Print      
Judge takes hard line after school shooting
By CURT ANDERSON
AP Legal Affairs Writer

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A relatively high bond was imposed Wednesday in a case involving a student who brought a knife to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, one day after the same judge set a $500,000 bond for the brother of the shooting suspect for trespassing at the school.

Broward County Judge Kim Theresa Mollica ordered 18-year-old Jordan Salter held on $12,500 bond after she brought a knife with a 2-inch blade to the school.

Authorities arrested her after a confrontation with another student Tuesday in the cafeteria.

The SunSentinel reported that Salter attorney Brian Reidy called the high bond ‘‘out of control’’ and ‘‘ridiculous’’ at a hearing and blamed it on fear from last month’s school shooting.

‘‘I don’t know when we all hit the fear button when everything is such an absolute emergency,’’ Reidy told the judge.

Broward sheriff’s office deputies arrested Zachary Cruz on Monday afternoon, saying he rode his skateboard onto the campus where his 19-year-old brother, Nikolas, is accused of carrying out the shooting Feb. 14.

Also Wednesday, Florida Governor Rick Scott ordered the state’s highway patrol to station eight troopers at the high school to bolster security there. Scott’s office said the troopers will arrive Thursday morning.

associated press