Aurora Movie-Theatre Shooting Jury Presented With Grisly Details

Prosecutors and defence attorneys began battling over the gruesome actions of James E. Holmes, the Aurora Theatre shooter who sat immobile throughout the four-hour hearing. While the defence was attempting to provide the jury with explanations as to how a young, gifted scientists would become a killer, prosecutors painted the picture of a student who had failed and “lost his purpose”.

“He tried to murder a theatre full of people because he thought it would make him feel better,” DA George Brauchler told the jury on Monday morning.

Mr. Brauchler continued presenting the facts, explaining how the killer had carefully planned the rampage which resulted in 12 deaths and 70 injuries. Holmes had been stockpiling both guns and ammunition for months.

James Holmes, who is currently facing 166 charges, confessed to having killed the 12 innocent bystanders as well as wounding the other 70 moviegoers. Authorities apprehended the young neuroscientist who was carrying a Glock pistol, an assault rifle as well as a shotgun.

Pleading for insanity may be the only solution for the disturbed student. Daniel King, Mr. Holmes’ defence attorney never denied the shooter’s actions. However, he claims that the deadly outburst occurred while his client had been experiencing a schizophrenic episode. Invoking massive delusions and intrusive thoughts, Mr. King went on to say that Holmes could not be held responsible for attack.

Public defender Daniel King also told the jury that Mr. Holmes had, himself, been a victim of the delusions he had been experiencing. “A different kind of attacker”, he said, while presenting the ladies and gentlemen of the jury with details on Mr. Holmes’ family tree of psychosis.

But the sheer violence of the events may be enough to disprove the defence team’s claims. After all, Mr. Holmes went on with his particularly violent killing spree while listening to techno music in his headphones. He calmly walked through a full movie-theatre and simply gunned down terrified people.

DA Brauchler also presented the jury with other evidence. Apart from pictures showcasing the blood trail leading from the theatre, he also included a 911 call from the night of the shooting. Theatre surveillance footage was also presented. It showed 6-year-old Veronica Moser Sullivan, one of Mr. Holmes’ victims, together with her pregnant mother. The footage was only “moments before he shot her four times — four times!” Brauchler said.

Amid a constant attorney duel, jurors must now decide whether Mr. Holmes will be facing death row, life in prison without parole or a lifelong tenure within a high-security mental facility.
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