The grandmother of a 14-year-old Parkland shooting victim has angrily said evil gunman Nikolas Cruz should "burn in hell".
Theresa Robinovitz, the gran of Alyssa Alhadeff, told a two-day sentencing of the former Stoneman Douglas High School student that she hopes "every breathing moment here on Earth is miserable" for the gunman.
The emotional gran stood up in court and delivered a heartfelt message as she slammed the judicial system for not sentencing the gunman to the death penalty.
Circuit Court Judge Elizabeth Schere is expected to sentence the 24-year-old to life in prison without parole on Wednesday - once the victims' families address Cruz in person.
Mrs Robinovitz, along with the families of the other 17 victims', pleaded with the laws to be changed following Florida's State Legislature which requires a jury to unanimously agree on sentencing a person to death.
The killer wore a bright red jail jumpsuit and showed no emotion from behind a face mask as he faced his victims' families.
The gran told Cruz directly: "You should write a book on how you and your defence counsel beat the judicial system and got away with murder.
"I'm too old to see you live out your life sentence, but I hope your every breathing moment here on Earth is miserable and you repent for your sins, Nikolas, and burn in hell."
Debra Hixon, the wife of athletic director Chris Hixon, a Navy veteran who died trying to stop the February 14, 2018, shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School was the first to address him.
She told Cruz: "You stole him from us, and you did not receive the justice that you deserved. There is no mitigating circumstance that will outweigh the heinous and cruel way you stole him from us."
Mr Hixon was wounded and fell to the floor, where Cruz shot him again as he spent more than 10 minutes trying to get back on his feet before he died.
She continued: "You were given a gift, a gift of grace and mercy - something you did not show to any of your victims. I wish nothing for you today.
"After today, I don't care what happens to you. You'll be sent to jail, you'll begin your punishment, you'll be a number, and for me you will cease to exist."
Eric Wikander, the father of student Ben Wikander, who has undergone seven surgeries, called Cruz a "monster" for the injuries he's caused to his son.
He said: "We hope that you, the monster who did this to our son, endure a painful existence in your remaining days. Whatever pain you experience in prison unfortunately will be a fraction of what Ben endured."
Stacey Lippel, a wounded teacher, told the killer she was "broken and altered" after being shot during the massacre.
She told him: "Because of you, I check for all exits wherever I am. Because of you, I think of the worst-case scenario for myself and my family.
"Because of you, I will never feel safe again. "I have no forgiveness in my heart for you. You are a monster with no remorse, and every breath you take is a breath wasted."
The jury in his recently concluded penalty trial could not unanimously agree that the 24-year-old former Stoneman Douglas student deserved a death sentence.
The families gave emotional statements during the trial but were restricted about what they could tell jurors.
They could describe only their loved ones and the toll the killings had on their lives. The wounded could say only what happened to them.
In addition, they were barred from addressing Cruz directly or saying anything about him - a violation would have risked a mistrial.
And the jurors were told they couldn't consider the family statements as aggravating factors as they weighed whether Cruz should die.
One family member who chose not to speak directly to Cruz is Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter Jaime was shot in the back as she tried to flee.
He tweeted Tuesday that it won't change anything if he addresses "the monster" who murdered his daughter, the defence team he believes "gave up its humanity" to defend him or the teacher he says faked heroism.
Cruz's attorneys say he is not expected to speak.
He apologised in court last year after pleading guilty to the murders and attempted murders, but families told reporters they found the apology aimed at garnering sympathy.
That plea set the stage for a three-month penalty trial that ended October 13 with the jury voting 9-3 for a death sentence.
Jurors said those voting for life believed Cruz is mentally ill and should be spared.
Prosecutors argued Cruz planned the shooting for seven months before he slipped into a three-story classroom building, firing 140 shots with an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle down hallways and into classrooms.
He fatally shot some wounded victims after they fell. Cruz said he chose Valentine's Day so it could never again be celebrated at Stoneman Douglas.
Cruz's attorneys focused on their belief that his birth mother's heavy drinking during pregnancy left him brain damaged.
They believed it condemned him to a life of erratic and sometimes violent behavior that culminated in the massacre - the deadliest U.S. mass shooting to go to trial.
