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Parkland school shooter's sentencing trial delayed until February

Nikolas Cruz in court for status hearing, Oct. 26, 2021
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The upcoming sentencing trial for the man who confessed to killing 17 people at a Parkland high school in 2018 will be delayed until February.

Broward County Circuit Court Judge Elizabeth Scherer issued the written order Wednesday.

The trial was scheduled to begin in January.

However, Scherer said in the order that parties on both sides addressed the need for "additional time to prepare their experts for trial."

Judge Elizabeth Scherer looks at paperwork, at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021
Judge Elizabeth Scherer looks at paperwork, at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021, during Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz's guilty plea on all 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the 2018 shootings.

Scherer agreed and set the upcoming trial for Nikolas Cruz to begin on Feb. 21.

Cruz, 23, pleaded guilty Oct. 20 to 17 counts of first-degree murder in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre.

Of the 17 victims, 14 were students at the school.

Jurors will determine whether Cruz should be sentenced to death or life in prison without parole.

Cruz has already been sentenced Cruz to 26 years in prison on four charges related to the jail guard attack, to which he pleaded guilty in October.

Scott Sutton at WPTV first reported this story.