Testimony Details Wounds Inflicted by AR-15 in Parkland Shooter's Penalty Trial

On Tuesday, six more autopsies were entered into the record, leaving four more which are expected to be entered in the coming days

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Week two of the confessed Parkland shooter's penalty trial continued Tuesday with more graphic testimony from medical examiners, detailing the gruesome wounds sustained by victims in the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Throughout the day, jurors were shown more images of the damages a high-velocity rifle can do, as well as modifications the confessed killer made to the weapon to make it even more lethal.

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In the morning session, Broward Chief Medical Examiner Rebecca 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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Max Schachter, the father of victim Alex Schachter, reacts as Dr. Rebecca MacDougall, the Chief Medical Examiner for Broward County Florida describes the gunshot his son sustained in the mass shooting.  Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz is being tried in the penalty phase of his trial at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. Cruz previously plead guilty to all 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the 2018 shootings. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool)
Max Schachter, the father of victim Alex Schachter, reacts as Dr. Rebecca MacDougall, the Chief Medical Examiner for Broward County Florida describes the gunshot his son sustained in the mass shooting

In the afternoon, Assistant Medical Examiner for Palm Beach County Dr. Marlin Osbourne testified about the autopsies of three more victims: Helena Ramsay, 17, Gina Montalto, 14, and Jaime Guttenberg, 14.

More parents were seen in the courtroom having emotional reactions to hearing the details of their child's autopsy report.

NBC 6 anchor Cherney Ahmara has the emotional testimony as Day 8 of the trial is expected to take place Wednesday.

The parents of Gina Montalto, Jennifer and Tony, were seen holding each other with tears in their eyes as Dr. Osbourne described the injuries she sustained at the hands of a gunman in the halls of her school on Feb. 14, 2018.

Jennifer and Tony Montalto listen to Dr. Marlin Osbourne, Assistant Medical Examiner for Palm Beach county testify about the gunshot wounds their daughter Gina Montalto sustained in the mass shooting. Nikolas Cruz is being tried in the penalty phase of his trial at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday, July 26, 2022. Cruz previously plead guilty to all 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the 2018 shootings. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel via AP, Pool)
Jennifer and Tony Montalto listen to Dr. Marlin Osbourne, Assistant Medical Examiner for Palm Beach county testify about the gunshot wounds their daughter Gina Montalto sustained in the mass shooting.

The testimony from medical examiners and images shown to the jury depicted the devastating damage that an AR-15 can do to soft tissues in a human body.

By the end of the day on Tuesday, six more autopsies were entered into the record, leaving four more which are expected to be entered in the coming days.

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