Florida School Shooting Suspect's Lawyers Claim Judge in Case Is Biased

The judge handling the case of Florida school shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz will not step down, despite allegations from the suspect’s lawyers that she's biased.

Cruz’s lawyers said Broward County Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer has shown “favoritism” through past rulings and remarks, according to an AP report.  Scherer has denied the allegations that Cruz will not be able to get a fair trial. 

It’s been two weeks since 19-year-old Cruz opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and killed 14 students and three educators. Currently held on bail, Cruz is being charged with 17 counts of murder.

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Cruz is the only shooter of the 10 deadliest mass shootings in modern U.S. history to survive.

Judge Scherer ordered Cruz to appear in person for his second court date and his defense argued that it would be “an opportunity for the media to have a circus with him.” Cruz was quiet in court and kept his head down.

Broward County Public Defender Howard Finkelstein, whose office is representing Cruz, has said there were many red flags about the 19-year-old Cruz. Finkelstein said Cruz would likely plead guilty in the scenario that prosecutors do not go after the death penalty.

While Cruz's court-appointed defense lawyer, Broward County Assistant Public Defender Melisa McNeill, has called him "a broken human being," media reports have said that Cruz suffers from depression and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.