deed of desperation revived memories of the 2010 self-immolation of another Tunisian vendor, Mohamed Bouazizi, which prompted protests that led to the ouster of long-time dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, with every one other accompanied by provoked similar uprisings around the Arab world. \u003c/p>\u003cp>The Ministry of Commerce promised last month that shortages would ease, announcing the buy from overseas of 20,000 tons of sugar from India to exist available inside hour dated for Mouled, the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. But the darkness earlier to the holiday, citizens formed lengthy lines inside front of supermarkets inside the hope of getting a package of sugar, an essential food to prepare orthodox dishes for the devout holiday.\u003c/p>\u003cdiv class=\"ad-placeholder\" data='autoembed'>\u003c/div>\u003cp>Food isn't the only thing inside short supply. Lacking vitality resources exist fond of those inside neighboring Libya with every one other accompanied by Algeria, Tunisia relies laboriously on imports, with every one other accompanied by its long-running monetary troubles signify it has restricted leverage on international markets to firm the goods it needs.\u003c/p>\u003cp>Inflation has reached a record percentage of 9.1%, the highest inside trio decades, according to the National Institute of Statistics. \u003c/p>\u003cp>The Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT) added a hit by increasing edge fees with every one other accompanied by attentiveness rates, hindering access to purchaser loans.\u003c/p>\u003cp>In Douar Hicher, an impoverished suburb on the outskirts of Tunis considered a barometer of well liked discontent, hundreds of people took to the streets at darkness last month to denounce the deterioration of their living conditions.\u003c/p>\u003cdiv class=\"ad-placeholder\" data='autoembed'>\u003c/div>\u003cp>With cries of \"work, freedom, dignity\" — the flagship slogan of the 2010-2011 rebellion — demonstrators blocked the town's main artery by setting blaze to tires, braving the police who sprayed tear gasoline to disperse them.\u003c/p>\u003cp>\"Enough of speeches with every one other accompanied by promises, people are gripped by hunger with every one other accompanied by poverty," read a banner erected by the demonstrators, their annoyance at the management with every one other accompanied by political elites palpable. \u003c/p>\u003cp>After sacking the main minister with every one other accompanied by dissolving parliament, President Kaïs Saied has granted himself sweeping powers over the past year. He said the moves were obligatory to save the country amid protracted political with every one other accompanied by monetary crisis, with every one other accompanied by numerous Tunisians welcomed them, nevertheless critics with every one other accompanied by Western allies speak the ability seize jeopardizes Tunisia's young democracy.\u003c/p>\u003cp>Saied attributes the scarcity of food products with every one other accompanied by the rise inside prices to "speculators" with every one other accompanied by those who clasp a monopoly on goods they store inside unlawful depots. He suggested that his main political rivals, the Islamist movement Ennahdha, had some role, which the communal gathering firmly denies.\u003c/p>\u003cdiv class=\"ad-placeholder\" data='autoembed'>\u003c/div>\u003cp>In a statement, the Salvation Front, a coalition of five opposition parties with every one other accompanied by some self-governing groups, called the demonstrations a sign of "a general detonation with every one other accompanied by the collapse of the communal with every one other accompanied by political order."\u003c/p>\u003cp>The general secretary of the strong commerce union UGTT, Noureddine Taboubi, blames the state's overburdened budget.\u003c/p>\u003cp>The management is currently negotiating a $2 billion to $4 billion praise accompanied by the IMF to manage accompanied by a budget shortfall aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic with every one other accompanied by the fallout from Russia's war inside Ukraine. A high-ranking Tunisian delegation went to Washington on Saturday inside the hope of finalizing a deal.\u003c/p>\u003cp>In return, Tunisia will have to commit to sore reforms, including shrinking the condition management sector — one of the world's largest — which eats up concerning a third of the condition budget. The IMF is too demanding the gradual lifting of subsidies with every one other accompanied by the privatization of state-owned enterprises, which implies massive layoffs with every one other accompanied by a worsening of unemployment, by that hour dated at 18% according to the latest World Bank figures \u003c/p>\u003cdiv class=\"ad-placeholder\" data='autoembed'>\u003c/div>\u003cp>Faced accompanied by such bleak prospects, Tunisians increasingly no indeed longer stop to place their lives inside danger to try to stretch not here Europe inside search of a better life. \u003c/p>\u003cp>The Tunisian Forum for Economic with every one other accompanied by Social Rights, an NGO that closely monitors migration, says 507 Tunisian migrants have died or gone lost so a lengthy way inside 2022 while they try the perilous crossing of the Mediterranean Sea.\u003c/p>\u003cp>According to National Guard spokesperson Houssameddine Jebabli, the seaboard retain protected from danger thwarted additional than 1,500 attempts at unlawful migration to Italy from January to September 2022, involving entire families including almost 2,500 children.