Parkland jury foreman on sentencing: "It didn't go the way I would've liked"
Thomas Benjamin told CBS Miami three jurors voted against the death penalty for the gunman, who was convicted of killing 17 people in 2018.
Watch CBS News
Thomas Benjamin told CBS Miami three jurors voted against the death penalty for the gunman, who was convicted of killing 17 people in 2018.
"The monster's going to go to prison and in prison, I'll hope and pray he receives the kind of mercy from prisoners that he showed to my daughter and the 16 others," said Parkland father and activist Fred Guttenberg.
A Florida jury recommended that Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz serve life in prison without parole, sparing him a possible death sentence. CBS News correspondent Manuel Bojorquez has reaction from the courtroom and CBS News legal contributor Rebecca Roiphe explains what led up to the jurors' decision.
The gunman killed 14 students and three staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018.
A Florida jury is deliberating to determine the fate of Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz. He pleaded guilty last year to killing 14 students and three staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018. Prosecutors are recommending that the 24-year-old receive the death penalty. CBS News national correspondent Manuel Bojorquez joined Errol Barnett and Meg Oliver to discuss the case.
The jury, which will be sequestered starting Wednesday, will decide if the gunman will get a death sentence or life behind bars.
The jury will likely decide his fate this week. For the 24-year-old to get a death sentence, the jury must be unanimous on at least one victim.
The motion, filed on Friday, alleged that the judge revealed longstanding animosity toward the defense that threatened the fairness of the trial.
Earlier this week, the judge accused defense attorneys of a lack of professionalism after they rested their case earlier than expected.
The defense abruptly rested its case on Wednesday in the sentencing trial for the Parkland school shooter, sparking a heated exchange with the judge over the attorneys' decision. Watch part of the hearing here.
The shooter's attorneys argued that showing the Nazi symbol violates his right to a fair trial because there is no evidence that the massacre was driven by bigotry.
The second day of defense testimony in the penalty trial for Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz included testimony from a former neighbor and a school administrator. CBS Miami has the details.
It was the second day of testimony for the defense in the trial.
"We must understand the person behind the crime," attorney Melisa McNeill told the jury.
Called a "quantitative electroencephalogram" or "qEEG," its backers say it provides useful support to such diagnoses as fetal alcohol syndrome, which Cruz's attorneys contend created his lifelong mental and emotional problems.
Twelve jurors and 10 alternates who will decide whether Cruz gets the death penalty or life in prison made a rare visit to the massacre scene.
The prosecution in the sentencing trial of Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz rested its case hours after the jury visited the crime scene at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Thursday.
Jurors aren't allowed to converse with each other - when they retrace the path Cruz followed on Feb. 14, 2018.
The shooter managed to get a hold of the guard's Taser at one point during the fight.
Opening statements are underway in the sentencing trial of the Parkland school shooter. The jury will decide whether he receives the death penalty or life in prison without parole. CBS News' Adriana Diaz and Tony Dokoupil are joined by CBS News national correspondent Manuel Bojorquez with more about the trial and what to expect.
While delivering his opening statement, the lead prosecutor described the shooter as "cold, calculated, manipulative and deadly."
Among the items delivered to Cruz was a letter written by Joaquin Oliver asking for more gun regulation five years before he was killed in the Parkland shooting.
A father who lost his son in the 2018 Parkland school shooting interrupted President Biden at a White House event on gun violence, urging him to do more on gun reform. Manuel Oliver speaks with CBS News' Tanya Rivero on his message for the president and why he felt the need to speak out.
Speaker after speaker in Washington, D.C., called on senators to act or face being voted out of office.
The March For Our Lives movement was founded in 2018 after the deadly school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also announced President Trump will receive the Israel Prize for his work on peace negotiations.
While many of the Minnesota day care centers in the video were cited and fined for safety violations, investigators previously found no evidence of fraud.
A powerful winter storm system moving across the northern United States could become a "bomb cyclone" over the Northeast region.
The U.S. military has hit at least 30 alleged drug vessels in the region since early September, killing 107 people.
Homeland Security agents are in Minneapolis on Monday "conducting a massive investigation on childcare and other rampant fraud," Secretary Kristi Noem said.
A second helicopter pilot critically injured in a midair collision in Hammonton, New Jersey has died from his injuries, police said Monday.
