Nikolas Cruz, the accused shooter at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland that left 17 dead in 2018, appeared in court over battery and assault charges. The charges stem from an altercation months after the school shooting when Cruz attacked a guard at the Broward County Jail.
The 30-minute hearing took place on Thursday (July 15), where a judge determined whether prosecutors should have access to Cruz’s medical records. It was revealed that Cruz's attorneys have indicated their defense will be that Sgt. Raymond Beltran mistreated Cruz previously and provoked the attack.
Video of the attack was played in court, which shows Cruz is seen walking around with his head down before exchanging words with Beltran, who says he was telling Cruz not to drag his feet and damage his sandals. Cruz is seen then flipping off Beltran before charging him, and after a brief struggle, Cruz is seen flipping Beltran over a table. Beltran is then able to flip over Cruz and pin him to the ground.
Cruz somehow wriggled out of Beltran's grip, and the two squared off, with Cruz hitting Beltran in the shoulder. Beltran then hits Cruz in the face, points his stun gun at Cruz, who gets on the ground and is handcuffed.
No trial date has been set for the assault case or Cruz's murder case for the school shooting, for which the 22-year-old faces a possible death sentence if convicted. Cruz's lawyers have said that he'll plead guilty to the murder charges in exchange for a life sentence, but prosecutors have refused.
