Nikolas Cruz sentencing - live: Parkland shooter’s school warned doctor about his dreams of killing others

The defence case in the penalty phase trial for Nikolas Cruz, convicted of the 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, is underway in Fort Lauderdale.

Jurors have heard from Cruz’s sister Danielle Woodard who was allowed to leave jail to testify in her brother’s defence. Woodard said her brother was “polluted” in the womb by their shared biological mother who was an alcoholic and drug addict. The jury also heard from teachers, neighbours, and a clinical psychologist and a psychiatrist who both treated Cruz as a child.

Cruz’s defence is seeking to show that foetal alcohol spectrum disorders and a troubled upbringing led him to embark on one of the deadliest school massacres in US history back on Valentine’s Day 2018.

Meanwhile, images have emerged of blood scrawled on the walls of his prison cell, as well as page after page of disturbing drawings made during his time in court.

In October 2021, Cruz pleaded guilty to 17 counts of first-degree murder and 17 counts of attempted murder. Jurors will now decide if he is sentenced to death or to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Key points

• School letter states Cruz has dreams of killing others and being ‘covered in blood'

• Chilling jailhouse drawings show Cruz saying he wants to ‘go to death row’

• Nikolas Cruz wrote ‘666’ in his own blood on prison cell walls

• Florida jury urged to spare shooter’s life

• Defence says Cruz’s ‘brain is broken’ from mother’s drinking

• Cruz was aggressive from young age, court hears

Court adjourns until Monday

17:10 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Scherer dismisses the jury until 9am on Monday.

The court is adjourned until then.

School letter states Cruz has dreams of killing others and being ‘covered in blood'

17:02 , Oliver O'Connell

A 5 June 2014 letter is shown to the court that was sent to Dr Negin by a therapist at Cruz’s school at the time, West Glades Middle School in Broward County.

The letter states that it is written with the consent of Lynda Cruz and lists some of the behavioural problems Cruz continues to display at school and at home.

He is described as “very irritable and reactive”, displaying “oppositional and defiant behaviours and has become verbally aggressive in the classroom”. Further, Cruz appears to be paranoid and blames others for his problems and has a preoccupation with guns and the military.

At home, it states, he continues to be aggressive and destructive with minimal provocation, smashing a television after losing a game, and playing with a hatchet in the backyard. He also punches holes in the walls and cuts up upholstery.

“Per recent information shared in school he dreams of killing others and is covered in blood,” the letter chillingly states.

The letter closes by saying the purpose of informing the doctor was to reassess Cruz’s medication management over the summer break.

Dr Negin said that he never received the letter.

ICYMI: School shooter didn’t get consistent treatment, says psychologist

16:30 , Oliver O'Connell

While today the court is hearing from psychiatrists who treated Cruz, yesterday’s testimony included a psychologist who treated the Florida school shooter when he was 8 years old. He characterised Cruz as a “peculiar child” who had many behavioral and developmental issues but his widowed mother seemed overwhelmed and wasn’t consistent in her discipline or in getting him treatment.

Read more:

Psychologist: School shooter didn't get consistent treatment

16:02 , Oliver O'Connell

Dr Negin diagnosed Cruz with Disruptive Behaviour Disorder citing his difficulty interacting with peers and his irritability.

“His social skills as a whole were impaired,” Dr Negin told the court.

During the time in which Dr Negin treated Cruz, he returned to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School as a student after a period at Cross Creek School.

Witness: Dr Brett Negin

15:36 , Oliver O'Connell

Dr Brett Negin takes the stand and is also a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist who treated Cruz from January 2012 to August 2017.

He will also be referring to his medical notes throughout the questioning by defence counsel.

The Cruz family began seeing Dr Negin after they switched insurance provider.

15:23 , Oliver O'Connell

In cross-examination, prosecutors ask Dr Karpf if she ever saw Cruz become aggressive which she says she did not.

The prosecution is pushing the point that Cruz could control his behaviour if he wanted — a similar point they raised with Dr Frederick Kravitz on Wednesday.

