Violating Release - They Are Out To Get You

Transformer

Well-Known Member
Yep, the Criminal Justice System acts at the whim of interested parties.


The head of the Broward Sheriff's Office probation department called an ankle-monitoring service every 10 minutes on Saturday to learn whether Zachary Cruz was violating his probation, according to court papers filed late Monday.

David Scharf, executive director of community programs and head of the department of probation for BSO, unilaterally had Cruz's ankle monitor set to go off whenever he entered Broward County, even though that restriction was not one of the conditions of his probation, according to Cruz's defense lawyers, who are asking a Broward judge to hold Scharf in contempt of court.

Cruz, 18, is on probation for trespassing at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in March, the scene of his brother's deadly rampage a month earlier, in which 17 people were killed and 17 others were injured. Cruz moved to Virginia on Sunday, but wanted to visit his mother's grave in Fort Lauderdale the day before.

When he reached his mother's grave, his ankle monitor began to go off, according to defense lawyer Mark S. Lowry.

"Mr. Cruz was very scared and worried over being arrested for violating his probation when he had not done anything wrong," Lowry wrote. "It was because of this fear that Mr. Cruz ... quickly ended the visit to his mother's graveside prematurely."

Officials from Nexus Services, the Virginia-based company providing Cruz with a job and a place to stay for the next year, contacted the monitoring service to find out why the ankle monitor was signaling a violation.

The manager of the service said "one of her monitoring technicians, named Dan, had been receiving calls from Mr. Scharf every 10 minutes that Saturday (regarding) Mr. Cruz's whereabouts and whether any violations had occurred," Lowry wrote. "Mr. Scharf (stated) that 'technically' there was no restriction on Mr. Cruz being in Broward County, but that he personally wanted to be able to track Mr. Cruz, know when he was in Broward County, and when he had left the area as well."

Cruz was not to go within a mile of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, according to Broward County Judge Melinda Brown. There was no restriction prohibiting him from entering Broward County.

"Mr. Cruz could not have a meaningful visit at his mother's graveside for the first Mother's Day weekend after her passing, solely because Mr. Scharf wanted to track, and violate Mr. Cruz for something that was not against the law," Lowry wrote. "As such, this Honorable Court must punish conduct offensive to the public and ensure Mr. Scharf clearly understands he is not above the law."

The sheriff's office, citing policy, declined to comment on pending litigation Tuesday morning.

Scharf already wrongly accused Cruz of violating his probation earlier this month by coming within 25 feet of the parking lot of a school in Lake Worth, according to Cruz's lawyers. Cruz was prohibited from being present at any school in which he was not enrolled, but there was no prohibition on being near a school. Prosecutors dropped the violation claim.

Cruz received permission last week from Brown to move to Virginia, where he will remain on probation for six months. Any violation can land him back in a Broward jail.
 

tibb1908

Well-Known Member
This is the first time that I have heard of a police department banning a family member, of a school shooter, from going to any school that they aren't enrolled in but I wonder why. They haven't released any information that would suggest that he's a danger to society. I think that they are targeting him.
 

Shula

Well-Known Member
But see if they had been monitoring his crazy brother who had a 50-11 red flags going off, we wouldn't be in this situation. Not making excuses, but it's kinda weird that they are hyper monitoring the black brother like this while the kids were terrified and complained about the guilty non black brother who actually did the shooting. Just an observation.
 

Transformer

Well-Known Member
But see if they had been monitoring his crazy brother who had a 50-11 red flags going off, we wouldn't be in this situation. Not making excuses, but it's kinda weird that they are hyper monitoring the black brother like this while the kids were terrified and complained about the guilty non black brother who actually did the shooting. Just an observation.

Yep, it's weird. There are no reports that this guy purchased or owns a stockpile of weapons.....like his brother. No reports that he was constantly expelled from school and not permitted to carry a backpack. But he's guilty by association and his life is being made hell.

When someone calls the monitoring agency every 10 minutes there is a problem.
 

momi

Well-Known Member
Zachary Cruz was arrested May 1 and charged with violating conditions of his probation for driving without a valid driver’s license and for going within 25 feet of a parking lot of a high school in Lake Worth, local media reported.


The arrest was the second for Cruz since the mass shooting. He was apprehended March 19 at the Parkland campus after being warned to stay away from the school, according to the Sun-Sentinel newspaper. On March 29, he pleaded no contest to a trespassing charge and received probation and accompanying restrictions.

Following his second arrest, Cruz was held on a $500,000 bond, which Donovan said was "incredibly excessive" for a misdemeanor charge. Donovan also claims Cruz was tortured during his 10-day jail stay through sleep deprivation tactics."

 

Kanky

Well-Known Member
It seems unlikely to me that he is also planning a school shooting. The person calling about him every ten minutes sounds like a stalker.

According to this the police were called to his house repeatedly because he was fighting with his brother. Since his brother shot up the school I’m going to assume that Zachary wasn’t the real problem.

https://nypost.com/2018/02/27/suspe...rother-had-long-history-with-authorities-too/

I hope that he is getting some mental health care. He’s probably having a very hard time.
 

momi

Well-Known Member
Burn. Kill. Destroy.": Prosecutors have released hours of video interrogation of Parkland shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz, who said he has long heard "demons" in his head -

 

Shula

Well-Known Member
I was wondering why this thread even existed. I didn’t know this guy was black.

Are you referring to the shooter, Nicholas, or the black brother they are harassing in this story, Zachary Cruz? The shooter is not black. I believe they are adopted into the same family "brothers".
 

MzRhonda

Well-Known Member
Oh oh he has moved to Virginia I hope not near me.

I believe shortly after the shooting he said some things which is why he is being monitored. I was surprised the shooter’s “brother” is black
 

Black Ambrosia

Well-Known Member
Are you referring to the shooter, Nicholas, or the black brother they are harassing in this story, Zachary Cruz? The shooter is not black. I believe they are adopted into the same family "brothers".
I was referring to the brother. I knew the shooter wasn’t black and was confused about the relevance to us. I get it now.
 

Shula

Well-Known Member
They are actually biologically half brothers---same mother.

Thanks for the info. I don't remember reading that but that does explain the closeness they have. Guess I missed it. I couldn't get why they seemed so close as adoptees but that answers that. I never would have guessed.
 
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