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CENTENNIAL, Colo. (AP) — Lawyers have presented two versions of the unstable mind of James Holmes.
Jurors must decide whether Holmes was able to know right from wrong when he slipped into a Colorado movie theater on July 20, 2012, unleashed tear gas and opened fire on the crowd, killing 12 people and wounding 70. He's charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, an explosives offense and committing an act of violence for the mayhem he caused.
In his opening statement, the lead prosecutor described Holmes as a sinister but sane killer who methodically planned and carried out the mass murder to make himself feel good and be remembered.
Defense attorneys said Holmes suffers from schizophrenia and mental illness runs through both sides of his family. They told jurors Holmes' mental illness "revved up" in his 20s and by grad school, his "psychosis bloomed."
Holmes has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. His defense hopes jurors will agree and have him indefinitely committed to a mental institution. Under Colorado law, prosecutors must prove Holmes was sane in order to have him executed or spend the rest of his life in prison.
%@AP Links
232-a-17-(George Brauchler (BRAHK'-luhr), prosecutor, district attorney, Colorado 18th Judicial District, in opening statement)-"increase his self-worth"-District Attorney George Brauchler says the defendant in the Colorado movie theater shooting planned to kill as many as he could. ((note length of cut)) (27 Apr 2015)
<<CUT *232 (04/27/15)££ 00:17 "increase his self-worth"
233-a-12-(George Brauchler (BRAHK'-luhr), prosecutor, district attorney, Colorado 18th Judicial District, in opening statement)-"to slaughter them"-District Attorney George Brauchler says James Holmes carefully planned a mass murder. (27 Apr 2015)
<<CUT *233 (04/27/15)££ 00:12 "to slaughter them"
234-a-16-(George Brauchler (BRAHK'-luhr), prosecutor, district attorney, Colorado 18th Judicial District, in opening statement)-"guy was sane"-District Attorney George Brauchler says two independent doctors found that defendant James Holmes met the legal definition of sanity. (27 Apr 2015)
<<CUT *234 (04/27/15)££ 00:16 "guy was sane"
235-r-16-(Sound of 911 call with gunshots, from Colorado movie theater shooting, played for jury in prosecutor's opening statement)--This is sound of the 911 call, with gunshots in the background, that was played for jurors during the prosecution's opening statement in the James Holmes trial. (27 Apr 2015)
<<CUT *235 (04/27/15)££ 00:16
APPHOTO AZTS103: Colorado theater shooter James Holmes, far left, sits at the defense table at the opening of his trial in Centennial, Colo., Monday, April 27, 2015. The trial will determine if he'll be executed, spend his life in prison, or be committed to an institution as criminally insane. (Colorado Judicial Department via AP, Pool) (27 Apr 2015)
<<APPHOTO AZTS103 (04/27/15)££
APPHOTO AZTS101: Judge Carlos A. Samour Jr., top right, presides over the opening of the trial of Colorado theater shooter James Holmes, far left, in Centennial, Colo., Monday, April 27, 2015. The trial will determine if he'll be executed, spend his life in prison, or be committed to an institution as criminally insane. (Colorado Judicial Department via AP, Pool) (27 Apr 2015)
<<APPHOTO AZTS101 (04/27/15)££
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