Closing out the questioning, Dr Karpf is asked whether there was anything to indicate that Cruz would one day kill 17 people. She replies that there was not.

Court is now on a 10-minute recess.

15:07 , Oliver O'Connell

Cruz stopped seeing Dr Karpf in December 2011 after the family switched insurance provider. She advised Ms Cruz to keep up with the medications and told her of program through the drug companies to help with costs.

Direct examination concludes.

15:03 , Oliver O'Connell

Dr Karpf is reviewing her notes on what medications Cruz was on for his ADHD as a child. When he began to see her he was being treated with Focalin and Strattera.

Her notes include detailed accounts of times Cruz was aggressive in school and at home and acted out — including incidents in which he hit another child with a lunchbox, cursed at a teacher, threw a math book in the pool, and took apart a mailbox.

Dr Karpf appears to have been in close contact with Lynda Cruz, documenting behaviour, adjusting medication appropriately, and getting feedback from Ms Cruz about his actions.

Over time other medications were added, including Intuniv, and the Strattera treatment was discontinued.

Asked how she could tell whether a child was taking their medication, she replies that you have to use your best guess and trust what the parent tells you.

14:47 , Oliver O'Connell

Recalling a conversation with Lynda Cruz prior to her first session with Nikolas, Dr Karpf recalls her concerns about sibling rivalry, anxiety, irritability, low frustration threshold, tantrums, and some aggressive behaviour.

She recalls Ms Cruz as a “good woman” who was doing her best as a widow with two sons who had special needs.

“She was a good woman,” said Dr Karpf. “She tried to be a good mom to her two kids. She had her hands full.”

Witness: Dr Laurie Karpf

14:39 , Oliver O'Connell

The defence calls its first witness of the day, Dr Laurie Karpf, a psychiatrist specialising in children and adolescents.

She treated Cruz from July 2008 until December 2011, from when he was aged nine until he was about thirteen years old.

She is answering questions from Assistant Public Defender Tamara Curtis.

Court back in session

14:32 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Elizabeth Scherer has opened today’s proceedings slightly behind schedule and the jury is being brought back into the courtroom.

Former neighbour acts out how ‘weird’ Parkland shooter ran around house with air gun as a child

13:45 , Oliver O'Connell

As the defence case for Nikolas Cruz continues in Florida, a former neighbour of the Cruz family took the stand explaining how as a young boy the Parkland shooter had always been regarded as “not right” and a “weird one”.

Cruz is in court for the penalty phase of his trial for the murder of 17 people — 14 students and three teachers — at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and the attempted murder of 17 more on 14 February 2018. He pleaded guilty in October 2021.

Steven Schusler was called to testify as he rented a guest house from the Cruz family’s neighbour in Parkland from 2009 until 2015.

With close proximity to the family, he observed various incidents over the years, describing them in detail for the jury, and even acting one out in the middle of the courtroom.

Nikolas Cruz’s former neighbour acts out how he ran around with air gun as a child

School shooter lacked consistent treatment, says psychologist

13:00 , Oliver O'Connell

A psychologist who treated Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz when he was 8 years old testified Wednesday that Cruz was a “peculiar child” who had many behavioral and developmental issues but his widowed mother seemed overwhelmed and wasn’t consistent in her discipline or in getting him treatment.

Psychologist: School shooter didn't get consistent treatment

Cruz wrote ‘666’ in his own blood on prison cell walls

12:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Nikolas Cruz wrote “666” in his own blood on the walls of his prison cell just two months before the start of his sentencing trial, a disturbing photo has revealed.

The chilling image depicts Satanic images including “666” and the inverted pentagram all scrawled in the mass murderer’s own blood on a cell wall inside Broward County Jail.

Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) released the image among a trove of disturbing jailhouse drawings and notes made by the 23-year-old behind bars, as he awaits sentencing for the 2018 mass murder of 17 innocent victims.

Rachael Sharp has the story.

