As we enter week two of the Parkland shooter's penalty trial, proceedings resumed Tuesday morning in the Broward County courtroom with testimony from the owner of the gun store that sold the deadly weapon used in the massacre.
Michael Morrison was the owner of Sunrise Tactical Supply on the day that then-18-year-old Nikolas Cruz purchased the weapon he used to murder 17 people and injure 17 others in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018.
During Morrison's testimony, the AR-15 his store legally sold to the confessed killer was presented in the courtroom. Morrison identified parts of the weapon that were added or modified after the original purchase.
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"It did not have the bipod. It did not have the vert grip," said Morrison. "The sight may have been in the box, because there was no rear sight on. It's a standard flat top receiver and there was no sight."
When asked if he had engaged in a conversation with Cruz, Morrison testified that he asked him what he was planning to do with the rifle. He said the confessed killer's reply was, "I go shooting with my friends on the weekends. I just want my own stuff."
The confessed Parkland shooter was 18 years old on the day of the purchase, which was the legal age to buy an assault-style weapon at that time. However, the state changed the law to a minimum age of 21 after his rampage on Feb. 14, 2018.
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The defense was able to get that information out before the jury during one of its few cross-examinations. The state objected, saying was irrelevant, but the judge allowed the jury to hear that the law had changed.
Following Morrison's testimony, Broward Chief Medical Examiner Rebecca MacDougall also testified. Three more autopsies were entered into the record, leaving seven more — some of which are expected to be entered this afternoon or tomorrow.
MacDougall testified about the autopsies of Alex Schachter, 14, Alyssa Alhadeff, 14, and Scott Beigel, 35.
The mention of his 14-year-old son's name brought tears to the eyes of Max Schachter, who created the Safe Schools for Alex program, as well as a scholarship fund for students who, like his son Alex, enjoy playing in the school band.
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