An ex-Parkland student is facing the death penalty after being found guilty of four deaths in Florida. According to the story from Nov. 17, the man described how he killed four people in 2014. One of them was his ex-girlfriend, who he shot to death. He also was found guilty of killing her new boyfriend, her father and her mother.
The 32-year-old ex-Parkland High School student confessed to the murders on the witness stand. He claimed that it was self-defense that drove him to kill the individuals. While his attorneys wanted to put him on the stand a second time, the judge rejected that request because she claimed the questions weren’t relevant. His attorneys questioned him anyway, despite the judge leaving the room.
When questioning him, the man said the day the events occurred was the worst of his life. He testified that it was paranoia and self-defense that made him kill the four people and then stack them on a roadside berm. The man’s ex-girlfriend and he share a son, who was four at the time and in the residence when the killings took place.
The 32-year-old man is not new to the criminal justice system. He has a history of committing thefts and trespassing. His record shows simple assault and harassment in the past.
In cases like this, it’s important to remember that there are always two sides to every story. Even if a conviction takes place, an appeal may be possible depending on the case and situation around it. Everyone deserves a chance to defend him or herself.
Source: The Morning Call, “Ex-Parkland student found guilty of four killings in Florida, faces death penalty,” Anastasia dawson, Nov. 17, 2017