Nikolas Cruz wrote ‘666’ in his own blood on prison cell walls

ICYMI: Jury shown childhood pictures of Parkland shooter

11:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Childhood photos of Nikolas Cruz posing with his family were displayed in court amid the sentencing trial for the Florida school shooter

The trial has revealed how Cruz’s childhood experiences led him to become isolated and insecure.

Arguments by defence attorneys began on Tuesday by building on testimony that cocaine and alcohol abuse by Cruz’s birth mother when she was pregnant had left him severely brain damaged.

They argued this had put him on a road that led to him murdering 14 students and three staff members at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on 14 February 2018.

Stuti Mishra reports.

Childhood pictures of Parkland school killer Nikolas Cruz shown to jury

What happened during the Parkland massacre?

10:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Almost 70 documented incidents of violence by age 19. Boasts online of being “the next school shooter”. Tips about threatening behaviour ignored by the FBI. Unlocked and unmanned gates at the school. Students and staff left to wander hallways while no active shooter alert was made. A school resource officer who hid from the gunfire for more than 45 minutes.

Nearly everything that could have gone wrong that day did.

Missed warning signs, failings and lessons learned: Nikolas Cruz and Parkland

What are fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and does the Parkland shooter have one?

09:00 , Oliver O'Connell

At the centre of the defence’s case asking jurors to spare Nikolas Cruz’s life is their argument that birth defects, anti-social behaviour disorders and a troubled upbringing all contributed to him carrying out what remains one of the worst mass shootings in US history.

On Monday, the defence argued that he suffers from fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) caused by his biological mother abusing alcohol and drugs while pregnant.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Nikolas Cruz: What are fetal alcohol spectrum disorders?

Florida school shooter was intellectually slow, witnesses testify

08:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz as a toddler was intellectually and physically behind other children, which caused him to isolate himself and hit and bite to get what he wanted, a daycare administrator and former neighbour testified Tuesday at his penalty trial for mass murder.

Testimony: Florida school shooter was intellectually slow

Who is Parkland shooter’s brother Zachary Cruz?

06:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The brother of Parkland mass shooter Nikolas Cruz is believed to be starring in a reality show about his life and was previously charged with trespassing at the school where his brother murdered 17 innocent people.

Zachary Cruz, 22, is expected to testify for the defence in Cruz’s sentencing trial, where a jury will decide whether to give him to life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty.

Zacharay, who is 14 months younger than his 23-year-old murderer brother, has stood by Cruz ever since he carried out one of the deadliest school shootings in US history.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Who is Zachary Cruz? Parkland shooter’s brother to testify at trial

Florida school shooter was intellectually slow, teacher testifies

05:26 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz as a toddler was intellectually and physically behind other children, which caused him to isolate himself and hit and bite to get what he wanted, a daycare administrator and former neighbour have testified.

Anne Fischer, who ran the daycare centre that Cruz attended from about age one, said he did not progress as fast as other children and was smaller.

She said while the other toddlers could ask for their water cups and use a spoon, Cruz could not. She said he would fall down when he tried to run and his head and ears seemed disproportional to his body.

“He isolated himself a lot. He would sit in the corner and observe,” Ms Fischer said.

“Because of his language delays, it was easier to use your hands because you didn’t have the words to express yourself.”

Who was the Parkland shooter’s biological mother Brenda Woodard?

04:00 , Oliver O'Connell

During opening statements and testimony from the first defence witnesses called to the stand, much of the blame for his troubled start in life was placed squarely on the shoulders of his biological mother Brenda Woodard.

Lead public defender Melisa McNeill told jurors that while “there is no defence for this crime” and Cruz is the “one person responsible for all the pain and suffering”, the “choices” Woodard made when she “poisoned him in the womb” led to the “choices” her son made back on 14 February 2018.

Who was the Parkland shooter’s mother Brenda Woodard?

Nikolas Cruz came from ‘polluted womb’, says sister

03:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Nikolas Cruz’s sister told his sentencing trial that he came from the “polluted womb” of their mother who put her addiction to drugs and alcohol “before anything else”.