\u003c/p>\u003cp>___\u003c/p>\u003cp>Barbara Surk inside Nice with every one other accompanied by Mehdi El-Arem inside Tunis contributed.\u003c/p>","alertLinkDateTime":null,"storyLayout":{},"reporters":[],"headlinePlacement":null,"relatedStoryEmbeds":[],"disableNativo":false}],"disclaimerText":null,"dividerColor":null,"expandedStoryCount":null,"feed":[],"headlineWidget":false,"hubPeekLinkText":null,"hubPeekTagId":null,"hubPeekTagName":null,"hubPeekCanonicalName":null,"hubPeekIsPr":null,"minimizedStoryCount":null,"tagObjs":[{"id":"apf-Health","name":"Health","canonicalName":"health","isPr":false},{"id":"apf-europe","name":"Europe","canonicalName":"europe","isPr":false},{"id":"apf-africa","name":"Africa","canonicalName":"africa","isPr":false},{"id":"apf-business","name":"Business","canonicalName":"business","isPr":false},{"id":"apf-WorldNews","name":"World News","canonicalName":"world-news","isPr":false},{"id":"Tunisia","name":"Tunisia","canonicalName":"tunisia","isPr":false},{"id":"NorthAfrica","name":"North Africa","canonicalName":"north-africa","isPr":false},{"id":"Tunis","name":"Tunis","canonicalName":"tunis","isPr":false}],"textColor":null,"layoutType":null,"customLayoutType":null,"styleName":null,"endDateTime":null,"teamLimit":25,"medalCounts":null,"medalsUpdated":null,"olympicYear":null,"notificationUrl":null,"notificationText":null,"notificationTitle":null,"notificationType":null,"notificationUpdated":null,"adUnits":null,"displayPositionHome":null,"displayPositionApp":null,"featuredCard":null,"publishedDate":"2022-10-11 07:55:46","enableTblRegion":false},{"id":"urn:publicid:ap.org:b7599549f12f53adc51f9ab8388fc873","shortId":"urn:publicid:ap.org:b7599549f12f53adc51f9ab8388fc873","allowAd":true,"borderColor":null,"brackets":null,"bracketsSettings":null,"cardTitle":null,"embedCardTitleColor":null,"cardHeadline":null,"cardType":"Wire Story","collectionTagObjs":null,"contents":[{"id":"urn:publicid:ap.org:b7599549f12f53adc51f9ab8388fc873","shortId":"b7599549f12f53adc51f9ab8388fc873","bylines":"By ASHRAF KHALIL","canonicalUrl":"health-philanthropy-mental-army-government-and-politics","contentType":"text","disableConnatix":false,"downloadSettings":{},"embedCaption":null,"embedHeight":null,"embedHTML":null,"embedLinkURL":null,"firstWords":"\u003cp>WASHINGTON (AP) — After finishing a tour inside Afghanistan inside 2013, Dionne Williamson felt emotionally numb. More warning signs appeared throughout some years of subsequent overseas postings. \u003c/p>\u003cp>"It's exist fond of I lost me somewhere," said Williamson, a Navy lieutenant leader who experienced disorientation, depression, ability to remember mislaying with every one other accompanied by chronic exhaustion.\u003c/p>","hasTextOverlay":false,"headline":"As suicides rise, US military seeks to address intellectual health","description":null,"interactiveLinkUrl":null,"interactiveLinkUrlText":null,"language":"en","leadPhotoId":"53191fe030344870a8f7d938dec557fc","leadVideoId":null,"localLinkUrl":"https://apnews.com/b7599549f12f53adc51f9ab8388fc873","localMemberName":null,"media":[{"id":"53191fe030344870a8f7d938dec557fc","type":"Photo","caption":"\u003cp>Dionne Williamson, of Patuxent River, Md., grooms Woody earlier to her riding lesson at Cloverleaf Equine Center inside Clifton, Va., Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022. 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More warning signs appeared throughout some years of subsequent overseas postings. "It's lik...","isTpContent":false,"socialEmbeds":[],"isPrContent":false,"storyHTML":"\u003cp>WASHINGTON (AP) — After finishing a tour inside Afghanistan inside 2013, Dionne Williamson felt emotionally numb. More warning signs appeared throughout some years of subsequent overseas postings. \u003c/p>\u003cp>"It's exist fond of I lost me somewhere," said Williamson, a Navy lieutenant leader who experienced disorientation, depression, ability to remember mislaying with every one other accompanied by chronic exhaustion. "I went to my leader with every one other accompanied by said, 'Sir, I need help. Something's wrong.'\"\u003c/p>\u003cp>As the Pentagon seeks to challenge \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-army-lloyd-austin-aa9971be75f6a78d9b6530d6ff3d6d72\">spiraling self-destruction rates inside the military ranks\u003c/a>, Williamson's experiences shine a illumination on the realities for work members seeking intellectual health help. For most, simply acknowledging their difficulties tin exist intimidating. And what comes following tin exist frustrating with every one other accompanied by dispiriting. \u003c/p>\u003cp>Williamson, 46, eventually found stability into and not here of a monthlong hospitalization with every one other accompanied by a therapeutic program that incorporates horseback riding. But she had to fight for years to obtain the assist she needed. "It's a awe how I made it through," she said. \u003c/p>\u003cdiv class=\"ad-placeholder\" data='autoembed'>\u003c/div>\u003cp>In March, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the design of an self-governing committee to analysis the military's intellectual health with every one other accompanied by self-destruction prevention programs. \u003c/p>\u003cp>According to Defense Department data, suicides among active-duty work members increased by additional than 40% in the centre of 2015 with every one other accompanied by 2020. The numbers jumped by 15% inside 2020 alone. In longtime self-destruction hotspot postings such while Alaska – work members with every one other accompanied by their families contend accompanied by extreme isolation with every one other accompanied by a harsh climate – the percentage has doubled. \u003c/p>\u003cdiv