Never a good idea to tell a child from a young age that they are weird or mean. They will take that and make it themselves. I remember so many kids getting the problem child tag from adults and it changed them. They shrugged their shoulders and gave the world what it already thought of them. It's tragic.
That was me...I was told I was difficult, and that I had too much anger, and that I acted like my father(who was terribly villainized by my mother and her side of the family)...it made me hurt, and I became that angry child they told me I was....I wish sometimes, I could hug my younger self, and say not to listen to them....They projected THEIR anger on to me, and I became a monster.....Now that I am in my 40s, I can see it clear as day.....after years of institutions, jail, and prisons, all I ever really wanted was reassurance and to not be cast aside....I have God walking with me now, and I feel the love I've always craved as a child, but not from people,..from within.......When A child is cast out, he will burn down the entire village, just to feel the warmth.....a kind word to a child, can change everything! Be that voice of encouragement...TODAY!
@C H totally agree, although it’s definitely interesting to hear from someone like this as he has a unique insight into his past. If we’re gonna hear from subway workers might as well have this guy too
He does not want to be mean. He is giving the facts. I guess I can see what the defense is trying to show. Their only purpose is to save him from the death penalty.
@@cinx028 you cant tell if you have empathy that he knows what this man did was horrendous and is not trying to drive the nail in any further than that
Right! But I could listen to this guy all day. He could narrate an accountant working and it would probably sound like Shakespeare. He called him Alfred E Neuman lol, no wonder he's a school shooter.
I wish this guy could narrate my whole life. I'm on the edge of my seat hearing him talk about something so mundane as being introduced to the neighbors. Great storyteller and good attention to detail. I was almost mad when the defense interrupted his story when it was actually HELPING their client.
IMO he might be embellishing. Just a tad...😬... Seemingly he was uncomfortable and felt bad that NC mom stated that he was the weird one. Then went on to say NC looked like Alfred E. Neuman. 😳
Well jesus, if you're getting called "unattractive" by adults when you're a toddler, something's gonna be off in your brain by the time you're in your teens. What does it matter whether a little kid is "attractive" or not?
Exactly. No justification for his actions here at all but when you’re just getting told such confidence crushing things as a little kid things aren’t gonna go well when you’re getting older that’s for sure.
"He's the weird one." That was not some school yard bully at recess. That was an adult saying that about a child. I hope that woman who said that is proud of herself. She can live the rest of her life with her conscience-if she has one.
I was brought up in a relatively loving family yet at the same time I had a sibling who spent a great deal of time telling me that I was weird and obnoxious when in reality it was her projection on me I realized that now. Then at some point I had chicken pox and picked them to the point that I had severe scarring on my face. Needless to say the kids in school were so much less that they went as far as to call my house and wait while somebody got me so that they could call me crater face over the phone. Yeah I didn't decide to get a weapon and go to school and kill people. So no being bullied is not an excuse
This guy is great he’s every lawyers dream a defense witness that actually speaks the facts and has a good memory of events and says what he’s asked even if it’s too much of it. Very straightforward and animated.
This man is a great story teller. This was one of the best testimonies Ive ever heard. Lot's of important information about his childhood behavior. I wish they let him tell more because even his private opinions about the kid were very important
this was the most irrelevant testimony I've ever heard. Who called him to the stand again? Dude literally just described a passing comment and his "big ears" and how he was "off"... this was really the best testimony you've ever heard?
Is no one going to talk about how messed up what that lady said to Nick as a child was? Yes Nick deserves the punishment he gets and I have zero sympathy for him but to call a child weird to his face, even if she had a feud with his mother, is beyond cruel and no matter how little the effect it had was, that woman played a role in who Nick became. She should be ashamed.
The old neighbor lady was mad at Nick's mother because her dog attacked her cat. She took her anger out on Nick by belittling and demeaning him in front of others.
If we all watch this and learn nothing about how to be gentle with children and how fragile the ego, soul, and hearts are it is really society that killed and shot those teens not Cruz he is just the body of all the rejection , hate, and negativity that others dumped on and when he had no more room inside to hold that trash he dumped it right back on society that gave it to him I believe his mom took some of that burden with her gone this allowed him to snap . Stop dumping your hate, and rejection on those who are easy targets because in the end they will turn into the monster you all, well we all created and it will be our kids shot when the human can not take anymore. He was different , weaker and people noticed adults like this man Noticed and no one protected him not one SMH this is all sick then we want to hang him the irony here wow. I see it like this when people are cracked or broken like young Cruz society is ruthless and dump on them because they are broken easy to turn into a trash can dump were everyone in town dumps the hate , negativity , and rejections inside into the target then the target can no longer take in any more with out the buffer person here his mom they snap kill others or suicide and then everyone just wants them gone it is all the trash they dumped that they really want gone and hidden not the person this really taught me so much about the different parts people play in a community and the depth of how sick we all are as a society I am glad this man noticed but sad that no one did anything for him as a child what if that man would have confronted that woman right their and then would this story be different ? Who knows but makes me want to be the one who confronts those who are mean to children or insensitive.
I have never seen a witness who is not an expert or cop engage with the jury so much. He was completely comfortable, elaborated without request, and had masterful gesticulations and tone of voice throughout the testimony. Absolutely fascinating man.
@@AuntBee59 he’s a grown man and was also a grown man when he killed those innocent kids. This is also the same grown man that almost killed the police officer for asking him to stop walking on the back of his slides so he wouldn’t trip. He’s a psychopath.
It is terrible to criticize a child, let alone in front of him. I am talking about him as a child, not what he did later on in life. No child deserve that.
There is something very scary about living close to a child you KNOW isn't right and everyone dismisses your concern/opinion and then you turn out to be correct years later. I felt everytime I left my house, I would come back to it burned to the ground.
@@melanieobremki4876 I love it. This is a UA-cam comments section for giving our opinions, and this person tells you not to give an opinion. Thye are probably a liberal who works in Silicon Valley.
I like this witness, I like the way He describes his first impressions with the neighbors, He seems very sensitive with a high level of perception, maybe the lawyers don't like his detailed description of events and present objections, but this testimony opened a new view of the killer psyche, maybe this testimony would change the course of Cruz sentence.
Just odd no matter what someone has done to you I don’t think about going into a school killing a bunch of ppl that have there own problems there dealing with.
Very sad this boy turned into a murderer. My heart goes out to all the victims and their families. I can't begin to imagine the emotions they're going through
@@Reverend-Race-Horsey Because it can play towards his status in society and how he was always bashed and viewed by others. It isn't to excuse his crimes, but it's help to pain a picture of how people become the way they are.
This man is so totally honest. He speaks from the heart and trusts his gut instinct. He was clearly finding it hard to stick to the formatted court questioning because he had a lot to say and was genuine. What a believable intelligent and empathetic account of what he witnessed . Him demonstrating that walk is probably the only time I have smiled watching all this horrific hearing.
Louis Gentleman & the earlier Pyschologist are wonderfully honest intelligent & perspective .As someone who would not easily open up to a therapist felt so drawn to thiss retired obviously excellent provider. To have insight is an.intuituve trait.too many avoid or do not have .
Ok relax. The guy was a weirdo. He was just a neighbour for a short time but acted like he was a star witness. As horrible as Cruz is he was an objectively cute kid. It’s weird that the guy said he was unattractive like that. And he was so dramatic
@@boomds5602 agree. i’ve seen photos of him as a kid and he wasn’t an ugly kid at all. the way this guy is telling the story makes him seem like he’s the weird one.
I mean I feel bad for any child who is called weird by an adult because that can change their perception of themselves. No that ABSOLUTELY does not excuse what he did but it helps us realize that he needed help from a young age and clearly wasn’t getting it
I'm not sure what others are learning from this, but my point is regardless of what Nick's outcome is, we as adults should learn that the little kids they bully can grow up to be the kids who kills their grandkids.
The witness’ delivery, narration, pausing, even occaisional hesitance, approach those qualities of a good storyteller. His voice is not exactly characteristic of a Morgan Freeman, James Earl Jones, or professional actor, but it’s **fabulous** for a retired mechanic. 👍🏼
This man describes this kid so well. He’s animated and blunt any lawyers dream. He had me engaged the whole time. It is scary to think kids are being called “weird” by an adult at a young age; I can’t even fathom that thought. May all these victims family’s find peace. 😢❤.
@@prettybarbiedoll1194 uh no. Iv watched literally everyday of this case. Not every witness has been a victim, wth.... They've have doctor's, psychologists, friends of Linda on... They've had dozens of people who weren't victims
I work with people who have intellectual disabilities. I’ve seen what happens to those who, in his words, are unattractive or look like something is off. They often are not treated as well by society as their more attractive piers. People feel much more free to say and do the most thoughtless things to them. This, of coarse, can have a devastating effect on how a person sees themself. I in no way condone what this kid did. He should be put away for the rest of his life, no question. But low self esteem couldn’t have helped when he made the horrific decision to end all those innocent lives.