President Trump said the U.S. hit a "big facility" last week linked to alleged drug boat operations, as tensions ratchet up with Venezuela.
A Utah judge has ordered the release of a transcript from a closed-door hearing in October over whether the man charged with killing Charlie Kirk must be shackled during court proceedings.
The Guard members will stay through Carnival season, when residents and tourists descend on the Big Easy to partake in costumed celebrations and massive parades before ending with Mardi Gras.
The Guard members will stay through Carnival season, when residents and tourists descend on the Big Easy to partake in costumed celebrations and massive parades before ending with Mardi Gras.
A Utah judge has ordered the release of a transcript from a closed-door hearing in October over whether the man charged with killing Charlie Kirk must be shackled during court proceedings.
Authorities in Mexico have seized a large collection of motorcycles believed to be owned by Ryan Wedding, the former Olympian wanted for allegedly running a major drug trafficking operation.
While many of the Minnesota day care centers in the video were cited and fined for safety violations, investigators previously found no evidence of fraud.
Stacey Humphreys, 52, was convicted of malice murder and other crimes in the 2003 shooting deaths of Cyndi Williams, 33, and Lori Brown, 21, in Cobb County, northwest of Atlanta.
The Grammy-winning artist Beyoncé became the fifth musician to achieve the wealth milestone, Forbes said Monday.
Income tax cuts are taking effect in multiple U.S. states on Jan. 1, 2026, a new analysis says.
The company's investment in safety prevention comes amid growing concerns over the potential harm of artificial intelligence.
Bank of America Chairman and CEO Brian Moynihan stated last week that, as President Trump seeks a new chair of the Federal Reserve, maintaining the banking system's independence is paramount.
Several major retailers are now charging customers to return items even if they are unopened and in perfect condition.
While many of the Minnesota day care centers in the video were cited and fined for safety violations, investigators previously found no evidence of fraud.
The U.S. military has hit at least 30 alleged drug vessels in the region since early September, killing 107 people.
President Trump said the U.S. hit a "big facility" last week linked to alleged drug boat operations, as tensions ratchet up with Venezuela.
Hours after Trump declares Russia and Ukraine "closer than ever" to peace, Moscow claims a failed drone strike will alter its negotiating position.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also announced President Trump will receive the Israel Prize for his work on peace negotiations.
The number of Americans with Alzheimer's disease is expected to double from 7 million in 2020 to 14 million by 2060, according to the CDC. However, advances in treatment options are giving more people hope in slowing the decline. Dr. Jon LaPook breaks it down.
Nearly five million flu cases have been reported nationwide, the CDC estimates, and at least 1,900 people have died from the virus. "CBS Saturday Morning" has more on why this year's strain is breaking records.
Suze Lopez, a 41-year-old nurse who lives in Bakersfield, California, didn't know she was pregnant with her second child until days before giving birth.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved a pill version of the weight-loss drug Wegovy.
A federal judge has approved a preliminary agreement for a class action lawsuit requiring Aetna to cover fertility treatments for same-sex couples as they do with heterosexual couples.
The U.S. military has hit at least 30 alleged drug vessels in the region since early September, killing 107 people.
President Trump said the U.S. hit a "big facility" last week linked to alleged drug boat operations, as tensions ratchet up with Venezuela.
Hours after Trump declares Russia and Ukraine "closer than ever" to peace, Moscow claims a failed drone strike will alter its negotiating position.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also announced President Trump will receive the Israel Prize for his work on peace negotiations.
British heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua was injured in a highway crash in Nigeria that killed two other people, Matchroom Boxing said.
The Grammy-winning artist Beyoncé became the fifth musician to achieve the wealth milestone, Forbes said Monday.
Actor Mario Rodriguez alleged in the lawsuit filed last week in California that Tyler Perry sexually assaulted him during encounters between 2014 and 2019.
French politicians were divided on Monday over how to pay tribute to the late Brigitte Bardot who, despite her screen legend, courted controversy in later life with her far-right views.
On December 31, New York City will officially retire the transit system's MetroCard, that ubiquitous piece of plastic used to gain entrance onto subways and buses. But there is beauty in using MetroCards as the raw materials for art, as Thomas McKean has found in his collages and miniature sculptures depicting portraits of city life. Serena Altschul reports.
"Sunday Morning" checks out the bestselling fiction and non-fiction of the past year.
