Richard Moore sits in court during the second day of jury selection in the penalty phase of Nikolas Cruz’s case. (Wade Hughes/Local 10 News)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Richard Moore said Tuesday he was at Broward County court to be there for Nikolas Cruz, who pleaded guilty to the premeditated murder of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Moore said Cruz’s brother, Zachary Cruz, is his roommate in Fishersville, Virginia.

“I am here because Zach moved in with my family after the shooting and nobody should face this alone,” he said.

Moore said Zachary asked him to travel to Broward County to be there for his brother.

“I don’t approve of what Nick did,” Moore said. “No parent should ever bury their child and my heart truly goes out to all those families. I just don’t think the death penalty and the 20 years of appeals are going to give them the closure they need. It is just going to keep re-opening this wound over and over.”

Records show prosecutors will depose Moore on April 8. Moore said he hasn’t met Nikolas Cruz personally, but he has learned a lot about the Cruz brothers’ upbringing.

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“To go through everything he went through in life and still be able to smile does give me a little hope in humanity, especially after all this and I am so proud of him,” Moore said about Zachary Cruz.

Moore was at the courthouse with a private security guard. He said “the emotional nature” and “volatile situation” required it since supporting the defendant is not a popular thing to do.

Raw video: Reporters interview Moore

Richard Moore answered reporters questions on Tuesday at Broward County court. He said he was there to support Nikolas Cruz.

Related document

The deposition (BC)

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Day 2

4:30 p.m. report

Nikolas Cruz, the 23-year-old defendant who pleaded guilty to the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, waited quietly on Tuesday as the jury selection process continued for the second day.

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About the Authors:

Christina returned to Local 10 in 2019 as a reporter after covering Hurricane Dorian for the station. She is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist and previously earned an Emmy Award while at WPLG for her investigative consumer protection segment “Call Christina.”

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.