Nicholas Cruz, who as a troubled teen opened fire in Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School three years ago, killing 17 students and teachers, will plead guilty to all the charges against him.
It’s not a plea deal. He’ll get nothing in return. The state, which earlier refused to trade a life sentence for a guilty plea, is still seeking the death penalty. What are Cruz’s lawyers up to? Are they crazy giving him this advice?
Crazy like foxes.
Cruz had no chance of winning acquittal at a trial. By getting him to admit guilt, his lawyers are hoping to present him to the jury that will decide his fate as someone who accepted responsibility for his actions and spared the victims’ families of the agony of a trial, and therefore deserves a bit of mercy. And hope that a juror — they need only one — will be swayed enough to vote for sparing his life.
And maybe, in the backs of their minds, they’re thinking if Cruz gets the death penalty, he can appeal on the grounds his lawyers gave him lousy advice. (Technically, “ineffective assistance of counsel.”) But I think judges will look at that and conclude, as they did, that this is Cruz’s only chance to live.
Photos: How he looked at the police station (above left), and how he’ll look in court (below right). Defense lawyers always try to soften their client’s appearance for the jury.