Commission: Florida judge should be reprimanded for conduct during Parkland school shooting trial

By TERRY SPENCER
Associated Press

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida commission says the judge who oversaw the penalty trial of Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz should be publicly reprimanded for showing bias toward the prosecution. The Judicial Qualifications Commission said Monday that Circuity Judge Elizabeth Scherer sometimes allowed her emotions to overcome her judgement and violated several rules governing judicial conduct in her actions toward Nikolas Cruz’s attorneys. Those included unfairly chastising them after they rested their case. It will now be up to the Florida Supreme Court to decide her punishment. She is retiring June 30. Cruz received a life sentence at the conclusion of the six-month penalty trial for murdering 17 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018.