The company's investment in safety prevention comes amid growing concerns over the potential harm of artificial intelligence.
Instacart says its ending its controversial system of using AI price tests for retailers. Earlier this month, an investigation by Consumer Reports and progressive think tank Groundwork Collaborative found that Instacart's algorithmic pricing charged various prices for the same item from the same store. Jo Ling Kent reports.
From labor shortages to environmental impacts, farmers are looking to AI to help revolutionize the agriculture industry. One California startup, Farm-ng, is tapping into the power of AI and robotics to perform a wide range of tasks, including seeding, weeding and harvesting.
Massive tech companies wanting to build more data centers in the U.S. are lobbying for support among Americans, according to a recent report by POLITICO. Gabby Miller joins CBS News with more on her reporting.
Timothy Werth, a tech editor at Mashable, joins "CBS News 24/7" to discuss the best gadgets of 2025.
The Trump administration intends to dismantle one of the world's leading climate research institutions, in Boulder, Colorado, over what it said were concerns about "climate alarmism."
The footage of a bear caring for an adopted cub was captured during the annual polar bear migration along the Western Hudson Bay in Churchill, Manitoba.
Most of the footprints are elongated and made by bipeds. The best-preserved ones bear traces of at least four toes.
NASA continues to aim its space telescopes at the visiting ice ball, estimated to be up to 3.5 miles in size.
Paleontologists have discovered and documented 16,600 footprints left by theropods, the dinosaur group that includes the Tyrannosaurus rex.
A Utah judge has ordered the release of a transcript from a closed-door hearing in October over whether the man charged with killing Charlie Kirk must be shackled during court proceedings.
Authorities in Mexico have seized a large collection of motorcycles believed to be owned by Ryan Wedding, the former Olympian wanted for allegedly running a major drug trafficking operation.
Police investigating the Christmas Day deaths of two people at an apartment complex say neither the victim nor her friend ever called 911, despite a history of domestic violence in the victim's relationship.
The Virginia man accused of placing pipe bombs outside the DNC and RNC headquarters on the eve of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots has confessed, according to a new court filing. CBS News justice correspondent Scott MacFarlane has the details.
Homeland Security agents were in Minneapolis on Monday "conducting a massive investigation on childcare and other rampant fraud," Secretary Kristi Noem said.
NASA astronauts took their first drive on the moon 54 years ago. Now, three companies are competing for a NASA contract to build a new lunar rover for use starting with the Artemis 5 mission in 2030. Kris Van Cleave reports.
NASA is gearing up to send four Artemis astronauts on looping test flight around the moon in 2026.
A German aerospace engineer made history Saturday, becoming the first wheelchair user to go into space when she took a 10-minute trip aboard a Blue Origin rocket.
German engineer Michaela Benthaus is the first person with a significant physical handicap to reach space.
President Trump withdrew Isaacman's nomination for NASA administrator in April, before nominating him again in November.
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
Does the evidence show a cover-up, or was Todd Kendhammer wrongfully convicted for the murder of his wife?
Christy Salters-Martin dominated in the boxing ring but faced her toughest challenger at home.
Family seeks answers in death of newlywed who disappeared in 2005 while on Mediterranean honeymoon cruise.
Meet the tattooed beauty charged in the death of Google executive Forrest Hayes.
After completing the police academy earlier this year, 7-foot-3 Jordan Wilmore fell short of passing the state exam by one point. NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal learned about his story and offered his support. Jericka Duncan reports.
Some young adults say their considering climate change and the future when deciding whether or not to have children. David Schechter reports.
It's been two weeks since gunmen opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, Australia, killing 15 people and wounding 40 others. Amid the tragedy, an act of heroism stands out -- shopkeeper Ahmed al Ahmed tackled and disarmed one of the gunmen. Anna Coren has an exclusive interview.
As Homeland Security agents were in Minnesota conducting what DHS Secretary Kristi Noem called a "massive investigation on childcare and other rampant fraud," many of their targets came not from tips from the FBI, but from a video posted on social media over the weekend. CBS Minnesota's Jonah Kaplan reports.
Two pilots have died of their injuries after their helicopters crashed over New Jersey. CBS Philadelphia reporter Ray Strickland spoke to a woman who says she comforted one of the pilots after the chopper crashed outside her home.