Yep!!! Bc while he’s wrong for what he did, we have to acknowledge at the very least that had his mom not been on drugs & been a good mother the likelihood of him doing exactly what he did is slim to none, so not saying it’s an excuse, but we have to acknowledge it’s part of the reason why he did so that in the future we can learn how to handle people like this in our society better to hopefully prevent things like this instead of just ignoring people who have needed help & made it very clear they did, like him. At the very least though, her drinking & doing drugs while pregnant I’m sure caused some brain damage to him.
I think it’s disgusting that people want this kid to be raped, tortured and murdered in jail and have the same prisoners we look down upon, do our dirty work for us. Justice is justice and this kid will never be outside again but it should stop there. The only ones who have any valid reason for being angry are the poor families who lost a loved one to this broken creature. Everyone else is just virtue signaling. Not a good look for you guys.
I feel bad for him. I know this isn't going to be a popular opinion. He was born a crack baby. His mother drank, smoked cigarettes, and smoke crack while pregnant then give him up for adoption. His whole life he was considered the weird kid nobody liked or paid any attention to except when bullied. His` foster parents both had health problems and didn't show him any love or attention. He was orphaned again after his foster parents both passed away from health issues. He had nobody in this world to look up to, no role models to teach him right from wrong. He was isolated and alone living a hopeless existence. I would have rather been one of those kids that died that day than to have grown up under the conditions that he grew up in. That's a fact. I feel sorry for the families of the kids that were lost that day too.
I couldn't agree more!! I'm a mom of an autistic child and I NEVER, EVER talked to my child or about my child in that manner and God help the person/persons who did. I feel SO terribly bad and I am heartbroken for the way Nikolas grew up. I can't even imagine what he endured in his head. Nikolas IS a broken young man who made BAD decisions. I am sorry for all the families who lost a child...I lost my sons twin brother so I know very well that feeling BUT this young man, who is damaged and broken and lost, DOES NOT deserve death. He NEEDS help. I believe he would benefit from being in a institution. I CAN NOT justify putting a challenged young man to death for an unthinkable bad decision when we now know his life was doomed in utero. SHAME on his birth mother who did this to an innocent fetus/baby and shame on the adoptive mother who seemed to of just given up on her child. You don't give up on your child no matter how hard it is. I know from experience....one child autistic and the other on life support due to spinal muscular atrophy and a single parent with my own health issues....you don't give up. Nikolas DOES NOT deserve death....he NEEDS help.
So sad...I agree with you...how terrible to demean a child...I know how it feels... I was diagnosed with Aspergers and I was belittled and demeaned as a child and a young adult by family who is supposed to love me...and bullied in school as well...I wasn't adopted and I had a hard upbringing...luckily I was resilient and I still struggle to forgive the unfair treatment I never deserved. 💔
Parents need to listen to this man and LEARN. Against my advice, my sister nicknamed her son 'Terrible' when he was a toddler. She's crying her @zz off now because he's in jail more than he's out free. He is terrible now, but she should be in jail for what she did to him. NEVER let someone do that to your child. IDC WHO.
That’s crap. I’m a foster kid myself and this punk ain’t seen nothing like I’ve seen. As soon as I figured out one shitty parent they’d move me onto the next one. I became homeless for three years once I aged out of foster care at age 18, and I had to dumpster dive for food, panhandle in front of malls to get money, and smoke cigarettes to make it through the night as I often had to sleep outdoors in the middle of the winter. Nicky Cruz was very fortunate to be adopted by a decent couple who made sure he never went hungry and always had a roof over his head and a stable place to sleep, I never had that growing up yet I would never even THINK of killing 17 innocent people
@@HalJordan0 He was only saying the surrounding circumstances illuminated the root cause of his psychopathy (although that could be untrue) I don’t think he’s making excuses for a school shooter
I wish they could show this man in his youth/Adult. So many people are making comments, Horrible comments about his looks in his older years. He actually made some good points about Cruz. This kid needs to pay for what he’s done, life or death. But I can’t help but feel sorry for him. Amazing cruelty on his mothers part. On his sisters part? Some humans should never be allowed to have children. Brenda is just ONE OF MANY
As horrible as what this kid did is and yes, it's horrible, his story and this story should serve as a textbook on "HOW NOT TO RAISE A CHILD". Reminds me of a case couple of yrs ago of this man who was sentenced to death for killing a PO. A week before being executed he was interviewed by this reporter and he seemed to be at peace with himself, he accepted the charges and his sentence, he recognized what he did was wrong and asked for forgiveness from the officer's family and from God. One thing caught my attention though. He seemed a bit shy and didn't strike me as intimidating at all. When the reporter asked him what happened, how did he end up in such situation he looked at her with tears in his eyes and said something to the effect of: "when I was a kid I never had anybody who would smack me if I did something wrong". He said he would walk in the house and nobody asked or cared whether he went to school, whether he had something to eat. Nobody would even recognize his presence by saying hello. He would get up or go to sleep whenever he wanted and it was as if he didn't exist. Soon he found what he called "the closest to a family I have" in this group of other kids in the same situation he was in and the rest was history until the day he was caught. Towards the end of the interview the lady asked him when was the last time he got a hug from somebody, anybody, and he said: "it's been a long time. I wouldn't dare trying to guess what year". She offered to give him one after asking the guard for permission and without saying a word he opened his arms, so did her, they huggged and that's how the interview ended without saying another word. As for me I try to remind my daughters as often as I can how special they are and how much I love them.
@@RamiroEloy1997 I hate that phrase "perfect storm", it make's no sense whatsoever (not a personal attack, just a fact). The mental health issue excuse only get's so far though, I grew up in the rural areas of my country then moved to the city. Mental health issues seem to be used as an excuse a lot these days for bad behaviour.
Damn.. grown ass adults even called Nickolas ugly and weird..... Yet we expected kids to be more grown... I think this kid needs jailed for a long long time but hell.... No wonder he went over the edge
Nonsense. He had all the chance in the world. Instead, he chose to feed his blood lust by coldly murdering unarmed innocent people. There is only one sentence for this guy.
This man is wonderful! He is the only SANE one in his defense. I hope he has some one taking care of him if he needs anything. He speaks well, and I also watch Leave it to Beaver, so I did get a chuckle. He was correct in saying who were like the characters. Cruz still gets zero sympathy from me. A lot of children grew up in dysfunctional families, but NEVER murdered anyone. If I was on the jury….Death sentence and guilty of all charges.
We all grew up in some hardship or the other but we do not go around shooting people or even attacking people. It's just humanity. There is no excuse for what he did. I don't think he should get the death penalty though because this is the very problem with society.
@@HephzibahBeulahMinistries I personally believe public hangings should be brought back. Maybe if people see what happens to them when they do things like murder, they won't be so keen on doing it.
The world was cruel to him, no doubt about that. Who bullies a kid like that, to their face? NOT JUSTIFYING! okay Karens, not justifying anything just saying
There is literally too many Karen’s in these comment sections that always say that they are making excuses for him. When literally nobody was making an excuse for him in the fist place and they have zero sense in how the legal field works.
@@craigsiedman3974 Ridiculous. You have no idea how many people his victims were bullied by. Regardless, he was a bully and to his victims it was a traumatic experience.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with having empathy for Nic Cruz the little boy. He was treated unfairly and without concern for his sensibilities. But Nic Cruz the young man that indiscriminately killed children that could very well have been going through the same struggles he had or were headed in the direction of making the lives of others better or maybe already taking time to care for people that needed some extra love and acceptance, does not deserve to be cared for in the same way the little boy Nic Cruz should have been cared for. I do believe that he can make a difference from behind bars if he really wants to but that should be decided by his victims and their families to decide,not a jury or a judge. IMHO
I don’t think people should get to choose to murder someone or not unless it’s self-defense. How is him being put to death going to do anything other than satisfy sadism? These people are dead. They aren’t coming back. I’m sorry but it won’t help anyone. They may be sorry one day if they want him killed.
@@wrenbyrd1093 I understand what you are saying. I guess I feel like it may actually be the only thing that brings some form control back into the lives of his victim’s family if they were given the opportunity to be a large part of the decision of what his punishment will be. And I feel like the options should be things such as life in prison under their direction as to how he spends his time. Such as working at a particular job that benefits people in need of help. Building homes, manufacturing essentials to be given to those that need it, taking care of people in some way. Because given the opportunity I think a lot of the victims would choose what their deceased loved ones would want them to choose. Obviously there’s probably many flaws with my ideas lol
@@nikkikidd8428 I agree…our system is not set up this way but I do feel that the victims’ families would have better insight into how they would like NC to live out his life or receive the death penalty. Some families may have a religious objection to the death penalty which would then feel very conflicting for them forever. I really feel for the jurors and hope that they receive some type of therapy after this trial.
Any old coot living by himself in his 60's doing his own vintage bike maintenance and still riding is cool to me. This is independence in old age and you all are lame to criticize him for "being weird". Dude is the master of his own domain.
