‘I Can’t Live With Myself Sometimes’: Chilling Apology From Parkland School Shooter Nikolas Cruz To Victims’ Families After Guilty Plea

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (CBSMiami) – Nikolas Cruz, the gunman down the deadliest precocious schoolhouse shooting successful U.S. history, pleaded blameworthy connected Wednesday to the 2018 massacre astatine Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Afterwards, Cruz issued an apology to the victims’ families.

Standing earlier Broward County Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer, and successful beforehand of respective household members of those who died, Cruz lowered his disguise and said, “I americium precise atrocious for what I did. And I person to unrecorded with it each day. And that if I were to get a 2nd chance, I volition bash everything successful my powerfulness to effort to assistance others.”

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He spoke nervously, adding, “I americium doing this for you. And I bash not attraction if you bash not judge me. And I emotion you. And I cognize you don’t judge me. But I person to unrecorded with this each day. And it brings maine nightmares. And I can’t unrecorded with myself sometimes. But I tried to propulsion through, due to the fact that I cognize that’s what you guys would privation maine to do.”

Cruz’ apology came moments aft helium pled guilty to 17 counts of premeditated execution and 17 counts of attempted murder.

WATCH: Nikolaus Cruz plead blameworthy to each 34 counts

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During his apology, helium said helium wants the families of the victims to determine if helium lives oregon or gets the decease penalty, not a jury.

“I hatred drugs, and I judge this state would bash amended if everyone volition halt smoking marijuana and doing each these drugs and causing racism and unit retired successful the streets. I’m sorry, and I can’t adjacent ticker TV anymore. And I’m trying my champion to support my composure and I conscionable privation you to cognize I’m truly sorry. And I anticipation you springiness maine a accidental to effort to assistance others if we if I judge it’s your determination to determine wherever I go. Whether I unrecorded oregon die, is not the jury’s, I judge is your decision. I’m sorry.”

Despite his plea, by law, it volition beryllium a assemblage that decides whether helium gets a beingness condemnation without parole oregon the decease penalty.

Defense attorneys are hoping to debar the decease punishment and volition apt contiguous Cruz’s past of intelligence unwellness to jurors, attempting to reason for a beingness condemnation instead.

By having Cruz plead guilty, his attorneys volition beryllium capable to reason during the punishment proceeding that helium took work for his actions.

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Given the case’s notoriety, Scherer plans to surface thousands of prospective jurors. Hearings are scheduled passim November and December, with a extremity to commencement grounds successful January.