id='afs:Card:360787040889' class='hub-peek-embed' content-id='b7599549f12f53adc51f9ab8388fc873'>Hub peek embed (apf-Health) - Compressed layout (automatic embed) \u003c/div>\u003cp>A 2021 \u003ca href=\"https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/files/cow/imce/papers/2021/Suitt_Suicides_Costs%20of%20War_June%2021%202021.pdf\">study by the Cost of War Project\u003c/a> concluded that since 9/11, quartet times while numerous work members with every one other accompanied by veterans have died by self-destruction while have perished inside combat. The learning comprehensive stress factors specific to military life: "high exposure to trauma — mental, physical, moral, with every one other accompanied by reproductive — stress with every one other accompanied by burnout, the effect of the military's hegemonic masculine culture, continued access to guns, with every one other accompanied by the strain of reintegrating into civilian life."\u003c/p>\u003cp>The Pentagon did not respond to repeated requests for comment. But Austin has publicly acknowledged that the Pentagon's contemporaneous intellectual health offerings — including a Defense Suicide Prevention Office established inside 2011 — have proven insufficient.\u003c/p>\u003cp>"It is imperative that we lay clasp of protected from danger keeping of all our teammates with every one other accompanied by carry on accompanied by to build strong that intellectual health with every one other accompanied by self-destruction prevention carry on accompanied by to exist a answer priority," Austin wrote inside March. "Clearly we have additional labour to do."\u003c/p>\u003cdiv class=\"ad-placeholder\" data='autoembed'>\u003c/div>\u003cp>Last year the Army issued fresh guidelines to its commanders on how to hold intellectual health issues inside the ranks, \u003ca href=\"https://www.army.mil/article/252334/army_implements_new_suicide_prevention_initiative\">complete accompanied by briefing slides with every one other accompanied by a script\u003c/a>. But daunting long-term challenges remain. Many soldiers terror the stigma of admitting to intellectual health issues within the inner military the arts of self-sufficiency. And those who seek assist regularly find that stigma is not only real, nevertheless compounded by bureaucratic obstacles. \u003c/p>\u003cp>Much exist fond of the matter of \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/hunger-in-america-military-food-insecurity-142728bcb5479fd2de73750e11dbd458\">food insecurity inside military families\u003c/a>, a web of military-adjacent charitable organizations has tried to become full the gaps accompanied by a variety of programs with every one other accompanied by outreach efforts. \u003c/p>\u003cdiv class=\"ad-placeholder\" data='autoembed'>\u003c/div>\u003cp>Some are purely recreational, such while an yearly fishing competition inside Alaska designed to provide fresh air with every one other accompanied by socialization for work members. Others are additional focused on self-care, exist fond of an Armed Services YMCA program that offers without charge childcare so that military parents tin attend therapy sessions. \u003c/p>\u003cp>The circumstances inside Alaska is mainly dire. In January, following a twine of suicides, Command Sgt. Maj. Phil Blaisdell addressed his soldiers inside an \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CYdlFzKrfF0/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=f743f716-a1fa-4230-8cbd-7e9fc1db49c3\">emotional Instagram post\u003c/a>. "When did self-destruction become the answer," he asked. "Please dispatch me a DM if you need something. Please …"\u003c/p>\u003cp>U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said that while posting to Alaska tin exist a fantasy for some work members, it's a solitary nightmare for others that needs to exist addressed. \u003c/p>\u003cp>"You've got to exist paying observation to this when you see the statistics jump while they are," Murkowski said. "Right now, you've got everybody. You've got the Joint Chiefs looking at Alaska with every one other accompanied by saying, 'Holy smokes, what's going on up there?'"\u003c/p>\u003cdiv class=\"ad-placeholder\" data='autoembed'>\u003c/div>\u003cp>The stresses of an Alaska posting are compounded by a shortage of on-the-ground therapists. During a pay someone a call to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson inside Alaska earlier this year, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth heard from base health protected from danger keeping workers who speak they are understaffed, burned not here with every one other accompanied by can't see patients on a timely basis. If a fighter seeks help, they regularly have to remain weeks for an appointment.\u003c/p>\u003cp>"We have people who need our services with every one other accompanied by we can't obtain to them," one longtime counsellor told Wormuth throughout a meeting. "We need staff with every one other accompanied by until we obtain them, we will carry on accompanied by to have soldiers die."\u003c/p>\u003cp>The yearly \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj6JIOHlkJs\">Combat Fishing Tournament\u003c/a> inside Seward, Alaska, was formed to \"get the kids not here of the barracks, obtain them off the base for the day with every one other accompanied by obtain them not here of their heads," said co-founder Keith Manternach. \u003c/p>\u003cp>The tournament, which was begun inside 2007 with every one other accompanied by now involves additional than 300 work members, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet accompanied by prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch with every one other accompanied by the human being who gets the sickest. \u003c/p>\u003cdiv class=\"ad-placeholder\" data='autoembed'>\u003c/div>\u003cp>"I believe there's a enormous element of intellectual health to it," Manternach said. \u003c/p>\u003cp>It's not fair inside Alaska.