Colorado shooting suspect James Holmes to face death penalty

Colorado shooting suspect James Holmes appears dazed in court

By Jason Sickles, Yahoo! | The Lookout

James Holmes in first court appearance

CENTENNIAL, Colo.–James Holmes, the suspect in the Colorado theater massacre, appeared in a Colorado courtroom on Monday shortly after 11:30 a.m. ET. A judge advised Holmes of his Miranda rights, and that there was probable cause to continue to hold him without bond on suspicion of first-degree murder.

Holmes, who was transported from from a holding cell to the courtroom via an underground tunnel, appeared dazed: his brow furrowed, his eyes opening and closing often. His hair was dyed red. His hands and feet were shackled. He did not speak.

Seated in a jury box next public defender Tamara Brady, Holmes never looked in the direction of a gallery that included about two dozen victims and victims advocates.

The preliminary hearing lasted for about 11 minutes. Holmes’ next court appearance is July 30.

A decision on whether to seek the death penalty could be weeks or months away, District Attorney Carol Chambers told reporters as she entered the courthouse.

“It will be a conversation we have with the victims before we make that decision,” Chambers said.

He could also face additional counts of aggravated assault and weapons violations stemming from the mass shooting that killed 12 and injured 58 people at an Aurora, Colo., screening of “Dark Knight Rises.” The rampage is among the worst mass shootings in modern-day American history.

Holmes, clad in full body armor, surrendered to officers in a parking lot behind the cinema. He did not resist arrest, but investigators have since described the former medical student as uncooperative.

Authorities and news reports have portrayed the native Californian as smart and shy, but no motive for the shooting spree has surfaced.

Federal investigators were dispatched to assist local authorities with the investigation, but officials have indicated justice will be sought in a state courtroom.

Colorado has a death penalty, but only one inmate has been executed since 1977. Three inmates are currently on death row, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

“If James Holmes isn’t executed,” former Denver prosecutor Craig Silverman told Reuters, “Colorado may as well throw away its death penalty law.”

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/colorado-shooting-suspect-james-holmes-appear-court-monday-111006043.html

71 victims makes the Colorado theater shooting largest in U.S. history

I feel I need to get something off of my chest. This is tragic in many ways. 12 people are dead, countless others are hurt and to state that this is senseless is not enough.I don’t understand how each year a new and much bigger killing spree occurs. It’s as if there is a conscious effort to outdo its predecessor.

This reality is truly frightening.

Since this event is fairly recent, speculations are going to come forth as to why this happened and how can we prevent it from happening again. It is on this matter that I felt compelled to share my opinion. I just watched a vlog on youtube, where this gentleman expressed his love for the right to bare arms, and that it is everyone’s responsibility to protect themselves. He was zealous especially with regards to those that have a family, himself included. He went on to say that the shooter, James Holmes, was probably not loved and there in ‘lies’ the reason why he felt the need to commit such an atrocity.

I replied to his post and explained that he was being dismissive, that we don’t know why this happened and the circumstances which drove James to do what he did. I went on to point out that he needed to take a closer look at the culture that he has grown up in.

America is at the fore front of many global conflicts. If they do not start the wars, they are usually there to lend a ‘helping’ hand. Is it just me, or does anyone else see this correlation? If a society breathes and sleeps violence as a means to solve problems, why wouldn’t its citizens feel justified in employing similar methods?

I just don’t feel like seeing a bunch of analysts and so-called professionals,who have nothing credible to say, pointing fingers at the same old things, music, video games and movies.

My prayers and my thoughts will be with those that have been pained and wronged in all of this. I hope for once, a real discussion is had and a new and true solution is found.

Cheers,

Luis