It’s OK to feel sorry for the killer because the circumstances of his birth and conception was terrible and the fact that his mom drank while pregnant with him and he had a lot of developmental disabilities you can’t feel sorry that he killed all those people but you can kind of see his life before this all happened and gain some perspective and this guy does a good job of showing that.
How many interactions does it take with law enforcement, school officials and mental health professionals before something is done to prevent these high risk kids from gaining access to legal firearms and to get intensive treatment?
Enough that they take him out of a special needs school where he was thriving and behaving well and tossing him back into an environment where he was spiraling.
I don't understand how someone so obviously damaged can legally buy firearms, let alone AR15. I don't understand the reasoning "can't go to mainstream school or fit into society" "here, have some firearms!".
This man’s testimony of how Nicholas responded and recoiled at the offensive things the mother was saying was palpable for me. Utterly disgusting and inhumane to the 10 year old boy.
This is the most amazing testimony I've ever seen and heard! He's like the people need to know it wasn't the weed, he's never been right,and people were horrible to him. period.Nikolas said it himself. It was revenge but not on the ones that hurt him.
@@ACM1PT95 been smoking weed for almost 7 years now, successful career and definitely am the farthest thing away from a murderer. It’s a plant, not heroin.
Exactly! This is my favorite testimony right here and I easily love the guy giving it. Thank God for people like him and you and I because the detail he goes into and that we want is what everyone really needs to pay attention to. This shows humanity toward and an interest in the boy's inner world where the evil began brewing.
@@nathalytotallyrocks3179 just. No. Reasons are different from excuses. I still believe people deserve punishment for doing wrong, but a lesser one when what's wrong could be fixed. Not everyone works the same, but there are general guidelines we can come up with and put together to help people get better.
I love people who say….”…now I dont want to insult a person and I don’t want to be mean or say something bad about a person….” And immediately after saying that they proceed to insult, be mean and then say something really bad and hurtful to that person! 🤦🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️💁🏻♂️
When I was younger my big brother told me he will cut my legs if I played footbal, he was terrorising me if i was on the pitch ( I was 12 he was 33 ) He used to tell me I’m useless and I’m stupid in school, my dad died of leukemia when I was 14 , my mother never asked me if I need any help, I had to clean, cook and baby sit my nephews untill I was 18. I was traumatised by the beatings I’ve seen and the criticism in that household. I didnt even know therapy existed. My income was coming into the house for food too, my other brother was diagonesd with maniac bipolar disorder and I had to live with him in the same house. You know what I did when I was 18? I moved and I studied and worked for years ( engineering ) . Now I work with special needs children every day. You know why I did that? because I did not have any other choice other than that or a life ruined. All it took was one person to be kind with me and that was my father, even if he died his love and kindness saved my life. I am so sorry for those victims, Imm glad this case is made public so we all learn how positive behaviour towards a child can change their life.
This guy loved being on the stand. He should be an actor. All and all, this kid was raised horrifically but it is no excuse to kill innocent people. End of story.
This kid didn't stand a chance from the beginning and I would feel so bad for him and of course as a human being I do in a way after hearing what he's been through if he had attempted suicide and lived . My heart would've went out to him because that's just a terrible life from birth. BUT he didn't try to end his own life. He decided to take other children's lives and I will never be able to look past what he went through and feel bad because they're all gone period!
@@Lotsielots that's bs . He hunted the freshman building. He has never met these kids. Could this have been prevented from happening, definitely. But I do believe this guy is beyond saving.
Exclusion. You can't exclude kids and call them unattractive. This is ridiculous. When kids are bullied by adults, sorted out, sorted away of course they are angry when they become adults duh
Right. It is one thing for a child's peers to say things like that, but this was an adult saying that about a child. That has a larger impact. Saying that right in front of the child is unforgivable. I hope that woman who said that realizes that she may have had a small part in causing this tragedy.
@@JohnSmith-ct5jd You're seriously attempting to equate being called " weird " or " unattractive " to becoming a mass shooter? I rolled my eyes so hard they're stuck back there.
@@ukmedicfrcs I don't want to imagine what this kid went through his whole life. This old guy just met him for a few seconds and already knew him as "the weird one". There are many adults and even people over 50 that are hurts by words. I don't excuse what he did but we can't expect this kid to brush all those traumas off and grew up like nothing. The way he describes his reaction as a "snail that you put salt on" that is physical pain. This kid never had a chance.
I'm so torn cuz I keep having souch compassion for him and then remember what he did and this whole thing is gut wrenching and sad...yes even for him...and obviously he needs to pay the price...ugh it's just so sad and devastating!! I do feel bad that they're all talking about his ears though! I mean that's probably one of the huge things he was teased for as a kid!
...having said all that I don't understand how he did not get the death penalty...in reality even just one of those premeditated killings would have warranted it
People need to learn to take rejection with grace. There are people who have been suffering since they have been out of the womb. Those people never shot up schools. This monster terrorized people because why? He was called weird? Dude grew up in a nice loving home with wealthy people. The problem is people like you constantly victimizing these people when what they need is to be held accountable for their actions. It’s fun to play the tune of friendship and forgiveness until it is you or someone you care about that ends up getting murdered. We are all sick and tired of this crap.
@@tiffanyandco4156 Cause people like the one above you are guilty of treating people like crap. They want you to get over it. School bullies that never grew up.
This witness is great for the defense. He personally demonstrates his unbridled contempt that he had for the child, Nicholas Cruz, because of his physical appearance. The cruel and unconscious neighbor is the epitome of much that is wrong with this world. She was abusive to a child...because she could.
@@amymckinnon9224 You are obviously unable to separate the child from the murderer. It is very cruel for an adult to speak unkindly about the child in the presence of the child. The message that you convey is that you are ok with emotional and verbal abuse of a child. I have to explain this because low IQ people are incapable of making a distinction. I'm not in any way defending the adult, Nick Cruz. I'm simply defending the child who was shown abuse and disrespect by an adult in his presence. How would you feel as a six-year-old child, if an adult spoke to another adult in your presence and labeled you "weird," "ugly," "stupid," or another derogatory term in your presence?
Thats because they didn't want anyone to take his testimony seriously. He gave a real insight into how this boy was treated at a young age. Not saying the Kid is innocent, he never will be, but that testimony atleast gives background into why he turned out the way he did.
This guy's a real prize. He recognized that Nikolas being called "the weird one" was soul crushing and wrong, but in the very next breath tells the world right in front of him that "he was an unattractive kid." 🤭
He was honest. Also, there is a big difference between an adult saying something like that to a small child, and him saying that to a young adult who committed a mass murderer. But even then, he was clearly reluctant and took no pleasure in saying this.
Not very nice of that neighbour who said that he was the weird one right in front of him. One of the reasons he started down his path to darkness. Very sad.
My Mom would scream so loud in my face my ears would ring sometimes , she would love all over my female cousin and say she always wanted a girl, she would openly talk about things that humiliated me with cashiers at Walmart or wherever to my face. I had some issues sure but I got over it, I never killed anybody.
Really? That was not at all the impression I got. Despite what Cruz did, he seemed genuinely ashamed at calling him ugly. He is a very decent man. I made a snarky comment about him earlier, and even I felt obliged to apologize to him for it.
Not psychopath but sociopath, psychopath are born, it's clear he was made into monster he is today. Too many people always use psychopath without knowing the true meaning of it. He is sociopaths who are made based off environment they grew up.
He's the weird one, coming from a stranger would hurt, but coming from a parent, would be devastating. And you would rehearse those words in your mind, and believe them. Especially considering that your mom said it.
This guy had entirely too much time to prepare for this moment. Lots of detailed extrapolating and interpreting that I would imagine did not happen in real time. He even structured his testimony as a 3-act play! Pull it back Meryl....
I like this guy. He has tremendous insight and empathy and a sense of irony typical of great storytellers. He has a firm sense of morality and knows it’s wrong to insult a developing boy to his face but at the same time he knows there is irony in that he has to do the same in order to tell the truth but apologises in advance.
Absolutely, I do, too. Severe fetal alcohol syndrome is devastating. What a horrible existence. My heart breaks for his victims and their families. RIP Innocent victims of this horrific shooting. He never ever should have been allowed to get his hands on a gun.
this guy really makes a difference in this whole story. I've been watching this session from the beginning. I hope the court seriously considers this defense in the case. There are clear directions.
This testimony is riveting! Can't say I didn't feel a little pain for "Nicky" Cruz when Schusler told the story of the neighbour calling him weird right in front of him and the boy was just 10-years-old. Doesn't make it right what he did, but you can see where some of that hate came from.
My only issue with this witness is he seems to think or maybe wants to be more apart of this whole thing then he truly is. Like he said, he was the one who contacted the lawyers to tell them what he thought about Cruz. He kind of inserted himself, and in the end made this more about himself. So the kid ran weird... WTF does that have to do with killing 17 innocent people/kids with an AR-15!?
