Parkland school shooting verdict: Count 12 in penalty phase is Scott Beigel

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Broward Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer announced on Oct. 13 that a divided jury recommended life in prison without the possibility of parole as punishment for the Parkland school shooter on count 12 of first-degree murder.

Count 12 of 17 in the penalty phase is for the murder of Scott Beigel who Nikolas Cruz killed on Feb. 14, 2018, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, according to Scherer.

Beigel, 35, was on the third floor of the school’s 1200 building when he was shot four times, according to Chief Assistant State Attorney Mike Satz.

Beigel, a geography and world history teacher, was just outside of his classroom′s doorway, records show. Amid the chaos, Beigel was trying to get as many students as possible into room 1256 before closing the door, according to teacher Stacey Lippel.

Dr. Rebecca M. MacDougall, who performed his autopsy and testified in court on July 26, said bullets pierced Beigel’s heart and ruptured his lungs.

Beigel, an avid runner, was the school’s cross-country coach. He also worked for years at Camp Starlight in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, where he had started as a camper.

After attending the University of Miami, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Farmingdale State College and a master’s degree in education from the Touro College and University System.

Beigel is survived by his sister Melissa Zech, his mother Linda Beigel-Schulman, and his adoptive father Michael Schulman. His family set up The Scott J. Beigel Memorial Fund in his honor to send “at-risk underserved children touched by gun violence to summer sleep-away camp.”

Interactive graphic: Understanding the choices jurors made on the verdict form

Linda Beigel-Schulman and Michael Schulman react to the verdict

Videos of court testimony related to Biegel’s case

Linda Beigel-Schulman reads her victim impact statement

Michael Schulman reads his victim impact statement

Teacher Stacey Lippel testifies

MacDougal testifies about the autopsy

Interactive graphic on the penalty phase


About the Author:

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.