Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) heavily criticized the jury in the Nikolas Cruz trial for recommending a life sentence without the possibility of parole instead of the death penalty for committing a mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018.
DeSantis said Cruz, who killed three teachers and 14 students in the shooting, deserves the death penalty.
"I think that if you have a death penalty at all, that is a case where you're massacring those students with premeditation in utter disregard of basic humanity, you deserve the death penalty," said DeSantis.
DeSantis added he thinks it is wrong for Cruz to receive a sentence similar to others who have committed lesser crimes. He went on to criticize how long it has taken to reach this point in the trial, given the shooting took place more than four years ago.
WATCH: @GovRonDeSantis slammed the life sentence recommendation for Parkland school shooter.
— Brendon Leslie (@BrendonLeslie) October 13, 2022
'You deserve the death penalty.' pic.twitter.com/YF3StNJMe1
Some of the victims' families voiced their anger toward the life sentence recommendation as well.
"17 shot and 17 wounded and not give the death penalty. What do we have the death penalty for?"
— Court TV (@CourtTV) October 13, 2022
Parents of #AlyssaAlhadeff, who was murdered by the #Parkland shooter, react to the jury's recommendation of life in prison instead of the death penalty. pic.twitter.com/vyr92ik77M
Mass murderers: you get to live your natural life, you get your 3 hot meals a day, you get to shower every day, get medical attention, hey, even a hobby or a new education. What a great message is this sending.
— Manuel Oliver (@manueloliver00) October 13, 2022