Hes also probably 65-70 years old, that kind of wisdom and situational awareness only comes with age. Thats why they say, when you get older you lose your physical prowess but make up for it in wisdom and knowledge.
Alfred E. Neuman. That's the Mad Magazine guy. Holy crap he's right! No wonder every time I look at Cruz I get the sensation that I'm looking at a cartoon caricature.
From the little I've learned about this case, I must say....it's so tragic all the way around. 💔 Children are so impressionable, so absorbent of their surroundings, and trauma can cause so much turmoil and suffering. Nik Cruz lived a horrible life. It's not an 'excuse or justification....just a fact that contributed. Some say things like 'Well lots of people suffer horrible childhoods but they don't do this'.....and while true, it's also true that every persons trauma feels different, individually, some people are more sensitive, some more resilient, some more reactive....and know one can know how anyone processes their experience. The mother of him was/is deplorable. Truth be told, there should be better laws to hold her accountable for being a disgusting parent who didn't parent.
and let's be honest, Nik Cruz almost certainly has unsupported autism and severe mental illnesses, and was horribly bullied for it. A huge part of the blame is on society
I’ll repeat it for you, and maybe this time it will sink in. A lot of people come from horrible, tragic childhoods. With no love. With no support. With nothing but abuse. Or worse. You trying to justify what he did is almost as despicable as what he did. I would love to hear your opinion if one of YOUR children were murdered by him. Oh, how your sympathy would take a different form.
@@carlicotton7890 Nobody's making excuses. You're sensationalizing what they're saying. Yes, the blame rests with him, the one who pulled the trigger. But why the hell aren't we talking about how hurt people breed hurt and the fact that society lets mentally ill kids slip through the wire with no help to deal with their severe anger?
Never a good idea to tell a child from a young age that they are weird or mean. They will take that and make it themselves. I remember so many kids getting the problem child tag from adults and it changed them. They shrugged their shoulders and gave the world what it already thought of them. It's tragic.
That was me...I was told I was difficult, and that I had too much anger, and that I acted like my father(who was terribly villainized by my mother and her side of the family)...it made me hurt, and I became that angry child they told me I was....I wish sometimes, I could hug my younger self, and say not to listen to them....They projected THEIR anger on to me, and I became a monster.....Now that I am in my 40s, I can see it clear as day.....after years of institutions, jail, and prisons, all I ever really wanted was reassurance and to not be cast aside....I have God walking with me now, and I feel the love I've always craved as a child, but not from people,..from within.......When A child is cast out, he will burn down the entire village, just to feel the warmth.....a kind word to a child, can change everything! Be that voice of encouragement...TODAY!
@@PhantomOfThePsy-Opera well said. I'm glad you're in a good place now.
Cruz was a pos from the start stop making excuses
I couldn’t agree more.
@@PhantomOfThePsy-Opera very well said.
I could listen to this man speak all day. He’s a great story teller
Yeah he is. Makes for a good fishing bud. He looks like bill murray
Except for the fact that apprehensious isn't a word lol
@@robertwilliams5618 it is now😂
@C H totally agree, although it’s definitely interesting to hear from someone like this as he has a unique insight into his past. If we’re gonna hear from subway workers might as well have this guy too
This man does tell the story well..🤔
He does not want to be mean. He is giving the facts. I guess I can see what the defense is trying to show. Their only purpose is to save him from the death penalty.
Which is absurd. For something that happened in 2018 that will never go away forever.
@@cinx028 Huh? He's trying not to be mean and giving the facts. Unbiased opinion is not absurd, it's the best kind.
Agreed
I want him to be mean 😂
@@cinx028 you cant tell if you have empathy that he knows what this man did was horrendous and is not trying to drive the nail in any further than that
As someone who loves to tell stories, this guy right here is on another level.
Right. At least he was honest about his first meeting that something with him was wrong and wasn't right.
I’d make the worst person on the stand. I am awful at storytelling. I cant tell a joke to save my life. I wish I had your skill.
Cops and judges don't care about the truth
Right! But I could listen to this guy all day. He could narrate an accountant working and it would probably sound like Shakespeare. He called him Alfred E Neuman lol, no wonder he's a school shooter.
this is the neighbor of a killer who killed 17 innocent people and you gonna say ‘he talks to much’ cmon man
I wish this guy could narrate my whole life. I'm on the edge of my seat hearing him talk about something so mundane as being introduced to the neighbors. Great storyteller and good attention to detail. I was almost mad when the defense interrupted his story when it was actually HELPING their client.
IMO he might be embellishing.
Just a tad...😬...
Seemingly he was uncomfortable and felt bad that NC mom stated that he was the weird one. Then went on to say NC looked like Alfred E. Neuman. 😳
@@Curious-Irish-Angelit wasn’t the mom, it was Myla , the lady he was renting the guest house from.
@@Curious-Irish-AngelAlfred e nuewman lol that's messed up, he did not need to say that part lmao
Well jesus, if you're getting called "unattractive" by adults when you're a toddler, something's gonna be off in your brain by the time you're in your teens. What does it matter whether a little kid is "attractive" or not?
Exactly. No justification for his actions here at all but when you’re just getting told such confidence crushing things as a little kid things aren’t gonna go well when you’re getting older that’s for sure.
"He's the weird one." That was not some school yard bully at recess. That was an adult saying that about a child. I hope that woman who said that is proud of herself. She can live the rest of her life with her conscience-if she has one.
Yeah that’s a bit strange
I was brought up in a relatively loving family yet at the same time I had a sibling who spent a great deal of time telling me that I was weird and obnoxious when in reality it was her projection on me I realized that now. Then at some point I had chicken pox and picked them to the point that I had severe scarring on my face. Needless to say the kids in school were so much less that they went as far as to call my house and wait while somebody got me so that they could call me crater face over the phone. Yeah I didn't decide to get a weapon and go to school and kill people. So no being bullied is not an excuse
Don't equate being told you're unattractive to becoming a mass shooter.
This guy is great he’s every lawyers dream a defense witness that actually speaks the facts and has a good memory of events and says what he’s asked even if it’s too much of it. Very straightforward and animated.
This man is a great story teller. This was one of the best testimonies Ive ever heard. Lot's of important information about his childhood behavior. I wish they let him tell more because even his private opinions about the kid were very important
No
He looks like he kills squirrels and eats them.. after giving them names
Right
@@anonymous-cx7ng looking at your comments you’re worse than cruz
this was the most irrelevant testimony I've ever heard. Who called him to the stand again? Dude literally just described a passing comment and his "big ears" and how he was "off"... this was really the best testimony you've ever heard?
OMG this guy is SOOO good, stop interrupting him! His story telling is legendary!!!
It was tedious because he was so slow
Is no one going to talk about how messed up what that lady said to Nick as a child was? Yes Nick deserves the punishment he gets and I have zero sympathy for him but to call a child weird to his face, even if she had a feud with his mother, is beyond cruel and no matter how little the effect it had was, that woman played a role in who Nick became. She should be ashamed.
You're weird. Something is not right. Something is off...
That could have been what caused him to be where he is today. Who is the woman and where is she?
Agreed
The old neighbor lady was mad at Nick's mother because her dog attacked her cat. She took her anger out on Nick by belittling and demeaning him in front of others.
If we all watch this and learn nothing about how to be gentle with children and how fragile the ego, soul, and hearts are it is really society that killed and shot those teens not Cruz he is just the body of all the rejection , hate, and negativity that others dumped on and when he had no more room inside to hold that trash he dumped it right back on society that gave it to him I believe his mom took some of that burden with her gone this allowed him to snap . Stop dumping your hate, and rejection on those who are easy targets because in the end they will turn into the monster you all, well we all created and it will be our kids shot when the human can not take anymore. He was different , weaker and people noticed adults like this man Noticed and no one protected him not one SMH this is all sick then we want to hang him the irony here wow. I see it like this when people are cracked or broken like young Cruz society is ruthless and dump on them because they are broken easy to turn into a trash can dump were everyone in town dumps the hate , negativity , and rejections inside into the target then the target can no longer take in any more with out the buffer person here his mom they snap kill others or suicide and then everyone just wants them gone it is all the trash they dumped that they really want gone and hidden not the person this really taught me so much about the different parts people play in a community and the depth of how sick we all are as a society I am glad this man noticed but sad that no one did anything for him as a child what if that man would have confronted that woman right their and then would this story be different ? Who knows but makes me want to be the one who confronts those who are mean to children or insensitive.
I have never seen a witness who is not an expert or cop engage with the jury so much. He was completely comfortable, elaborated without request, and had masterful gesticulations and tone of voice throughout the testimony.
Absolutely fascinating man.
in fact I'd love to see him on stage performig!
honestly I think he would make one hell of a good neighbor too! I think he would do anything to help a neighbor in need.
I totally agree. This boy was put through tremendous pain.
