Nikolas Cruz's defense says his brain was 'poisoned' by birth mother's addictions in death penalty trial
CNN
An attorney for Nikolas Cruz asked jurors Monday to consider the Parkland school shooter's dysfunctional family life and his serious mental health issues when they decide whether or not to sentence him to death.
"In telling you Nik's story, in telling you the chapters of his life, we will give you reasons for life," public defender Melisa McNeill said Monday in a Florida courtroom. "That is called mitigation. Mitigation is any reason that you believe that the death penalty is not an appropriate penalty in this case."
In particular, McNeill highlighted his birth mother's abuse of drugs and alcohol during his pregnancy, saying Cruz showed signs from a young age of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and antisocial personality disorder.
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