Danielle Woodard was the second witness to testify for the defence on Monday as Cruz’s legal team seek to argue that he suffers from foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) and other anti-social behavioural disorders caused in part by his mother drinking and taking drugs while pregnant.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Nikolas Cruz’s sister says brother came from ‘polluted womb’

Nikolas Cruz’s brain is ‘irretrievably broken’ because of mother’s drinking, says defence team

02:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Nikolas Cruz’s defence team said that his brain is “irretrievably broken” because of his biological mother’s drinking and drug-taking while pregnant, as they urged jurors not to sentence the Parkland mass shooter to death.

Attorneys for Cruz delivered opening statements in his defence on Monday morning, as they began their case at his sentencing trial in Broward County, Florida.

Lead public defender Melisa McNeill acknowledged that “there is no defence for this crime” and that Cruz is the “one person responsible for all the pain and suffering” caused by the massacre at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School on Valentine’s Day 2018.

But, while it was him who “viciously murdered 17 people”, Ms McNeill said that the “choices” he made that day all began with the “choices” made by his biological mother Brenda Woodard when she “poisoned him in the womb”.

“His brain is broken. He is a damaged human being,” she said.

Nikolas Cruz team says his brain is ‘irretrievably broken’ as he fights death penalty

Cruz has been in contact with Sandy Hook victim’s mother

01:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz has been in contact with the mother of a Sandy Hook victim, the defence has told his sentencing trial.

Public defender Melisa McNeill said during her opening statement that Cruz had been in touch with Scarlett Lewis. Her son Jesse, 6, was killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, on 14 December 2012, when 20 children and six staff members were murdered.

Gustaf Kilander reports.

Nickolas Cruz has been communicating with mother of Sandy Hook victim

A timeline of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting

Thursday 25 August 2022 00:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Nikolas Cruz, the man convicted of shooting dead 17 people and injuring 17 others at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on 14 February 2018, is now facing a sentencing trial for his crimes.

Here’s how the tragedy unfolded.

A timeline of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting

Recap: Parkland shooter's prosecutor had bloody facts on his side

Wednesday 24 August 2022 23:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The prosecutor seeking to sentence Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz to death let the facts speak for themselves as he presented his case: terrifying witness accounts; heartrending statements from parents and spouses; chilling surveillance videos; gruesome autopsy and crime scene photos; and, as a capstone, a jury walk-through of the three-story building where it happened, bloodstains and Valentine’s Day cards still clinging to the floors.

Parkland shooter's prosecutor had bloody facts on his side

Watch: Teacher tells court of moment students took cover in Parkland shooting

Wednesday 24 August 2022 22:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Former neighbour acts out how ‘weird’ Parkland shooter ran around house with air gun as a child

Wednesday 24 August 2022 22:00 , Oliver O'Connell

As the defence case for Nikolas Cruz continues in Florida, a former neighbour of the Cruz family took the stand explaining how as a young boy the Parkland shooter had always been regarded as “not right” and a “weird one”.

Cruz is in court for the penalty phase of his trial for the murder of 17 people — 14 students and three teachers — at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and the attempted murder of 17 more on 14 February 2018. He pleaded guilty in October 2021.

Steven Schusler was called to testify as he rented a guest house from the Cruz family’s neighbour in Parkland from 2009 until 2015.

With close proximity to the family, he observed various incidents over the years, describing them in detail for the jury, and even acting one out in the middle of the courtroom.

Nikolas Cruz’s former neighbour acts out how he ran around with air gun as a child

Watch: Parkland shooting survivor says gunman Nikolas Cruz told him to ‘get out’ before massacre

Wednesday 24 August 2022 21:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Court in recess

Wednesday 24 August 2022 21:13 , Oliver O'Connell

With no further defence witnesses scheduled for today, the court is in recess until 915am ET tomorrow morning.

Parkland shooter didn’t get consistent treatment, says psychologist

Wednesday 24 August 2022 21:00 , Oliver O'Connell

A psychologist who treated Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz when he was 8 years old testified Wednesday that Cruz was a “peculiar child” who had many behavioral and developmental issues but his widowed mother seemed overwhelmed and wasn’t consistent in her discipline or in getting him treatment.