He may enjoy the attention.
@@AuntBee59 he’s a grown man and was also a grown man when he killed those innocent kids. This is also the same grown man that almost killed the police officer for asking him to stop walking on the back of his slides so he wouldn’t trip. He’s a psychopath.
It is terrible to criticize a child, let alone in front of him. I am talking about him as a child, not what he did later on in life. No child deserve that.
I think it's a lot worse to murder 17 children
I agree
I agree 100% unnecessary and irrelevant
Kid grew up to kill 17 beautiful people.
What he did is a result of his poor treatment as a child
There is something very scary about living close to a child you KNOW isn't right and everyone dismisses your concern/opinion and then you turn out to be correct years later. I felt everytime I left my house, I would come back to it burned to the ground.
Your concerns/opinions don’t matter. Mind your own business. Who do you think you are to give opinions to someone about their child?
@@boomds5602 Very scary, too that you obviously don't see my point. His parents were in denial for years as well.
@@melanieobremki4876 I love it. This is a UA-cam comments section for giving our opinions, and this person tells you not to give an opinion. Thye are probably a liberal who works in Silicon Valley.
@@JohnSmith-ct5jd I don't think so much a liberal as maybe someone who has had a similar issue in their life and it hits too close to home.
@@melanieobremki4876 Just to be clear, I was referring to the ignorant person who replied to you, not to you yourself. Peace.
This guy is also a "weird one." The Alfred E. Newman reference cracked me up. I wonder how many in the courtroom knew what he was referring to.
This. I had to look up what he meant. and I was right in my suspicions that it was the cover of that old mad magazine from years ago lol.
True. The old Mad Magazine. Yeah, millennials, before your time!
lol foreal tho I had forgotten about alfred and had to look it up, but I laughed pretty good when I saw it was the old mad magazine kid lol
Lawyer asks a question… guy turns it into story time! I could listen to this man tell stories all day so soothing.
I like this witness, I like the way He describes his first impressions with the neighbors, He seems very sensitive with a high level of perception, maybe the lawyers don't like his detailed description of events and present objections, but this testimony opened a new view of the killer psyche, maybe this testimony would change the course of Cruz sentence.
He spoke the facts and how he saw that little boy and the unhealthy and unfortunate interactions. I'm glad he was in court!
Well put
Right. Does not justify what Cruz did, but there are always two sides.
You probably thinks it’s ok to murder 17 people in cold blood
@@JohnSmith-ct5jd true
Just odd no matter what someone has done to you I don’t think about going into a school killing a bunch of ppl that have there own problems there dealing with.
I can tell he’s the type of guy who can read people like a book
The intuition is strong with this one
Life experience
@@jeremysmith9694 😂😂
Yup
I dont think he can read a book
Very sad this boy turned into a murderer. My heart goes out to all the victims and their families. I can't begin to imagine the emotions they're going through
He is a grown man not a boy and he also wasn’t a boy when he went killed those kids.
That is a grown man who, was so selfish and cowardly that he murdered children. Horrible human being.
Not just a murderer, a mass murderer of children. He is a complete waste of oxygen.
Nice murdered out truck
@@valeciaalex4378 grown man?
Absolutely riveting. I’m floored by this man’s storytelling.
Disney should hire him !
This guy is so bizzare has a knack for idiocy.
Why does his attractiveness matter?
It’s 6 minutes and nothing, when’s the story?
@@Reverend-Race-Horsey Because it can play towards his status in society and how he was always bashed and viewed by others. It isn't to excuse his crimes, but it's help to pain a picture of how people become the way they are.
This man is so totally honest. He speaks from the heart and trusts his gut instinct. He was clearly finding it hard to stick to the formatted court questioning because he had a lot to say and was genuine. What a believable intelligent and empathetic account of what he witnessed . Him demonstrating that walk is probably the only time I have smiled watching all this horrific hearing.
Louis Gentleman & the earlier Pyschologist are wonderfully honest intelligent & perspective .As someone who would not easily open up to a therapist felt so drawn to thiss retired obviously excellent provider. To have insight is an.intuituve trait.too many avoid or do not have .
Yeah I wish they’d let him continue with his story
@@granturismo315 Yeah, me too 🤔 Wish the attorney would talk a little clearer too.
Ok relax. The guy was a weirdo. He was just a neighbour for a short time but acted like he was a star witness. As horrible as Cruz is he was an objectively cute kid. It’s weird that the guy said he was unattractive like that. And he was so dramatic
@@boomds5602 agree. i’ve seen photos of him as a kid and he wasn’t an ugly kid at all. the way this guy is telling the story makes him seem like he’s the weird one.
I mean I feel bad for any child who is called weird by an adult because that can change their perception of themselves. No that ABSOLUTELY does not excuse what he did but it helps us realize that he needed help from a young age and clearly wasn’t getting it
Just remember that kid Murdereed heartlessley 17 beauitufl people.
I think what he meant by it , he thinks that Cruz isn’t right in the head
I'm not sure what others are learning from this, but my point is regardless of what Nick's outcome is, we as adults should learn that the little kids they bully can grow up to be the kids who kills their grandkids.
@@misseducation6205 Unfortunately, this is true. People have become more irresponsible and insensitive in their speech.
Lol, but than the guy calls him somthing worse weird, unattractive lmao!
He would be a awesome narrator for a biography…he just has that voice that makes you want to sit and listen to him talk all day
The witness’ delivery, narration, pausing, even occaisional hesitance, approach those qualities of a good storyteller. His voice is not exactly characteristic of a Morgan Freeman, James Earl Jones, or professional actor, but it’s **fabulous** for a retired mechanic. 👍🏼
@@rossimartiAGREED!…
Maybe he could help you with your grammar too.
@@protestadventures To the OP, “…an awesome…”
This man describes this kid so well. He’s animated and blunt any lawyers dream. He had me engaged the whole time. It is scary to think kids are being called “weird” by an adult at a young age; I can’t even fathom that thought. May all these victims family’s find peace. 😢❤.
Finally someone that can actually tell a story while speaking, the man did his part well
All that old as man said was him running around with a toy gun mentality retarted
my thoughts exactly. finally a good witness lmao
He was nothing but a nosy parker, gossiping about Nikolas with the neighborhood's old ladies. So pleased he was never my neighbor.
@@laserkeyboardpro4239 well the others were victims so 😀
@@prettybarbiedoll1194 uh no. Iv watched literally everyday of this case. Not every witness has been a victim, wth.... They've have doctor's, psychologists, friends of Linda on... They've had dozens of people who weren't victims
I work with people who have intellectual disabilities. I’ve seen what happens to those who, in his words, are unattractive or look like something is off. They often are not treated as well by society as their more attractive piers. People feel much more free to say and do the most thoughtless things to them. This, of coarse, can have a devastating effect on how a person sees themself. I in no way condone what this kid did. He should be put away for the rest of his life, no question. But low self esteem couldn’t have helped when he made the horrific decision to end all those innocent lives.
Yep!!! Bc while he’s wrong for what he did, we have to acknowledge at the very least that had his mom not been on drugs & been a good mother the likelihood of him doing exactly what he did is slim to none, so not saying it’s an excuse, but we have to acknowledge it’s part of the reason why he did so that in the future we can learn how to handle people like this in our society better to hopefully prevent things like this instead of just ignoring people who have needed help & made it very clear they did, like him. At the very least though, her drinking & doing drugs while pregnant I’m sure caused some brain damage to him.
@@kay-collins like Jeffrey Dahmer's Mom 😮 😲 😯 🙀
I think it’s disgusting that people want this kid to be raped, tortured and murdered in jail and have the same prisoners we look down upon, do our dirty work for us. Justice is justice and this kid will never be outside again but it should stop there. The only ones who have any valid reason for being angry are the poor families who lost a loved one to this broken creature. Everyone else is just virtue signaling. Not a good look for you guys.
I feel bad for him. I know this isn't going to be a popular opinion. He was born a crack baby. His mother drank, smoked cigarettes, and smoke crack while pregnant then give him up for adoption. His whole life he was considered the weird kid nobody liked or paid any attention to except when bullied. His` foster parents both had health problems and didn't show him any love or attention. He was orphaned again after his foster parents both passed away from health issues. He had nobody in this world to look up to, no role models to teach him right from wrong. He was isolated and alone living a hopeless existence. I would have rather been one of those kids that died that day than to have grown up under the conditions that he grew up in. That's a fact. I feel sorry for the families of the kids that were lost that day too.
