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Colorado Theater Shooter to Get New Psych Evaluation

Colorado theater shooting suspect, James Holmes, will have another chance at a mental examination to determine if he was insane at the time he shot up a theater full of people in a suburb of Denver, a...
Colorado Theater Shooter to Get New Psych Evaluation
Written by Lacy Langley
  • Colorado theater shooting suspect, James Holmes, will have another chance at a mental examination to determine if he was insane at the time he shot up a theater full of people in a suburb of Denver, according to Fox News.

    The judge in the case, Arapahoe County District Judge Carlos A. Samour Jr., determined that the first mental exam given last summer was flawed. The prosecutors’ requests to have the exam done by a doctor of their choosing has been denied. Judge Samour said that it would again be done by the state hospital, but a different doctor than last time.

    The list of things that have delayed this trial continues to grow, as just a couple of weeks ago, there was a separate hearing on whether or not the contents of Holmes’ phone could be shown to jurors. The contents reportedly include some disturbing self-photos of the suspect.

    Should the test determine that Holmes was mentally insane or “in the throes of a psychotic episode”, as his lawyers suggest, then he would be sent away to the state hospital indefinitely. If they determine that he was sane and knew exactly what he was doing, and that it was wrong, he will face either the death penalty or life in prison without parole.

    Holmes was a promising pupil, both in high school and college. In 2011 he enrolled in a Ph.D. program in neuroscience at the University of Colorado, Denver, but it was not to last. After failing a key test and dropping out, it was only a matter of weeks before he was committing one of the biggest and most shocking crimes in recent history.

    He entered a theater full of people in Aurora, Colorado, during a midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises”. He riddled the audience with bullets, killing 12 and injuring 70. He also rigged his apartment with deadly explosives to distract, confuse and possibly harm responders. Holmes has so far pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

    His trial date is still anyone’s guess as pre-trial motions continue.

    Image via YouTube

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