Psychologist: School shooter didn't get consistent treatment

Wednesday 24 August 2022 20:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The jury is hearing in extensive detail the diagnosis and counselling provided to both Nikolas and his brother Zachary to deal with their physical and verbal aggression towards each other.

Ms Harvey is explaining the identification of goals and coping skills to manage Cruz’s fears as a child. He had “excessive” fears at night that something could happen to his mother.

When questioned about this, Ms Harvey speculates that this may have developed following the loss of his father at such a young age.

Witness: Caridad Harvey (previously Lancho)

Wednesday 24 August 2022 20:08 , Oliver O'Connell

The next witness is mental health counsellor Caridad Harvey, who used to work for Henderson Behavioural Health, a non-profit mental health organisation.

She describes the counselling and treatment that the family received and goes over the associated documentation relating to their relationship with the group.

Wednesday 24 August 2022 19:25 , Oliver O'Connell

A short recess is called before the cross-examination of Mr Schusler continues.

Here is video of his demonstration of Cruz running around the side of the house shooting rocks with an air gun.

Wednesday 24 August 2022 19:14 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Schusler explains how as the Cruz boys and their friends got older they began hanging around with another boy in a group of about five. He recalls the boys would smoke cigarettes and the new addition to the group was the leader.

Asked why he got in touch with the defence team, he says it was because at the guilty plea hearing Cruz had blamed marijuana use. Mr Schusler said he wanted it to be on record that Cruz’s odd behaviour had been going on for many years.

“This boy did not go bad. He was never right.”

Wednesday 24 August 2022 19:02 , Oliver O'Connell

In another incident, he saw Cruz run around the side of his house with a gun in his left hand, shooting at anything.

Demonstrating to the jury how he saw Cruz run, Mr Schusler staggered across the courtroom with little coordination, waving his arms and miming firing the gun.

He described the run as lurching and flailing like a two-year-old who couldn’t walk yet.

Wednesday 24 August 2022 18:53 , Oliver O'Connell

In the second phase of knowing Nicky, Mr Schusler recalls an incident in which Lynda was about to leave the property in her minivan when Cruz burst out of the house and ran to the car, crying out that she had not kissed him goodbye. She did so and he described her looking “sheepish”.

Mr Schusler also recalls county vehicles, including sheriff’s vehicles, outside the property between 10 and 20 times over the six years he lived there. Once Lynda told him it was because of her older son.

Wednesday 24 August 2022 18:44 , Oliver O'Connell

While Mr Schusler was appalled at a young boy being described as “weird” to his face, he concurs that there was something off about Cruz.

He describes him as looking like Alfred E Neuman of Mad magazine.

Mr Schusler says he remembers Cruz recoiling when being described as “weird”.

Witness: Stephen Schusler

Wednesday 24 August 2022 18:37 , Oliver O'Connell

The court resumed after lunch with a new witness, Steven Schusler, who lived across the street from the Cruz family in Parkland, Florida.

He recalls Lynda and her two sons living together at the time and he resided at a guest house on a neighbouring property between 2009 and 2015.

Breaking up the six years in which he lived nearby, he says there was a period when he met “Nicky”, another period of observation when he was friendly, and a period in which he was cautious of Cruz.

When being introduced to him for the first time, the woman whom he rented from called the two brothers over and said that Nicky was “the weird one”.

A timeline of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting

Wednesday 24 August 2022 18:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Nikolas Cruz, the man convicted of shooting dead 17 people and injuring 17 others at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on 14 February 2018, is now facing a sentencing trial for his crimes.

Here is a timeline of how the tragedy unfolded:

A timeline of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting

Childhood behaviour did not foretell what was to come

Wednesday 24 August 2022 17:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Dr Kravitz believes there is nothing about Cruz’s behaviour as a child that could have foretold what would happen at Parkland a decade later.

He said he had worked with other damaged children in the past and none had committed such acts.

