Emotions continued to percolate in the jury pool during the sentencing phase in the trial of confessed mass murderer Nikolas Cruz.
A woman rushed out of the courtroom crying openly as two more jury panels were being seated Tuesday afternoon.
Broward Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer held a sidebar discussion with the attorneys but did not strike the jury panel for witnessing the outburst.
Earlier in the day, a woman left the courtroom in tears but returned before the lunch break to apologize.
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The judge said an apology was unnecessary and pointed out several other jurors had left previous proceedings for similar emotional reasons.
One man and seven women left the courtroom, Monday, emotionally upset.
The latest jurors to be dismissed included three jurors from Colombia, Peru and Mexico who said they did not understand enough English to follow the proceedings.
Parkland School Tragedy
Another woman juror started to say she knew some victims of the massacre, but the judge cut her off in mid-explanation and ultimately excused her.
One man did not show up in the courtroom because of an unspecified medical emergency.
A total of 42 jurors were chosen from among about 240 called on Tuesday. That brings the total to 189 from among 869 over five days.
As many as four more panels or an estimated 240 jurors could be questioned Wednesday.
The sentencing is scheduled to begin May 31 and continue through September.
Cruz pled guilty to 17 charges of murder and 17 charges of attempted murder following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Feb. 14, 2018. He is facing life in prison or the death penalty.
