Broward County Judge Elizabeth Scherer dismissed an entire panel of potential jurors in the case of confessed Parkland killer Nicolas Cruz after at least eight of them were led out of the courtroom in tears Monday.

Judge Elizabeth Scherer released the 60-person panel on the fourth day of jury selection for the sentencing of Cruz, who killed 17 people at a South Florida high school in 2018.  Judge Scherer said the potential jurors were “too emotional.”

She had already screened two 60-person panels that day. Another panel was seen afterwards. So far, 147 potential jurors have advanced to another round of questions.

Seven women and one man had to be escorted out of the day’s third panel, according to the Sun Sentinel. According to the report, the emotions came after Cruz, 23, entered the courtroom. Eventually, all were released.

“The ladies and gentlemen that have been taken out so far are people that are just so upset that they can’t sit here without getting emotional and we don’t want to cause trauma for anyone. If you absolutely cannot sit here without breaking down or getting emotional you can raise your hand,” Scherer said.

However, she did tell potential jurors that it was not the time to let the court know that a potential juror would “know too much about the case or that type of thing. As long as you can sit here and listen to what I have to say which is pretty much I am just going to ask people about their schedules,” she said.

But the remaining people on the panel of 60 were dismissed a short time later. This is the first time an entire panel has been dismissed during jury selection for this case.