\u003c/p>\u003cp>Sgt. Antonio Rivera, an 18-year former soldierold hand who completed trio tours inside Iraq with every one other accompanied by a year at Guantanamo Bay inside Cuba, freely acknowledges that he has solemn PTSD.\u003c/p>\u003cp>"I know that I need help. There's signs with every one other accompanied by I've waited lengthy enough," said Rivera, 48, who is assigned to Fort Hood inside Texas. \"I don't want my children to hurt since of me not going to obtain help."\u003c/p>\u003cp>He's doing yoga, nevertheless says he needs more. He's reluctant to seek assist inside the military.\u003c/p>\u003cp>"Personally I'd be in touch additional comfortable actuality intelligent to talk to someone outside," he said. "It would permit me to not shut up a a large amount additional lacking having to exist worried concerning how it's going to affect my career."\u003c/p>\u003cp>Others who speak up speak it's a strive to obtain assistance.\u003c/p>\u003cp>Despite the on-base presence of \"tons of briefings with every one other accompanied by brochures on self-destruction with every one other accompanied by PTSD," Williamson said she found herself fighting for years to obtain hour dated off with every one other accompanied by therapy. \u003c/p>\u003cp>Eventually, she entered a monthlong in-patient program inside Arizona. When she returned, a therapist recommended equine-assisted therapy, which proved to exist a breakthrough. \u003c/p>\u003cp>Now Williamson is a uniform at the Cloverleaf Equine Center inside Clifton, Virginia, where riding sessions tin exist combined accompanied by a variety of therapeutic practices with every one other accompanied by exercises. Working accompanied by horses has lengthy been used while a form for therapy for people accompanied by physical or intellectual disabilities with every one other accompanied by children diagnosed accompanied by autism. But inside recent years, it has been embraced for helping work members accompanied by worry with every one other accompanied by PTSD. \u003c/p>\u003cp>"In order to exist intelligent to labour accompanied by horses, you need to exist intelligent to jurisdiction your emotions. They convey into and not here of body language with every one other accompanied by energy," said Shelby Morrison, Cloverleaf's communications director. "They respond to energies around them. They respond to negativity, positivity, anxiety, excitement." \u003c/p>\u003cp>Military clients, Morrison said, go nearer accompanied by "a a large amount of anxiety, depression, PTSD. … We use the horse to obtain them not here of their triggers." \u003c/p>\u003cp>For Williamson, the uniform riding sessions have helped stabilize her. She still struggles, with every one other accompanied by she said her lengthy military operation for behaviour towards has damaged her connection accompanied by multiple higher-ranking officers. She's currently on restricted duty with every one other accompanied by isn't sure if she'll give up work when she hits her 20-year anniversary inside March.\u003c/p>\u003cp>Nevertheless, she says, the equine therapy has helped her be in touch optimistic for the earliest hour dated inside recent memory. \u003c/p>\u003cp>"Now flat if I can't obtain not here of bed, I build sure to go nearer here," she said. "If I didn't go nearer here, I don't know where I would flat be." \u003c/p>\u003cp>___\u003c/p>\u003cp>Associated Press author Lolita C. Baldor contributed to this report. \u003c/p>\u003cp>___\u003c/p>\u003cp>The national self-destruction with every one other accompanied by crisis lifeline is available by calling or texting 988. There is too an online talk at 988lifeline.org.\u003c/p>","alertLinkDateTime":"2022-10-10 15:30:30","storyLayout":{},"reporters":[],"headlinePlacement":null,"relatedStoryEmbeds":[],"disableNativo":false}],"disclaimerText":null,"dividerColor":null,"expandedStoryCount":null,"feed":[],"headlineWidget":false,"hubPeekLinkText":null,"hubPeekTagId":null,"hubPeekTagName":null,"hubPeekCanonicalName":null,"hubPeekIsPr":null,"minimizedStoryCount":null,"tagObjs":[{"id":"apf-politics","name":"Politics","canonicalName":"politics","isPr":false},{"id":"apf-Health","name":"Health","canonicalName":"health","isPr":false},{"id":"apf-topnews","name":"AP Top News","canonicalName":"ap-top-news","isPr":false},{"id":"apf-usnews","name":"U.S. News","canonicalName":"us-news","isPr":false},{"id":"Philanthropy","name":"Philanthropy","canonicalName":"philanthropy","isPr":false},{"id":"Mentalhealth","name":"Mental health","canonicalName":"mental-health","isPr":false},{"id":"Army","name":"Army","canonicalName":"army","isPr":false},{"id":"Governmentandpolitics","name":"Government with every one other accompanied by politics","canonicalName":"government-and-politics","isPr":false}],"textColor":null,"layoutType":null,"customLayoutType":null,"styleName":null,"endDateTime":null,"teamLimit":25,"medalCounts":null,"medalsUpdated":null,"olympicYear":null,"notificationUrl":null,"notificationText":null,"notificationTitle":null,"notificationType":null,"notificationUpdated":null,"adUnits":null,"displayPositionHome":null,"displayPositionApp":null,"featuredCard":null,"publishedDate":"2022-10-10 04:16:40","enableTblRegion":false}],"headlineWidget":false,"hubPeekLinkText":null,"hubPeekTagId":"apf-Health","hubPeekTagName":"Health","hubPeekCanonicalName":"health","hubPeekIsPr":false,"minimizedStoryCount":null,"tagObjs":[],"textColor":"#000000","layoutType":"Column