A legal settlement was reached between the survivor of the 2018 Parkland high school massacre, Anthony Borges, and the families of some of the 17 murdered victims. The agreement, signed by Circuit Judge Carol-Lisa Phillips, grants equal shares of the killer’s publicity rights and a potential annuity to Borges, as well as the families of Meadow Pollack, Luke Hoyer, Alaina Petty, and fellow survivor Maddy Wilford. Each party has veto power over any attempts by shooter Nikolas Cruz to profit from his name or likeness. The $400,000 annuity left by Cruz’s mother would be split among the parties, with the families and Wilford planning to donate their share to charities, while Borges intends to use the money for future medical expenses.
The settlement was reached just before a scheduled court hearing where the parties would argue over a previous agreement reached between Borges and Cruz, granting Borges ownership of Cruz’s name, image, and approval over any interviews he might give, as well as the annuity. New negotiations ensued, with Wilford, Pollack, Hoyer, and Petty’s families proposing a $190 million settlement with Cruz, which they acknowledge they will never receive. The families expressed disappointment at being blindsided by the original agreement, as they had verbally agreed to work together in their lawsuit against Cruz. David Brill, the lead attorney for the families and Wilford, noted that all parties involved in the settlement now have a say in Cruz’s public statements, not just Borges, emphasizing that the settlement validates their position.
The legal battle between the parties escalated during negotiations over previous settlements with Broward County schools and the FBI, with disagreements over how to allocate funds and recognize the varying degrees of loss suffered by the victims and their families. Borges, who was shot multiple times and faced extensive medical treatment, believed he deserved more compensation than what was offered by the families of the deceased. The ongoing lawsuit against Scot Peterson, the sheriff’s deputy on duty during the shooting, along with the sheriff’s office and former school security guards, remains pending. Peterson was acquitted of criminal charges, and a trial date for the lawsuit has not been set. Cruz, who pleaded guilty to the shootings in 2021, was sentenced to life without parole in 2022 after a jury spared him the death penalty.
The settlement marks a resolution to the legal dispute between the survivor, the victims’ families, and fellow survivor Wilford, over control of Cruz’s publicity rights and potential financial assets. The agreement ensures that all parties have veto power over any attempts by Cruz to profit from his name or likeness, and the distribution of any future funds. Despite the initial disagreements and public disputes, the settlement aims to provide closure and clarity for the parties involved in the aftermath of the tragic Parkland high school massacre. The ongoing lawsuit against Peterson, the sheriff’s office, and others involved in the incident continues, seeking accountability for their actions during the tragic event. As the legal process unfolds, the survivors and families affected by the shooting strive to seek justice and closure for the losses they have endured.