I couldn't agree more!! I'm a mom of an autistic child and I NEVER, EVER talked to my child or about my child in that manner and God help the person/persons who did. I feel SO terribly bad and I am heartbroken for the way Nikolas grew up. I can't even imagine what he endured in his head. Nikolas IS a broken young man who made BAD decisions. I am sorry for all the families who lost a child...I lost my sons twin brother so I know very well that feeling BUT this young man, who is damaged and broken and lost, DOES NOT deserve death. He NEEDS help. I believe he would benefit from being in a institution. I CAN NOT justify putting a challenged young man to death for an unthinkable bad decision when we now know his life was doomed in utero. SHAME on his birth mother who did this to an innocent fetus/baby and shame on the adoptive mother who seemed to of just given up on her child. You don't give up on your child no matter how hard it is. I know from experience....one child autistic and the other on life support due to spinal muscular atrophy and a single parent with my own health issues....you don't give up. Nikolas DOES NOT deserve death....he NEEDS help.
@@nicolekirk8754 We can only pray that he gets the help he needs, and ultimately accepts Jesus in the process, for his soul to be saved.
I agree with you. If only Nikolas got the help he needed then all of this could had been prevented
He should have been kept away from guns
So sad...I agree with you...how terrible to demean a child...I know how it feels... I was diagnosed with Aspergers and I was belittled and demeaned as a child and a young adult by family who is supposed to love me...and bullied in school as well...I wasn't adopted and I had a hard upbringing...luckily I was resilient and I still struggle to forgive the unfair treatment I never deserved. 💔
Parents need to listen to this man and LEARN. Against my advice, my sister nicknamed her son 'Terrible' when he was a toddler. She's crying her @zz off now because he's in jail more than he's out free. He is terrible now, but she should be in jail for what she did to him. NEVER let someone do that to your child. IDC WHO.
So she should go to jail for the mistakes of her son? Only because she gave him that nickname?
@@planetoftheapen1559 So you're assuming that if someone labels a toddler 'Terrible', that they're going to be a loving parent to that child?
@@GoofyFlan bro do you even have children? It could have been a joke.
@@planetoftheapen1559 So an innocent child's feelings mean nothing to you, huh?
@@planetoftheapen1559 having kids is selfish and this just proves why
It's no wonder he grew into such evil, these people completely demeaning him since his infancy is sickening.
Yes it is totally demeaning to a child especially a toddler
Big difference between demeaning and observing demeanor...
That’s crap. I’m a foster kid myself and this punk ain’t seen nothing like I’ve seen. As soon as I figured out one shitty parent they’d move me onto the next one. I became homeless for three years once I aged out of foster care at age 18, and I had to dumpster dive for food, panhandle in front of malls to get money, and smoke cigarettes to make it through the night as I often had to sleep outdoors in the middle of the winter. Nicky Cruz was very fortunate to be adopted by a decent couple who made sure he never went hungry and always had a roof over his head and a stable place to sleep, I never had that growing up yet I would never even THINK of killing 17 innocent people
I did hear he was insufferable as a kid
@@HalJordan0 He was only saying the surrounding circumstances illuminated the root cause of his psychopathy (although that could be untrue) I don’t think he’s making excuses for a school shooter
This man is an incredible storyteller. His recollection is phenomenal. I could listen to him all day.
I wish they could show this man in his youth/Adult. So many people are making comments, Horrible comments about his looks in his older years. He actually made some good points about Cruz. This kid needs to pay for what he’s done, life or death. But I can’t help but feel sorry for him. Amazing cruelty on his mothers part. On his sisters part? Some humans should never be allowed to have children. Brenda is just ONE OF MANY
I want him to get the death penalty no doubt about it die like those kids did and there parents hearts are now dead
Yes and america wants to outlaw abortion
What are they saying? I haven't seen any of those comments.
@@floflo8153 Nobody is saying anything. Laurie is telling lies.
@@fargoth391 definitely, there’s nothing wrong with this guy lol. He looks rather good for an old man lmao
As horrible as what this kid did is and yes, it's horrible, his story and this story should serve as a textbook on "HOW NOT TO RAISE A CHILD".
Reminds me of a case couple of yrs ago of this man who was sentenced to death for killing a PO.
A week before being executed he was interviewed by this reporter and he seemed to be at peace with himself, he accepted the charges and his sentence, he recognized what he did was wrong and asked for forgiveness from the officer's family and from God.
One thing caught my attention though.
He seemed a bit shy and didn't strike me as intimidating at all.
When the reporter asked him what happened, how did he end up in such situation he looked at her with tears in his eyes and said something to the effect of: "when I was a kid I never had anybody who would smack me if I did something wrong".
He said he would walk in the house and nobody asked or cared whether he went to school, whether he had something to eat. Nobody would even recognize his presence by saying hello. He would get up or go to sleep whenever he wanted and it was as if he didn't exist.
Soon he found what he called "the closest to a family I have" in this group of other kids in the same situation he was in and the rest was history until the day he was caught.
Towards the end of the interview the lady asked him when was the last time he got a hug from somebody, anybody, and he said: "it's been a long time. I wouldn't dare trying to guess what year".
She offered to give him one after asking the guard for permission and without saying a word he opened his arms, so did her, they huggged and that's how the interview ended without saying another word.
As for me I try to remind my daughters as often as I can how special they are and how much I love them.
This defining tugged my heart.
🥲
I'm 24, similar situation, my sister was the preferred child, the last time I had a hug was in 2015, it's not that uncommon tbh.
@@mealsome1571 it’s not uncommon but when you pair something like that with mental health issues you essentially get a “perfect storm”.
@@RamiroEloy1997 I hate that phrase "perfect storm", it make's no sense whatsoever (not a personal attack, just a fact). The mental health issue excuse only get's so far though, I grew up in the rural areas of my country then moved to the city. Mental health issues seem to be used as an excuse a lot these days for bad behaviour.
Why are they interrupting the witness? Let the old man speak for USA's sake!
Because the court doesn’t care about your feelings
Damn.. grown ass adults even called Nickolas ugly and weird..... Yet we expected kids to be more grown... I think this kid needs jailed for a long long time but hell.... No wonder he went over the edge
I like this guy a lot. My heart aches and aches for how Nikolas grew up. No child should have to endure that.
Yes however he did kill innocent people so he should be punished for it
@@heidiparpart8129 And life in prison should be that punishment.
and this is why schools need to step in early ...when they start to see things ..buy they Don't they ignore things
@@come-crime-with-me many teachers are too busy with their political agenda.
@@angieherrera1850 very high iq comment
An adult bullying a child. He did not have a chance in this world. Adults should stick up for kids.
Should we? Kids are bad just like adults, either they learn from it, or they don’t .
@@fn5102 so you standby while children are abused? Remember the evil woman picked on the kid BEHIND his mother's back.
@@HeadNtheClouds or we as adults could help "bad" children so they won't grow up to shoot your child 6 times in the chest?
@@HeadNtheClouds children are the product of their environment.
Nonsense. He had all the chance in the world. Instead, he chose to feed his blood lust by coldly murdering unarmed innocent people. There is only one sentence for this guy.
This man is wonderful! He is the only SANE one in his defense. I hope he has some one taking care of him if he needs anything. He speaks well, and I also watch Leave it to Beaver, so I did get a chuckle. He was correct in saying who were like the characters. Cruz still gets zero sympathy from me. A lot of children grew up in dysfunctional families, but NEVER murdered anyone. If I was on the jury….Death sentence and guilty of all charges.
Everybody is different and has different circumstances and you cannot treat people the same even if they had the same experience so I disagree
He was definitely unique!!
We all grew up in some hardship or the other but we do not go around shooting people or even attacking people. It's just humanity. There is no excuse for what he did. I don't think he should get the death penalty though because this is the very problem with society.
He was a damn crack head 😂
@@HephzibahBeulahMinistries I personally believe public hangings should be brought back. Maybe if people see what happens to them when they do things like murder, they won't be so keen on doing it.
The world was cruel to him, no doubt about that. Who bullies a kid like that, to their face? NOT JUSTIFYING! okay Karens, not justifying anything just saying
There is literally too many Karen’s in these comment sections that always say that they are making excuses for him. When literally nobody was making an excuse for him in the fist place and they have zero sense in how the legal field works.
Right. Everybody has a breaking point.
I'm sure the victims of Cruz's bullying would say the same.
@@ukmedicfrcs no comparison, they were bullied by one, he was bullied by many
@@craigsiedman3974 Ridiculous. You have no idea how many people his victims were bullied by. Regardless, he was a bully and to his victims it was a traumatic experience.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with having empathy for Nic Cruz the little boy. He was treated unfairly and without concern for his sensibilities. But Nic Cruz the young man that indiscriminately killed children that could very well have been going through the same struggles he had or were headed in the direction of making the lives of others better or maybe already taking time to care for people that needed some extra love and acceptance, does not deserve to be cared for in the same way the little boy Nic Cruz should have been cared for. I do believe that he can make a difference from behind bars if he really wants to but that should be decided by his victims and their families to decide,not a jury or a judge. IMHO
I don’t think people should get to choose to murder someone or not unless it’s self-defense. How is him being put to death going to do anything other than satisfy sadism? These people are dead. They aren’t coming back. I’m sorry but it won’t help anyone. They may be sorry one day if they want him killed.
