FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The prosecution team that is seeking the death penalty for Nikolas Cruz, the Parkland school shooter, started to call witnesses after Assistant State Attorney Michael J. Satz delivered his opening statement on July 18.
The 17 injured — a teacher and 16 students — on Feb. 14, 2018, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, were among the 91 witnesses the prosecution called to testify at the 17th-floor Broward County courtroom, in Fort Lauderdale.
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Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer is presiding over the case.
The prosecution called two witnesses
- Britannia Sinitch: Teacher in room 1218
- Danielle Gilbert: Student who recorded video in room 1213
The prosecution called 13 witnesses
- Ron Lowther: Broward Sheriff’s Office technician who specializes in video forensics
- Dan Booth: Private sector software engineer familiar with school’s system
- Christopher McKenna: Student on his way from room 1216 to restroom
- William Olson: Student injured in room 1216
- Alexander Dworet: Student injured in room 1216
- Kheshava Mangapuram: Student injured in room 1216
- Dara Hass: Teacher in room 1216
- Isabel Chequer: Student injured in room 1214
- Daniela Menescal: Student injured in room 1214
- Samantha Grady: Student injured in room 1214
- Samantha Fuentes: Student injured in room 1214
- Ana Martins: Student in the hallway. She was walking from room 1215 to the restroom.
- Michael Powell: Math teacher
The prosecution called 16 witnesses
- Ashley Baez: Student injured
- Genesis Valentin: Student injured in room 1216
- Ivy Schamis: Student in room 1214
- Julie Matlock: Teacher
- Sophia D’Elia: Student in room 1215
- Ronit Reoven: Teacher in room 1213
- Samantha Mayor: Student injured
- Madeleine Wilford: Student injured
- Logan Mitchell: Student in room 1213
- Stacey Lippel: Teacher in room 1255
- Veronica Steel: Student
- Anthony Borges: Student injured in the third-floor hallway
- Ernest Rospierski: Teacher
- Marian Kabachenko: Student injured
- Kyle Laman: Student injured
- Nicolette Miciotta: Student
- John Wilford: Student
The prosecution called five witnesses
- Nicholas Mazzei: Coral Springs Capt.
- Richard Van Der Eems: BSO Sgt.
- David Alfin: Coral Springs detective
- Dr. Iouri Boiko: Forensic pathologist with the medical examiner’s office
- Dan Krystyan: BSO detective
The prosecution called seven witnesses
- Gloria Crespo: BSO Sgt.
- Dr. Stephen L. Robinson: Forensic pathologist with the medical examiner’s office
- Dr. Wendolyn Sneed: Forensic pathologist with the medical examiner’s office
- Laura Zecchini: Uber driver
- Gloria Crespo: BSO Sgt.
- Miguel Suarez: BSO Detective
- Justin Colton: Student injured in room 1216
The prosecution called four witnesses
- Michael Morrison: Co-owner of Sunrise Tactical Supply in Coral Springs
- Dr. Rebecca M. MacDougall: Forensic pathologist with the medical examiner’s office
- Rebecca Santiago: BSO DNA analyst
- Dr. Marlon Osbourne: Forensic pathologist with the medical examiner’s office
The prosecution called five witnesses.
- Raymond “Ray” Beltran: BSO Sgt. Cruz attacked on Nov. 13, 2018.
- Kevin Forsberg: BSO Sgt.
- Valerian Perez: BSO Sgt.
- Dr. Craig Mallak: Forensic pathologist with the medical examiner’s office
- Nicholas Masters: BSO detective with the South Florida Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
The prosecution called 10 witnesses, including seven who read their victim impact statements.
- Dr. Terrill Tops: Forensic pathologist with the medical examiner’s office
- Ronald Faircloth: BSO Detective who presented evidence of Cruz’s phone data
- John V. Navarra: A retired MSD teacher of Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps class
- Patricia Oliver: The mother of Joaquin Oliver, a victim of the MSD shooting.
- Andrea Ghersi: The older sister of Joaquin Oliver, a victim of the MSD shooting.
- Victoria Gonzalez: Joaquin Oliver’s girlfriend and an MSD student survivor
- Kelly Petty: The mother of Alaina Petty, a victim of the MSD shooting.
- Meghan Petty: The older sister of Alaina Petty, a victim of the MSD shooting.
- Linda Beigel: The mother of Scott Beigel, a victim of the MSD shooting.
- Michael Schulman: The stepfather of Scott Beigel, a victim of the MSD shooting.
The prosecution called 15 witnesses, including 13 who read victim impact statements.
- Jorge Bello: Broward County Crime Laboratory Firearms Examiner
- Lori Alhadeff: The grieving mother of Alyssa Alhadeff, a victim of the MSD shooting.
- Dr. Ilan Marc Alhadeff: The grieving father of Alyssa Alhadeff, a victim of the MSD shooting.
- Theresa Robinovitz: The grieving grandmother of Alyssa Alhadeff, a victim of the MSD shooting.
- Annika Dworet: The grieving mother of Nicholas Dworet, a victim of the MSD shooting.
- Mitch Dworet: The grieving father of Nicholas Dworet, a victim of the MSD shooting. Annika Dworet read a statement on his behalf while he was on the stand with her.
- Gena Hoyer: The grieving mother of Luke Hoyer, a victim of the MSD shooting.
- Abby Hoyer: The older sister of Luke Hoyer, a victim of the MSD shooting.
- Tom Hoyer: The grieving father of Luke Hoyer, a victim of the MSD shooting.
- Tavica Collins: A representative of Carmen Schentrup’s family.
- Fred Guttenberg: The grieving father of Jaime Guttenberg, a victim of the MSD shooting.
- Jennifer Guttenberg: The grieving mother of Jaime Guttenberg, a victim of the MSD shooting.
- Shara Kaplan: The grieving mother of 17-year-old Meadow Pollack.
- Maryland Binner: A representative of 37-year-old Aaron Feis’s family.
- Jenifer Mejia: A representative of Martin Duque’s family.
The prosecution called six witnesses to continue presenting victim impact statements.
- Jennifer Montalto: The grieving mother of Gina Montalto, a victim of the MSD shooting.
- Tony Montalto: The grieving father of Gina Montalto.
- Max Schachter: The grieving father of Alexander Schachter, a victim of the MSD shooting
- Ryan Schachter: The grieving brother of Alexander Schachter.
- Caryn DeSacia Schachter: The grieving stepmother of Alexander Schachter. Max Schachter read a statement on her behalf while she was on the stand with him.
- Isabel Dalu: A representative of Cara Loughran’s family.
The prosecution called seven witnesses to present victim impact statements.
- Anne Ramsay: The grieving mother of Helena Ramsey, a victim of the MSD shooting.
- Hui Zhang: The grieving mother of Peter Wang, a victim of the MSD shooting. Her niece Lin Chen read her statement.
- Aaron Chang: The grieving cousin of Peter Wang.
- Gabriel Ammirata: A grieving friend of Peter Wang.
- Debra Hixon: The widow of Christopher Hixon, 49, a victim of the MSD shooting. She is a Broward County School Board member.
- Corey Hixon: The son of Christopher Hixon. He lives with Kabuki Syndrome, a developmental disability.
- Thomas Hixon: The son of Christopher Hixon.
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