Nikolas Cruz wrote ‘666’ in his own blood on prison cell walls

Wednesday 24 August 2022 16:53 , Oliver O'Connell

Nikolas Cruz wrote “666” in his own blood on the walls of his prison cell just two months before the start of his sentencing trial, a disturbing photo has revealed.

The chilling image depicts Satanic images including “666” and the inverted pentagram all scrawled in the mass murderer’s own blood on a cell wall inside Broward County Jail.

Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) released the image among a trove of disturbing jailhouse drawings and notes made by the 23-year-old behind bars, as he awaits sentencing for the 2018 mass murder of 17 innocent victims.

Rachel Sharp reports for The Independent.

Nikolas Cruz wrote ‘666’ in his own blood on prison cell walls

Wednesday 24 August 2022 16:44 , Oliver O'Connell

Court breaks for lunch and will resume at 1.15pm ET.

Wednesday 24 August 2022 16:29 , Oliver O'Connell

Dr Kravitz is asked if there was anything in what he observed in Cruz’s behaviour that would have foretold what would happen at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School ten years later.

He replies, no. He has worked with very damaged children in the past and none of them have acted out in that way.

Cross-examination concludes with Dr Kravitz being asked if he recognised that he is just one of many doctors, professionals, and a parent who tried to get Cruz the help he needed. He replies affirmatively.

Wednesday 24 August 2022 16:23 , Oliver O'Connell

Nikolas’ anger control was a constant issue brought up in the sessions with Dr Kravitz by Lynda Cruz that they were trying to address in the sessions, but with little success.

Dr Kravitz acknowledges that Ms Cruz was in an impossible situation raising two boys with issues alone, following the death of her husband.

He is shown his notes from the sessions in which he recorded that Cruz hit someone at school and recalls suggesting ways in which Cruz could control his anger when it surfaces.

Dr Kravitz says in sessions Cruz would act in an appropriate and social way in their sessions and was not oppositional.

Wednesday 24 August 2022 16:09 , Oliver O'Connell

Cross-examination of Dr Kravitz begins.

He is asked about his knowledge of other treatment Cruz was receiving at the time of his sessions with the doctor in 2007/8.

Dr Kravtiz was aware Cruz was receiving counselling at school and was being treated by a psychiatrist at the time.

He is then asked about payment and insurance around the services he provided.

Wednesday 24 August 2022 15:32 , Oliver O'Connell

Dr Kravitz says that he has no doubt that Lynda Cruz loved her two boys and in her mind did everything she could for them.

He also believes she felt embarrassed by their behaviour and judged by other parents.

Nikolas was on a number of medications to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and Dr Kravitz said he also had autistic qualities such as his aversion to eye contact and self-isolation.

He was hyper, aggressive, fearful, withdrawn, and had a “very active bad imagination” which led him to imagine bad things were going to happen. This manifested as a fear that his mother would forget to pick him up from school, much to the confusion of Lynda who always picked him up.

Wednesday 24 August 2022 15:12 , Oliver O'Connell

Dr Kravitz says he felt that Ms Cruz needed help with parenting as she was overwhelmed by being a single mother to two difficult sons now that her husband had passed.

Just as the boys knew how to push each other’s buttons, they also knew how to wind her up. She told him she would lose her cool and felt judged by others.

While Dr Kravitz gave Ms Cruz strategies to practice with Nikolas, he didn’t think they were put into practice at home and that Ms Cruz would too readily give in. He also recalls that Nikolas had problems articulating how he felt and would get frustrated and throw things.

He also thought the sessions he had with the mother and son were too far apart and not consistent enough to be able to change Nikolas’ behaviour.

Dr Kravitz described Nikolas as a “peculiar” child who “stuck out like a sore thumb” compared to other children of his age — he appeared younger.

Witness: Dr Frederick Kravitz

Wednesday 24 August 2022 14:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Court has resumed on Wednesday morning in Fort Lauderdale with a new witness for the defence — Dr Frederick Kravitz.

Dr Kravitz is a retired clinical psychologist with approximately 40 years of experience primarily with families and children.

He treated Nikolas Cruz when he was eight to nine years old in 2007/8 when he was brought in by his mother Lynda Cruz.