@@wrenbyrd1093 But he chose to kill those kids and teachers. He didn't give them a choice! Their life is over because of his actions.
@@wrenbyrd1093 I understand what you are saying. I guess I feel like it may actually be the only thing that brings some form control back into the lives of his victim’s family if they were given the opportunity to be a large part of the decision of what his punishment will be. And I feel like the options should be things such as life in prison under their direction as to how he spends his time. Such as working at a particular job that benefits people in need of help. Building homes, manufacturing essentials to be given to those that need it, taking care of people in some way. Because given the opportunity I think a lot of the victims would choose what their deceased loved ones would want them to choose. Obviously there’s probably many flaws with my ideas lol
@@nikkikidd8428 I agree…our system is not set up this way but I do feel that the victims’ families would have better insight into how they would like NC to live out his life or receive the death penalty. Some families may have a religious objection to the death penalty which would then feel very conflicting for them forever. I really feel for the jurors and hope that they receive some type of therapy after this trial.
This
Any old coot living by himself in his 60's doing his own vintage bike maintenance and still riding is cool to me. This is independence in old age and you all are lame to criticize him for "being weird". Dude is the master of his own domain.
He’s very passionate, I really understand his testimony
He’s Creed from “The Office” 😄
Oops I meant to reply to someone else
I didn’t think they could do it but this man made me feel sorry for the killer. He’s very charismatic.
It’s OK to feel sorry for the killer because the circumstances of his birth and conception was terrible and the fact that his mom drank while pregnant with him and he had a lot of developmental disabilities you can’t feel sorry that he killed all those people but you can kind of see his life before this all happened and gain some perspective and this guy does a good job of showing that.
lol
How many interactions does it take with law enforcement, school officials and mental health professionals before something is done to prevent these high risk kids from gaining access to legal firearms and to get intensive treatment?
Enough that they take him out of a special needs school where he was thriving and behaving well and tossing him back into an environment where he was spiraling.
No one wanted to do anything, they have all the gun laws, but need more
The “system” is so unbelievably broken and over and over again innocent people pay the price for this it’s a disgrace
I don't understand how someone so obviously damaged can legally buy firearms, let alone AR15. I don't understand the reasoning "can't go to mainstream school or fit into society" "here, have some firearms!".
This man’s testimony of how Nicholas responded and recoiled at the offensive things the mother was saying was palpable for me. Utterly disgusting and inhumane to the 10 year old boy.
It's wasn't the mother who was saying he was weird. It was the landlady.
This guy is the best story teller. I wish they'd have continued to let him speak.
The crowd sure did empty out when the defense started talking
I would have too, wouldn't you?
Facts lol but a good handful of parents are still there.
This is hard stuff. Divided between compassion and justice.
If you have any compassion, you'd want justice. Fu*k Nicholas Cruz.
"He looked like Alfred E. Neuman". Damn, is this a testimony or a roast?
it's MAD
🤣🤣🤣
Terrible what that lady said to him as a child.
He is a great story teller, he gives great insight.
This is the most amazing testimony I've ever seen and heard! He's like the people need to know it wasn't the weed, he's never been right,and people were horrible to him. period.Nikolas said it himself. It was revenge but not on the ones that hurt him.
Are you saying that it wasnt a drug problem.?
@@ACM1PT95 people who smoke weed are chill they don't go around shooting people.
@@ACM1PT95 been smoking weed for almost 7 years now, successful career and definitely am the farthest thing away from a murderer. It’s a plant, not heroin.
Exactly! This is my favorite testimony right here and I easily love the guy giving it. Thank God for people like him and you and I because the detail he goes into and that we want is what everyone really needs to pay attention to. This shows humanity toward and an interest in the boy's inner world where the evil began brewing.
@@nathalytotallyrocks3179 just. No. Reasons are different from excuses. I still believe people deserve punishment for doing wrong, but a lesser one when what's wrong could be fixed. Not everyone works the same, but there are general guidelines we can come up with and put together to help people get better.
That run 🙈 I can't believe they asked him to demonstrate it 🫣😂
Come on now, y’all didn’t have to put the old guy from courage the cowardly dog on the stand 😂🤦🏽♀️
😂
Eustace!!!!
reminds me more of the creepy neighbor from Monster House 🤣
I said he looks like creed from the office
The guy is a great story teller. Writers would love him so much. His genuine style is unique.
I love people who say….”…now I dont want to insult a person and I don’t want to be mean or say something bad about a person….” And immediately after saying that they proceed to insult, be mean and then say something really bad and hurtful to that person! 🤦🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️💁🏻♂️
Who cares
When I was younger my big brother told me he will cut my legs if I played footbal, he was terrorising me if i was on the pitch ( I was 12 he was 33 ) He used to tell me I’m useless and I’m stupid in school, my dad died of leukemia when I was 14 , my mother never asked me if I need any help, I had to clean, cook and baby sit my nephews untill I was 18. I was traumatised by the beatings I’ve seen and the criticism in that household. I didnt even know therapy existed. My income was coming into the house for food too, my other brother was diagonesd with maniac bipolar disorder and I had to live with him in the same house. You know what I did when I was 18? I moved and I studied and worked for years ( engineering ) . Now I work with special needs children every day. You know why I did that? because I did not have any other choice other than that or a life ruined. All it took was one person to be kind with me and that was my father, even if he died his love and kindness saved my life. I am so sorry for those victims, Imm glad this case is made public so we all learn how positive behaviour towards a child can change their life.
This guy definitely has a tad of eccentric tone to him. I'm just waiting for him to finish his expressions just to get through the sentences. Lol 😆
Damn I wish they didn't interrupt him!
This man is great. Speaks nothing but facts, very emotional with his expressions.
This guy loved being on the stand. He should be an actor. All and all, this kid was raised horrifically but it is no excuse to kill innocent people. End of story.
This kid didn't stand a chance from the beginning and I would feel so bad for him and of course as a human being I do in a way after hearing what he's been through if he had attempted suicide and lived . My heart would've went out to him because that's just a terrible life from birth. BUT he didn't try to end his own life. He decided to take other children's lives and I will never be able to look past what he went through and feel bad because they're all gone period!
@@Lotsielots that's bs . He hunted the freshman building. He has never met these kids.
Could this have been prevented from happening, definitely.
But I do believe this guy is beyond saving.
Yeah, he did have a chance. He CHOSE to kill people. No one forced him to do anything.
Sir, your Niki killed 17 innocents people
I adore this man, please someone take care as he grows old
@Kira you know exactly what he meant a bush
Go ahead. Since you care so much.
@@Canxervero i wish like em better than my neighbors
@Kira he's not too old, i would say mid-60s. still working. he seems like a good guy.
Exclusion. You can't exclude kids and call them unattractive. This is ridiculous. When kids are bullied by adults, sorted out, sorted away of course they are angry when they become adults duh
Fax
Thank you for your gripping testimony, sir. Even brutal honesty is honesty. ⚖️
Imagine casually introducing a 10 year years old boy as "the weird one". No wonder he grew up full of hate.
"We are the weird ones Mister "
Boohoo
Right. It is one thing for a child's peers to say things like that, but this was an adult saying that about a child. That has a larger impact. Saying that right in front of the child is unforgivable. I hope that woman who said that realizes that she may have had a small part in causing this tragedy.
@@JohnSmith-ct5jd You're seriously attempting to equate being called " weird " or " unattractive " to becoming a mass shooter? I rolled my eyes so hard they're stuck back there.
@@ukmedicfrcs I don't want to imagine what this kid went through his whole life. This old guy just met him for a few seconds and already knew him as "the weird one". There are many adults and even people over 50 that are hurts by words. I don't excuse what he did but we can't expect this kid to brush all those traumas off and grew up like nothing. The way he describes his reaction as a "snail that you put salt on" that is physical pain. This kid never had a chance.
I'm so torn cuz I keep having souch compassion for him and then remember what he did and this whole thing is gut wrenching and sad...yes even for him...and obviously he needs to pay the price...ugh it's just so sad and devastating!! I do feel bad that they're all talking about his ears though! I mean that's probably one of the huge things he was teased for as a kid!
...having said all that I don't understand how he did not get the death penalty...in reality even just one of those premeditated killings would have warranted it
People need to be kinder to each other.
YOUR MOM
People need to learn to take rejection with grace.
There are people who have been suffering since they have been out of the womb. Those people never shot up schools.
This monster terrorized people because why? He was called weird? Dude grew up in a nice loving home with wealthy people.
The problem is people like you constantly victimizing these people when what they need is to be held accountable for their actions.
It’s fun to play the tune of friendship and forgiveness until it is you or someone you care about that ends up getting murdered.
We are all sick and tired of this crap.
@@ahappilydrunkpuppy8961 ok But we can still be kinder what’s wrong with that?
@@tiffanyandco4156
Cause people like the one above you are guilty of treating people like crap. They want you to get over it. School bullies that never grew up.
