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The grief and mourning continue for the 17 students and staff killed on the afternoon of Feb. 14 during a mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. But something else is happening among the anguish of the interrupted lives of the victims and survivors. Out of the agony, activism has emerged and students from across South Florida are speaking out together asking for stricter gun controls. Here's a list of grief counseling resources available for the community.

September 2019 Trial Date Set For Confessed Parkland Shooter

TAIMY ALVAREZ SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL VIA AP POOL
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WLRN
Nikolas Cruz, the confessed gunman in the Parkland school massacre, appeared in Broward Court on Monday. Judge Elizabeth Scherer set a tentative trial date for September of 2019.

Broward Judge Elizabeth Scherer set a tentative trial timeline Monday afternoon for the confessed gunman in the Parkland school massacre.

The court's goal is to start Nikolas Cruz' s trial in September of 2019.

"This case needs to move along so that everyone's rights are preserved, but in a timely manner," Scherer said.

Cruz appeared in the Broward County courtroom between two of his attorneys, with his head resting on a table for most of the proceedings. His hair has been cut since his last hearing, and he appears to have gained weight. Cruz’s brother Zachary was also present at the hearing.

Though Zachary Cruz has lived in Virginia since May, he has often returned to Broward to attend his brother's hearings.

During the two-hour preceding, Judge Scherer also deferred making a decision on whether to make the taped confession Cruz gave to police on Feb. 14, public. If she decides to let the confession become public, she will give the defense a 10-day notice.

The Broward Public Defender's Office, who is representing Cruz, believes the taped confessions would ruin Cruz’s right to a fair trial.

"Just so the records clear, we believe that...if the release of that report is granted, that could have a detrimental effect on Mr.Cruz’s constitutional rights to a fair trial before this court, the criminal court."

The tentative trial date was met with resistance from Cruz' s defense team.

"I don’t think a year is realistic," lawyer Melisa McNeill said.

McNeil also said the public defender's office has not yet received the report of Broward Sheriff’s Office Detective John Curcio, who is leading the investigation. Without it, she said, the attorneys representing Cruz cannot begin questioning witnesses.

The State Attorney's Office said it believes Curcio’s report is "still being prepared" five months after the shooting on Feb. 14.

Judge Scherer issued an order requiring Curcio to complete and submit his report by this Friday.

"Detective Curcio needs to make this a priority," the judge said.

The next status hearing is set for Aug. 15, where Judge Scherer plans to set a schedule for both the state and the defense to present their discoverings.

"This is not going to be pending forever," Scherer said.

Caitie Muñoz, formerly Switalski, leads the WLRN Newsroom as Director of Daily News & Original Live Programming. Previously she reported on news and stories concerning quality of life in Broward County and its municipalities for WLRN News.
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