Howard Finkelstein

A man charged with murder was mistakenly released from a Florida jail, authorities said Monday. The Broward County Sheriff’s Office released Eric Vail, 28, when a second-degree murder charge was dismissed even though he had been indicted by a grand jury earlier this year on a first-degree murder charge.

The public defenders representing the suspect in the Parkland school massacre asked to withdraw from the case Wednesday, saying the defendant will soon receive nearly a half-million dollars in life insurance money and no longer qualify for free legal representation.

As grounds, public defender Howard Finkelstein argues release “will cause significant trauma to an already beleaguered community, impede the defendant’s constitutional right against self-incrimination, as well as his right to a fair and impartial trial.”

A Broward judge is facing intense criticism after video shows her berating an inmate with chronic lung disease and asthma during a court appearance.

The Broward County jail is receiving love letters and fan mail addressed to Nikolas Cruz, the accused gunman in the deadly Parkland school shooting, according to the public defender’s office.

Nikolas Cruz, who police say went into the Parkland school he once attended and opened fire on February 14th, is scheduled to be arraigned on charges after being indicted by a grand jury last week.

Accused Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz will offer to plead guilty to avoid the death penalty and a lengthy trial, his defense attorneys said Friday.