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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Scot Peterson, sheriff's deputy and head of school resources at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, appeared for the first time in court for failing to protect the students during the shooting that took place on February 14, 2018.
He appeared by videoconference at Broward County Jail for a hearing before a Magistrates Court in Fort Lauderdale.
The attack, one of the worst shootings in the history school in the United States, claimed the lives of 17 students, teachers and staff. 17 more people were injured. In an unusual lawsuit opened on Tuesday, the authorities charged Mr. Peterson, 56, with seven counts of child negligence, culpable negligence and perjury.
The former MP, the only armed guard on campus to retreat to a safe place during the attack, proved to have done "absolutely nothing to mitigate" the carnage, According to law enforcement officials following a survey conducted by the Florida Law Enforcement Department.
He was transferred to the county jail on a deposit of $ 102,000. He appeared Wednesday at the bail hearing, wearing a beige uniform, showing no sign of emotion.
[Here are the three crucial steps officials say Scot Peterson missed]
During the hearing, his lawyers raised the issue of whether Mr. Peterson, who had held the position of school resource officer for eight years, met the legal definition of "caregiver". The criminal laws under which Mr. Peterson was charged for his behavior during the shootings are not specifically designed for law enforcement officers and generally apply to parents. Police officers are not considered guardians of children, legal experts said.
The lawyers also asked if Mr. Peterson could travel to North Carolina to retrieve his passport so that he could be delivered to fulfill one of the conditions to obtain a bond. The judge rejected both applications and the hearing ended in a few minutes.
Subsequently, his lawyer, Joseph DiRuzzo, of Fort Lauderdale, said he was expecting his client to be able to pay bail and be released.
"We are waiting for the case to be assigned to a criminal circuit judge. We intend to table a motion to reduce bail and a motion to change the terms of bail, "he told reporters, adding that he" anticipated that should not take very long. "
"We expect Mr. Peterson to be treated fairly, like any other person," he said.
Experts claim that the criminal charge of the law enforcement officer for negligence in his response to a mass shooting is a new ground.
"It's the first time I see anyone so charged," said Clinton R. Van Zandt, former profiler of the F.B.I. and an expert in mass shootings, said. "I think every policeman, sheriff and F.B.I. The agent understands that the threat must be tackled and stopped and that we will not wait for SWAT or set up perimeters. "
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