Florida Supreme Court Rules Parkland Shooter Can't Shield Experts Names

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/AP) - Attorneys for confessed Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz have lost their bid to keep the names of the expert witnesses who have interviewed him in jail private.

The state's Supreme Court has declined to review an earlier decision by the 4th District Court of Appeal that the names of mental health providers who met with Cruz in jail must be public. Cruz's lawyers had argued that disclosure of the identities would threaten his right to a fair trial.

Broward County prosecutors and news outlets opposed shielding the names under state public records laws.

"The constitution and the public records act do not authorize redacting the names of the experts visiting petitioner in jail," the appeals court ruled.

Read: Florida Supreme Court's Disposition

Cruz, 21, is charged with killing 17 people and wounding 17 others in the Valentine's Day 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. His attorneys have said he will plead guilty in return for a life prison sentence, but prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

A trial date has not been set. The next hearing in the case is March 23rd.

(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)