FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A judge has ruled that a lawsuit filed by families of the 17 people killed and other victims of the Parkland, Florida, school massacre against a former sheriff’s deputy who failed to intervene can proceed to trial. Circuit Judge Carol-Lisa Phillips rejected former Deputy Scot Peterson’s motion to dismiss the case before trial, stating that a jury should decide whether he displayed a “wanton and willful disregard” for the safety of students and teachers during the attack at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
Peterson, who was acquitted of criminal charges last year, maintains that he didn’t know where the shots were coming from. However, the families are seeking an unspecified amount in their lawsuit against Peterson and the Broward Sheriff’s Office. The judge plans to start the trial sometime this year.
The judge wrote in the ruling that Peterson’s failure to confront the shooter and take any action to protect the students and teachers exhibited a conscious indifference to the consequences for those inside the school. David Brill, a lead lawyer for the families and survivors, stated that the evidence supports the ruling.
At a hearing last month, Peterson’s attorney argued that his client had no legal duty to confront the shooter during the 2018 massacre. But the judge stated that the extent of Peterson’s duty is something for the jury to decide, as there is a “genuine dispute” over whether he had a “special relationship with students, teachers, and administration.”
The families and survivors have already settled claims with the FBI and the Broward school district for a combined $153 million. Peterson, the first U.S. police officer to be charged criminally with failing to act during a school shooting, was acquitted of child neglect in June. He retired shortly after the shooting and was then fired retroactively.
In conclusion, a judge has ruled that the lawsuit against the former deputy who failed to intervene during the Parkland school massacre can proceed to trial. The families and survivors seek an unspecified amount from the deputy and the Broward Sheriff’s Office, and the trial is expected to begin sometime this year. This case raises questions about the duty of law enforcement officers to protect others during crises.