@@ahappilydrunkpuppy8961 you're the problem
"I'm sorry to say this in front of the boy." He's worried he's going to hurt the *mass murderer's* feelings.
This witness is great for the defense. He personally demonstrates his unbridled contempt that he had for the child, Nicholas Cruz, because of his physical appearance. The cruel and unconscious neighbor is the epitome of much that is wrong with this world. She was abusive to a child...because she could.
unbridled contempt?
Lmao 🤣 are you serious? Ya he's the epitome of what's wrong! That's hilarious 😂
Because he was her neighbor and who knows what weird crap she's seen him do.
@@Earthbound369 Sancho poncho go eat your beans
@@amymckinnon9224 You are obviously unable to separate the child from the murderer. It is very cruel for an adult to speak unkindly about the child in the presence of the child. The message that you convey is that you are ok with emotional and verbal abuse of a child. I have to explain this because low IQ people are incapable of making a distinction. I'm not in any way defending the adult, Nick Cruz. I'm simply defending the child who was shown abuse and disrespect by an adult in his presence. How would you feel as a six-year-old child, if an adult spoke to another adult in your presence and labeled you "weird," "ugly," "stupid," or another derogatory term in your presence?
Thank you sir! A job well done.
The prosecution lawyers are trying their hardest not to break out in hysterical laughter.
Greg Gordon - I was thinking the same thing lol
Thats because they didn't want anyone to take his testimony seriously. He gave a real insight into how this boy was treated at a young age. Not saying the Kid is innocent, he never will be, but that testimony atleast gives background into why he turned out the way he did.
This guy's a real prize. He recognized that Nikolas being called "the weird one" was soul crushing and wrong, but in the very next breath tells the world right in front of him that "he was an unattractive kid." 🤭
Ya..i was like daang..way to pour salt on the wound..🤦
Well he said that is why what he was about to say is Ironic because he recognizes it. and I don't really care if this sick FU**S feelings get hurt
Old man was just telling the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
The pervert Olympics lol
He was honest. Also, there is a big difference between an adult saying something like that to a small child, and him saying that to a young adult who committed a mass murderer. But even then, he was clearly reluctant and took no pleasure in saying this.
I thought I was a storyteller... This man really is the real deal!
Not very nice of that neighbour who said that he was the weird one right in front of him. One of the reasons he started down his path to darkness. Very sad.
My Mom would scream so loud in my face my ears would ring sometimes , she would love all over my female cousin and say she always wanted a girl, she would openly talk about things that humiliated me with cashiers at Walmart or wherever to my face. I had some issues sure but I got over it, I never killed anybody.
You figured out it wasn’t you it was her and you moved on with your life
That’s what I would call a shitty parent.
@@samcriston4256 this! When u realize tht it really helps to heal from the trauma
Sorry you experienced those things when you were little. 😔 good you grew up a nice person.
@@Bellebelle075 Lol wouldn't say nice. But I am definitely kind where it matters. Keep your head up :)
This dude is a gem
You can tell he enjoyed calling him ugly in front of the world lmao
Really? That was not at all the impression I got. Despite what Cruz did, he seemed genuinely ashamed at calling him ugly. He is a very decent man. I made a snarky comment about him earlier, and even I felt obliged to apologize to him for it.
Cruz is probably betting looking than all you keyboard critics
Ugly is a hurtful word growing up my mom was very chill ( still strict ) she didn’t mind causal cursing but Call someone ugly that got you the belt.
“I hate to say it right in front of him…” ha ha. I could watch this guy for HOURS!
Man,he really paid a lot of attention to this family.He described everything in details.
The true description of a Psychopath, it's in their eyes for real.
What an ignorant comment. Do you know what it takes to diagnose a psychopath? You must be young.
Not psychopath but sociopath, psychopath are born, it's clear he was made into monster he is today. Too many people always use psychopath without knowing the true meaning of it. He is sociopaths who are made based off environment they grew up.
A psychopath isn't actually a bad person 🤷♂️.
you can easily tell this man speaks 100% the truth.
He's the weird one, coming from a stranger would hurt, but coming from a parent, would be devastating. And you would rehearse those words in your mind, and believe them. Especially considering that your mom said it.
His mom will burn in hell
His mom did not say it. It was the lady that rented the house out.
This guy had entirely too much time to prepare for this moment. Lots of detailed extrapolating and interpreting that I would imagine did not happen in real time. He even structured his testimony as a 3-act play! Pull it back Meryl....
LOL!
This is the funniest comment on youtube
I like this guy. He has tremendous insight and empathy and a sense of irony typical of great storytellers. He has a firm sense of morality and knows it’s wrong to insult a developing boy to his face but at the same time he knows there is irony in that he has to do the same in order to tell the truth but apologises in advance.
You are spot on. Thank you.
Who else loves this witness. He is awesome.
This man needs a book deal from this testimony. Give him a nice advance, transcriptionist, and a good editor.
He has a very vivid way of describing things, for sure!
I love his style of storytelling
The woman who rented the house to him, should not have called the boy 'weird'. That is a disgraceful thing to do to a child.
See you understand people are terrible.
No one is gonna talk about she called the boy weird to his face. Wow.
As well as ugly, come on, what’s with that?
This will not set well with anyone but I feel so so bad for Nicholas I really do.
Absolutely, I do, too. Severe fetal alcohol syndrome is devastating. What a horrible existence.
My heart breaks for his victims and their families. RIP Innocent victims of this horrific shooting. He never ever should have been allowed to get his hands on a gun.
this guy really makes a difference in this whole story. I've been watching this session from the beginning. I hope the court seriously considers this defense in the case. There are clear directions.
What a character this man is...It is the only time I have smiled and laughed throughout this horrific trial...Such a credibly witness.
This testimony is riveting! Can't say I didn't feel a little pain for "Nicky" Cruz when Schusler told the story of the neighbour calling him weird right in front of him and the boy was just 10-years-old. Doesn't make it right what he did, but you can see where some of that hate came from.
Very ugly that he described the young man as unattractive. That, in a nutshell, is what this boy was subjected to all his youth.
My only issue with this witness is he seems to think or maybe wants to be more apart of this whole thing then he truly is. Like he said, he was the one who contacted the lawyers to tell them what he thought about Cruz. He kind of inserted himself, and in the end made this more about himself. So the kid ran weird... WTF does that have to do with killing 17 innocent people/kids with an AR-15!?
He's an old lonely man. The sister and her new reality tv lawyer p1ssed me off.
A mechanic who has more wisdom and common sense and intelligence than many College graduates nowadays...
You sure got that one right 👍
Your job doesn’t always denote your intelligence.
@@fiire_bug That-s what I've said.😁😅
And ya'll about to pay for those College Grads with 300B$ if the Supreme Court allows Biden.
Hes also probably 65-70 years old, that kind of wisdom and situational awareness only comes with age. Thats why they say, when you get older you lose your physical prowess but make up for it in wisdom and knowledge.
Alfred E. Neuman. That's the Mad Magazine guy. Holy crap he's right! No wonder every time I look at Cruz I get the sensation that I'm looking at a cartoon caricature.
Surprised he was able to continue this tale for several minutes at a time without an objection. 🙄
Cause he a great story teller haha I could listen to him talk for a bit 😂😂
@Luna Haze I AM older people and THIS is a " performance".
@Luna Haze Younger than HIM but old enough to know he is over-acting.
Still at it I see. The notion of a fair trial simply upsets you.
@@jotunblod Are you stalking me, lil one? 🤔
If calling a kid weird turned them into mass murderers none of us would of made it out of school alive.
From the little I've learned about this case, I must say....it's so tragic all the way around. 💔 Children are so impressionable, so absorbent of their surroundings, and trauma can cause so much turmoil and suffering. Nik Cruz lived a horrible life. It's not an 'excuse or justification....just a fact that contributed. Some say things like 'Well lots of people suffer horrible childhoods but they don't do this'.....and while true, it's also true that every persons trauma feels different, individually, some people are more sensitive, some more resilient, some more reactive....and know one can know how anyone processes their experience. The mother of him was/is deplorable. Truth be told, there should be better laws to hold her accountable for being a disgusting parent who didn't parent.
and let's be honest, Nik Cruz almost certainly has unsupported autism and severe mental illnesses, and was horribly bullied for it. A huge part of the blame is on society
Well said!
Truth be told we shouldn't force women to have children just so other people can have cute babies to adopt.
I’ll repeat it for you, and maybe this time it will sink in. A lot of people come from horrible, tragic childhoods. With no love. With no support. With nothing but abuse. Or worse. You trying to justify what he did is almost as despicable as what he did. I would love to hear your opinion if one of YOUR children were murdered by him. Oh, how your sympathy would take a different form.
@@carlicotton7890 Nobody's making excuses. You're sensationalizing what they're saying. Yes, the blame rests with him, the one who pulled the trigger. But why the hell aren't we talking about how hurt people breed hurt and the fact that society lets mentally ill kids slip through the wire with no help to deal with their severe anger?