A judge overseeing a civil lawsuit filed by families of some of the victims of the Parkland school shooting will allow videotaped re-enactments of the massacre to go forward.
Circuit Judge Carol-Lisa Phillips said Wednesday that she would approve lawyers for the victims' families and for the former school resource deputy they accuse of negligence, to do the reenactments using blank ammunition.
The re-enactments at the 1200 building at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School could take place within the next month.
PARKLAND SCHOOL SHOOTING
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The victims' families blame ex-deputy Scot Peterson and the Broward Sheriff's Office for failing to protect them and their loved ones during the Feb. 14, 2018 shooting at the school that left 17 dead and 17 injured.
Peterson was acquitted in a criminal trial on seven counts of felony child neglect and other charges related to the case on June 29. He had arrived at the 1200 building with his gun drawn, but backed away, claiming that he could not tell where the gunfire was coming from.
The victims want the videotaped re-enactments in hopes that the footage will convince jurors in the civil trial that Peterson knew where the gunfire was coming from and should have confronted the killer.
Peterson's attorney said that the plaintiffs are trying to produce a self-serving documentary.
Family members have spent the past several days visiting the 1200 building for the first time since the shooting.
Judge Phillips has not decided whether the videos can be used at trial, but she has allowed both sides to conduct their own demonstrations.
The surrounding communities will be notified that they may hear simulated gunfire nearby as part of the re-enactments.
The 1200 building is set to be demolished after the re-enactments, if they take place.
