After four years of unspeakable heartbreak felt by 17 families of Stoneman Douglas HS students, it came time for a jury to decide whether he should receive the death penalty or life in prison. In the state of Florida, unanimity is required in order to pass a death penalty sentence. On October 13, 2022, much to the chagrin of many, a divided jury landed on life in prison without the possibility of parole. The families of the victims and those following the case have taken their responses to Twitter and social media, unhappy with the outcome and even threatening the jury members who favored life imprisonment. Manuel Oliver, father of Joaquin Oliver and co-founder of Change The Ref, took to social media to share his thoughts on the sentencing; “Mass murderers: you get to live your natural life, you get your 3 hot meals a day, you get to shower every day, get medical attention, hey, even a hobby or a new education. What a great message is this sending.” Many have debated whether this sentiment is true, considering the current state of the death penalty process. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, those who receive the death penalty “…typically spend more than a decade awaiting execution or court rulings overturning their death sentences” and sometimes even “…more than 18 years”. If Cruz was given the death penalty, he still would spend time in jail for years until he would face execution if he wasn’t already injured or killed by another inmate. Prison Policy Initiative reported that in 2018 “…state prisons reported 4,135 deaths” which includes suicide, homicide, and more. 

Another main point that was brought up by Cruz’s defense is the circumstances of his mental health, and how he could have been predisposed to crime genetically. Doctors testified that he may have fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, meaning that his mother indulged in substance abuse while pregnant. His lawyer argued that he “…is a brain-damaged, broken, mentally-ill person, through no fault of his own” as he allegedly “was literally poisoned in [his mother’s] womb.” It is hard to come to a definitive answer for whether or not he consciously committed these crimes with such a severe injury, but the official ruling of Cruz’s sentence won’t be started until November 1st.