The jury selection for Parkland school mass shooter Nikolas Cruz's death penalty hearing has been delayed for at least another week after the lead attorney fell ill.
Nickolas Cruz, 23, who was seen in court on Monday without his face mask, pled guilty in November to all 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder of 14 students and three staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, 2018.
The penalty trial will decide if Cruz receives a sentence of life in prison without parole or the death penalty in the Valentine's Day massacre.
At Monday's hearing, Melissa McNeill, Cruz's lead public defender, was absent. No explanation was given.
When Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer inquired if she was being tested, a private conversation was held, between the attorney's and Scherer, after which she adjourned, and said she hoped everyone stayed well, the Associated Press reported.
The jury selection will now be delayed until May 9.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz, 23, previously pled guilty to all 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the 2018 shooting deaths of 14 students and three staff members at the Majory Stoneman Douglas High School located in Parkland, Florida
Cruz, is pictured in center, maskless, alongside Chief Assistant Public Defender David Wheeler and sentence mitigation specialist Kate O'Shea at the Broward County Court House in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Monday
At Monday's court hearing, when Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer asked lead defense attorney Melissa McNeill's assistants if she was being tested no explanation was given. The attorneys an the judge held a private conversation, after which Scherer adjourned, and said she hoped everyone stayed well
Broward County Public Defender Gordon Weekes also declined to discuss the reason why McNeill was not present and did not disclose whether she had COVID-19 or any other illness.
Another no show at Monday's hearing was one of the assistant prosecutors, who was also absent from without explanation.
Over the last few weeks, Scherer and the attorneys have screened almost 1,900 jurors during the first phase. Of that number 400 members said they were available to serve the duration of the four month trial that is set to begin mid-June and run through September.
Prospective jurors were asked to fill out questionnaires about their backgrounds, their knowledge of the case and their opinions on the death penalty.
Judge Scherer, who has been on the Parkland shooter case since 2018, has had her share of drama stopping and re-starting jury selection since the high-profile case began.
In April, one juror named 'Miss Bristol,' was excused after telling the judge she didn't have time for it because she is too busy juggling her husband and her sugar daddy.
The woman, known only as 'Miss Bristol', told the court in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, that she had a lot of other commitments that she couldn't divert her attention from in order to serve on the jury in Cruz's case.
Miss Bristol told the judge: 'Well I am married and I have my sugar daddy. I see him every day.'
Her bizarre explanation rendered Judge Scherer speechless, who later replied: 'OK. All right. Ma'am, we'll come back to you, OK? Thank you.'
That same month, a potential juror caused another dramatic scene in court, after a 30-something man, 'mouthed expletives' toward Cruz, and appeared ready to attack the school shooter, as he got other jurors riled up.
Bailiffs had to quickly remove the man from the Florida courtroom as the man vigorously shook his head and muttered 'that's horrible' repeatedly.
The second phase of the trial that has since been postponed since May 9 will involve the prosecutors and defense asking the jurors
