Florida Supreme Court Issues Public Reprimand to Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer for Violations of Judicial Conduct During Parkland School Shooter Trial

The Florida Supreme Court has issued a public reprimand to Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer for her conduct during the penalty trial of Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz.

The six-month trial ended with Cruz receiving a life sentence for the 2018 murder of 14 students and three staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School after the jury could not unanimously agree that he deserved a death sentence.

The court found that Scherer had violated several rules governing judicial conduct during the trial in her actions toward Cruz’s public defenders. This included showing bias toward the prosecution, which the court found to be a violation of the Florida Code of Judicial Conduct.

The court’s reprimand of Scherer is the latest development in the case of the Parkland school shooting, which has been ongoing since the tragedy occurred in February 2018. The trial of Cruz, who pleaded guilty to the shooting, has been closely watched by the public and the victims’ families.

The court’s reprimand of Scherer is a reminder of the importance of judicial impartiality and the need for judges to uphold the highest standards of conduct. It is also a reminder of the tragic events of the Parkland school shooting and the lives that were lost that day.