List","customLayoutType":"null","styleName":"Compressed","endDateTime":null,"teamLimit":25,"medalCounts":null,"medalsUpdated":null,"olympicYear":null,"notificationUrl":null,"notificationText":null,"notificationTitle":null,"notificationType":null,"notificationUpdated":null,"adUnits":{},"displayPositionHome":null,"displayPositionApp":null,"featuredCard":null,"publishedDate":"2022-08-12 14:46:40","enableTblRegion":false}},"loadedAt":{"afs:Card:360787040889-4e88dc960822ea732aea798c61490bd3":1665530469205},"expiration":120000},"content":{"loading":{},"error":{},"data":{"urn:publicid:ap.org:4e88dc960822ea732aea798c61490bd3":{"id":"urn:publicid:ap.org:4e88dc960822ea732aea798c61490bd3","shortId":"4e88dc960822ea732aea798c61490bd3","etag":"4e88dc960822ea732aea798c61490bd3_5a7aza0c0","bylines":"By TERRY SPENCER","contentType":"text","disableConnatix":false,"downloadSettings":{},"embedCaption":null,"embedHeight":null,"embedHTML":null,"embedLinkURL":null,"firstWords":"\u003cp>FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The prosecutor with every one other accompanied by protection attorney for Florida educational organization shooter \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/hub/nikolas-cruz\">Nikolas Cruz\u003c/a> agreed Tuesday that his 2018 assault that \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/education-florida-gun-politics-school-boards-nikolas-cruz-44a0da3e406f0c487e5c0a6b0855ee2e\">killed 17 people\u003c/a> was horrible, nevertheless disagreed inside their closing arguments on whether it was an take deed of evil worthy of execution or one of a broken human being who should exist imprisoned for life.\u003c/p>","hasTextOverlay":false,"headline":"Attorneys argue over educational organization shooter's fate: demise or prison","description":null,"interactiveLinkUrl":null,"interactiveLinkUrlText":null,"language":"en","leadPhotoId":"b5d420ce60a74d12ac530fb836d0c50e","leadVideoId":"5e4fc3c9862a4498acd326d890a47d41","localLinkUrl":"https://apnews.com/4e88dc960822ea732aea798c61490bd3","localMemberName":null,"media":[{"id":"b5d420ce60a74d12ac530fb836d0c50e","type":"Photo","caption":"\u003cp>Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz sits at the protection bench for closing arguments inside the punishment phase of Cruz's trial at the Broward County Courthouse inside Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Cruz formerly plead culpable to all 17 counts of premeditated murder with every one other accompanied by 17 counts of attempted murder inside the 2018 shootings. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP, Pool)\u003c/p>","order":0,"imageMimeType":"image/jpeg","imageFileExtension":".jpeg","imageRenderedSizes":[3000,2000,1000,800,600,400,200],"aspectRatio":1.5,"gcsBaseUrl":"https://storage.googleapis.com/afs-prod/media/b5d420ce60a74d12ac530fb836d0c50e/","embedCaption":null,"uploaded":true,"flattenedCaption":"Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz sits at the protection bench for closing arguments inside the punishment phase of Cruz's trial at the Broward County Courthouse inside Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Cruz formerly plead culpable to all 17 counts of premeditated murder with every one other accompanied by 17 counts of attempted murder inside the 2018 shootings. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP, Pool)","updated":"2022-10-11T22:20:28.261572","alignment":null,"videoMimeType":null,"videoFileExtension":null,"videoRenderedSizes":[],"externalId":null,"audioMimeType":null,"audioFileExtension":null,"title":null,"noEmbedCaption":false,"headline":"School Shooting-Florida","jwMediaId":null,"jwVideoStatus":false,"isPlayer":"JW"},{"id":"5e4fc3c9862a4498acd326d890a47d41","type":"YouTube","caption":"\u003cp>Closing arguments were Tuesday inside the instance of Florida educational organization shooter Nikolas Cruz. Jurors now will resolve if he gets a demise judgement or existence inside prison. Cruz pleaded culpable to murder with every one other accompanied by attempted murder inside the 2018 assault that left-hand 17 dead. (Oct. 11)\u003c/p>","order":0,"imageMimeType":null,"imageFileExtension":null,"imageRenderedSizes":[],"aspectRatio":0,"gcsBaseUrl":"https://storage.googleapis.com/afs-prod/media/5e4fc3c9862a4498acd326d890a47d41/","embedCaption":null,"uploaded":true,"flattenedCaption":"Closing arguments were Tuesday inside the instance of Florida educational organization shooter Nikolas Cruz. Jurors now will resolve if he gets a demise judgement or existence inside prison. Cruz pleaded culpable to murder with every one other accompanied by attempted murder inside the 2018 assault that left-hand 17 dead. (Oct. 11)","updated":"2022-10-11T22:20:45.735957","alignment":null,"videoMimeType":null,"videoFileExtension":null,"videoRenderedSizes":[],"externalId":"_vmeh4Ldv1E","audioMimeType":null,"audioFileExtension":null,"title":null,"noEmbedCaption":false,"headline":null,"jwMediaId":"wAflG9Ue","jwVideoStatus":true,"isPlayer":"JW"},{"id":"0de932154f554af6ad93bca74084a6eb","type":"Photo","caption":"\u003cp>Ryan Petty hugs Annika Dworet, shown accompanied by her husband, Mitch Dworet, earlier to closing arguments inside the punishment phase of the trial of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse inside Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Petty's daughter, Alaina, with every one other accompanied by the Dworet's son, Nicholas, were killed, with every one other accompanied by the Dworet's other son, Alexander, was injured inside the 2018 shootings. Cruz formerly plead culpable to all 17 counts of premeditated murder with every one other accompanied by 17 counts of attempted murder inside the 2018 shootings. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool)\u003c/p>","order":1,"imageMimeType":"image/jpeg","imageFileExtension":".jpeg","imageRenderedSizes":[3000,2000,1000,800,600,400,200],"aspectRatio":1.5,"gcsBaseUrl":"https://storage.googleapis.com/afs-prod/media/0de932154f554af6ad93bca74084a6eb/","embedCaption":null,"uploaded":true,"flattenedCaption":"Ryan Petty hugs Annika Dworet, shown accompanied by her husband, Mitch Dworet, earlier to closing arguments inside the punishment phase of the trial of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse inside Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. 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Cruz formerly plead culpable to all 17 counts of premeditated murder with every one other accompanied by 17 counts of attempted murder inside the 2018 shootings. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool)\u003c/p>","order":2,"imageMimeType":"image/jpeg","imageFileExtension":".jpeg","imageRenderedSizes":[3000,2000,1000,800,600,400,200],"aspectRatio":1.5,"gcsBaseUrl":"https://storage.googleapis.com/afs-prod/media/16925d7832414575b7dba021e19ee252/","embedCaption":null,"uploaded":true,"flattenedCaption":"Fred with every one other accompanied by Jennifer Guttenberg are shown seated accompanied by family members of the victims while Assistant State Attorney Mike Satz details the killings inside his closing arguments inside the punishment phase of the trial of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse inside Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. The Guttenberg's daughter, Jaime, was killed inside the 2018 shootings. 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Cruz formerly plead culpable to all 17 counts of premeditated murder with every one other accompanied by 17 counts of attempted murder inside the 2018 shootings. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool)\u003c/p>","order":3,"imageMimeType":"image/jpeg","imageFileExtension":".jpeg","imageRenderedSizes":[3000,2000,1000,800,600,400,200],"aspectRatio":1.5,"gcsBaseUrl":"https://storage.googleapis.com/afs-prod/media/2b6cfb433f4c415faf543ba3bce9f7b6/","embedCaption":null,"uploaded":true,"flattenedCaption":"Lori Alhadeff cries while Assistant State Attorney Mike Satz details the killings inside his closing arguments inside the punishment phase of the trial of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse inside Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Alhadeff's daughter, Alyssa, was killed inside the 2018 shootings. 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Cruz formerly plead culpable to all 17 counts of premeditated murder with every one other accompanied by 17 counts of attempted murder inside the 2018 shootings. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool)\u003c/p>","order":4,"imageMimeType":"image/jpeg","imageFileExtension":".jpeg","imageRenderedSizes":[3000,2000,1000,800,600,400,200],"aspectRatio":1.5,"gcsBaseUrl":"https://storage.googleapis.com/afs-prod/media/19023fe38b1d48fc99d24af4cca14781/","embedCaption":null,"uploaded":true,"flattenedCaption":"Assistant State Attorney Mike Satz gestures while if he is holding a rummage while giving his closing quarrel inside the punishment phase of the trial of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse inside Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Cruz formerly plead culpable to all 17 counts of premeditated murder with every one other accompanied by 17 counts of attempted murder inside the 2018 shootings. 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(AP Photo/Marta Lavandier, Pool)","updated":"2022-10-11T22:20:33.374501","alignment":null,"videoMimeType":null,"videoFileExtension":null,"videoRenderedSizes":[],"externalId":null,"audioMimeType":null,"audioFileExtension":null,"title":null,"noEmbedCaption":false,"headline":"School Shooting Florida","jwMediaId":null,"jwVideoStatus":false,"isPlayer":"JW"},{"id":"2234d4a7adf34a2481dc4328ff55a6a7","type":"Photo","caption":"\u003cp>Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz is seated at the protection bench for closing arguments inside the punishment phase of Cruz's trial at the Broward County Courthouse inside Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Cruz formerly plead culpable to all 17 counts of premeditated murder with every one other accompanied by 17 counts of attempted murder inside the 2018 shootings. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool)\u003c/p>","order":7,"imageMimeType":"image/jpeg","imageFileExtension":".jpeg","imageRenderedSizes":[3000,2000,1000,800,600,400,200],"aspectRatio":1.5,"gcsBaseUrl":"https://storage.googleapis.com/afs-prod/media/2234d4a7adf34a2481dc4328ff55a6a7/","embedCaption":null,"uploaded":true,"flattenedCaption":"Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz is seated at the protection bench for closing arguments inside the punishment phase of Cruz's trial at the Broward County Courthouse inside Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Cruz formerly plead culpable to all 17 counts of premeditated murder with every one other accompanied by 17 counts of attempted murder inside the 2018 shootings. 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Cruz formerly plead culpable to all 17 counts of premeditated murder with every one other accompanied by 17 counts of attempted murder inside the 2018 shootings. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool)\u003c/p>","order":8,"imageMimeType":"image/jpeg","imageFileExtension":".jpeg","imageRenderedSizes":[3000,2000,1000,800,600,400,200],"aspectRatio":1.5,"gcsBaseUrl":"https://storage.googleapis.com/afs-prod/media/014b6cac38a84082b40bd9c3a44f308b/","embedCaption":null,"uploaded":true,"flattenedCaption":"Tony Montalto, seated accompanied by his wife, Jennifer Montalto, closes his eyes while Assistant State Attorney Mike Satz details the killings inside his closing arguments inside the punishment phase of the trial of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse inside Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. The Montalto's daughter, Gina, was killed inside the 2018 shootings. 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Cruz formerly plead culpable to all 17 counts of premeditated murder with every one other accompanied by 17 counts of attempted murder inside the 2018 shootings. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool)\u003c/p>","order":9,"imageMimeType":"image/jpeg","imageFileExtension":".jpeg","imageRenderedSizes":[3000,2000,1000,800,600,400,200],"aspectRatio":1.5,"gcsBaseUrl":"https://storage.googleapis.com/afs-prod/media/097b3870790745278aa88c5fe80fbdba/","embedCaption":null,"uploaded":true,"flattenedCaption":"Judge Elizabeth Scherer speaks fair earlier to closing arguments inside the punishment phase of the trial of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse inside Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Cruz formerly plead culpable to all 17 counts of premeditated murder with every one other accompanied by 17 counts of attempted murder inside the 2018 shootings. 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(AP) — The prosecutor with every one other accompanied by protection attorney for Florida educational organization shooter Nikolas Cruz agreed Tuesday that his 2018 assault that killed 17 people was horrible, nevertheless disagreed inside the...","isTpContent":false,"socialEmbeds":[],"isPrContent":false,"storyHTML":"\u003cp>FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The prosecutor with every one other accompanied by protection attorney for Florida educational organization shooter \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/hub/nikolas-cruz\">Nikolas Cruz\u003c/a> agreed Tuesday that his 2018 assault that \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/education-florida-gun-politics-school-boards-nikolas-cruz-44a0da3e406f0c487e5c0a6b0855ee2e\">killed 17 people\u003c/a> was horrible, nevertheless disagreed inside their closing arguments on whether it was an take deed of evil worthy of execution or one of a broken human being who should exist imprisoned for life.\u003c/p>\u003cp>Lead prosecutor Mike Satz with every one other accompanied by his protection counterpart, Melisa McNeill, painted for the 12 jurors competing pictures of what drove Cruz's assault at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/school-shootings-shootings-florida-ap-top-news-fl-state-wire-49734418df1e477681cf36b29faca7da\">Valentine's Day. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\u003cp>For Satz, Cruz was driven by antisocial personality untidiness — inside lay terms, he's a sociopath. He deserves a demise judgement since he "was hunting his victims" while he stalked a three-story classroom building for septet minutes. He fired his \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/education-florida-fort-lauderdale-parkland-school-shooting-60791bdf38785f494400c43b90a97c39\">AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle\u003c/a> into some victims at near range with every one other accompanied by returned to wounded victims while they lay helpless "to complete them off.\"\u003c/p>\u003cdiv class=\"ad-placeholder\" data='autoembed'>\u003c/div>\u003cp>Satz pointed to Cruz's internet writings with every one other accompanied by videos, where he talked concerning his murderous desires such while when he wrote, "No mercy, no indeed questions, dual tap. I am going to kill a ... ton of people with every one other accompanied by children."\u003c/p>\u003cp>"It is said that what one writes with every one other accompanied by says is a window into their soul," Satz said while the three-month trial neared its conclusion. The killings, he said, "were unrelentlessly heinous, atrocious with every one other accompanied by cruel."\u003c/p>\u003cdiv id='afs:Card:360787040889' class='hub-peek-embed' content-id='4e88dc960822ea732aea798c61490bd3'>Hub peek embed (apf-Health) - Compressed layout (automatic embed) \u003c/div>\u003cp>McNeill said neither Cruz nor herself has at some time denied what he did with every one other accompanied by that "he knew just from incorrect with every one other accompanied by he chose wrong." But she said the former Stoneman Douglas student is "a broken, brain-damaged, mentally ill young man," doomed from conception by the heavy drinking with every one other accompanied by medicine use of his birth mother throughout pregnancy. She argued for a judgement of existence lacking parole, assuring them he will never stroll without charge again.\u003c/p>\u003cp>"It's the just thing to do. Mercy is what makes us civilized. Giving mercy to Nikolas will speak additional concerning who you are than it will at some time speak concerning him," McNeill told the jury.\u003c/p>\u003cp>Cruz, 24, \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/parkland-school-shooting-nikolas-cruz-guilty-plea-1bad323e22fe4517cf851395b252bd4b\">pleaded culpable a year ago\u003c/a> to murdering 14 students with every one other accompanied by trio staff members with every one other accompanied by wounding 17 others.\u003c/p>\u003cp>The jury will only resolve his sentence, with every one other accompanied by a unanimous ballot is required for death. Jurors tin ballot for demise if they exist convinced by the prosecution's aggravating factors such while the multiple deaths with every one other accompanied by the preparation outweigh the defense's mitigating circumstances such while his birth mother's drinking. They tin too ballot for existence not here of mercy for Cruz. Deliberations are expected to start Wednesday.\u003c/p>\u003cdiv id='5e4fc3c9862a4498acd326d890a47d41' class='media-placeholder'>\u003c/div>\u003cdiv class=\"ad-placeholder\" data='autoembed'>\u003c/div>\u003cp>Cruz, dressed inside an off-white sweater, sat impassively throughout the presentations, occasionally exchanging notes accompanied by his attorneys. A large number of the victims' parents, wives with every one other accompanied by family members packed their segment of the courtroom, numerous of them weeping throughout Satz's presentation. The mother of a murdered 14-year-old girl fled the courtroom earlier to bursting into loud sobs inside the hallway. Just minutes earlier, the families had greeted every one other accompanied by smiles, handshakes with every one other accompanied by hugs.\u003c/p>\u003cp>Satz meticulously went into and not here of the murders, reminding the jurors how every one victim died with every one other accompanied by how Cruz looked some inside the eye earlier to he report them multiple times. \u003c/p>\u003cdiv class=\"ad-placeholder\" data='autoembed'>\u003c/div>\u003cp>"They all knew what was going on, what was going to happen,\" Satz said. \u003c/p>\u003cp>As he had throughout the trial, Satz played safety videos of the shooting with every one other accompanied by showed photos. He talked concerning the demise of one 14-year-old girl. Cruz report her with every one other accompanied by at that hour dated went spine to shoot her again, putting his firearm opposed to her chest. \u003c/p>\u003cp>\"Right on her skin. She was report quartet times with every one other accompanied by she died," Satz said. He at that hour dated noted a YouTube comment, which jurors saw throughout the trial, inside which Cruz said: "I don't cerebrum shooting a girl inside the chest."\u003c/p>\u003cp>"That's exactly what he did," Satz said.\u003c/p>\u003cp>His power of speech breaking, Satz concluded his two-hour awarding by reciting the victims' names, at that hour dated saying that for their murders "the suitable judgement for Nikolas Cruz is the demise penalty."\u003c/p>\u003cp>McNeill throughout her awarding acknowledged the horror Cruz inflicted with every one other accompanied by said jurors have every one just to exist angry, "but how numerous times have we made decisions based solely on annoyance with every one other accompanied by regretted it?"\u003c/p>\u003cdiv class=\"ad-placeholder\" data='autoembed'>\u003c/div>\u003cp>She focused on her belief that \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/health-shootings-education-florida-fort-lauderdale-2a89b5dde897d5cc47586ee5b3a70157\">heavy drinking\u003c/a> by his birth mother, Brenda Woodard, throughout gestation infrequent gravidity left-hand him accompanied by fetal liquor spectrum disorder. She said that accounts for his bizarre, troubling with every one other accompanied by occasionally brutal behavior starting at number of years 2. \u003c/p>\u003cp>"There is no indeed hour dated inside our lives when we are additional in danger to the will with every one other accompanied by the whims of another anthropoid actuality than when we are growing with every one other accompanied by developing inside the wombs of our mothers," McNeill said. Woodard "poisoned him inside the womb. He was doomed inside the womb.\"\u003c/p>\u003cp>She said Cruz's increasingly erratic personality left-hand his \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/crime-shootings-florida-fort-lauderdale-parkland-school-shooting-2cc9e1f433788bb16445249055715b1e\">widowed adoptive mother, Lynda Cruz, overwhelmed.\u003c/a> He punched holes inside walls when he lost video games, destroyed furnishings with every one other accompanied by killed animals. Visitors described the place of residence while "a war zone," McNeill said.\u003c/p>\u003cp>She pleaded accompanied by the jurors to present with Cruz a existence sentence, telling them that flat if they are the only holdout they shouldn't terror what the response will exist from the families or the community.\u003c/p>\u003cp>Gesturing in the direction of the victims' families, she said, "There is no indeed punishment you could at some time present with Nikolas Cruz that would at some time build him hurt while a a large amount of while those people have with every one other accompanied by while a a large amount of while they will carry on accompanied by to hurt every one single day."\u003c/p>\u003cdiv class=\"ad-placeholder\" data='autoembed'>\u003c/div>\u003cp>"Sentencing Nikolas to demise will not alter that. It will not convey spine those 17 deceased people. Sentencing Nikolas to demise will literally work for no indeed motive other than vengeance," she said. Instead, she said, "Look into your heart. Look into your soul. The just thing here, not the well liked thing, is a existence sentence.\"\u003c/p>\u003cp>Cruz's massacre is the deadliest pile shooting that has at some time gone to trial inside the U.S. Nine other people inside the U.S. who fatally report at least 17 people died throughout or straight away following their attacks by self-destruction or police gunfire. 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Attorneys argue over educational organization shooter's fate: demise or prison