Accused cinema gunman James Holmes (25) made a brief court appearance again yesterday, a day after he was ordered to face trial, but his lawyers asked for more time to prepare for a plea to charges he shot dead 12 people and wounded dozens more.
A Colorado state court judge granted a defence request to postpone arraignment for the former doctoral student in neuroscience to give his legal team more time to study the voluminous evidence and testimony. The arraignment was set for March 12th.
At the conclusion of yesterday’s brief proceedings, a spectator sitting in the section of the courtroom reserved for victims and families shouted: “Rot in hell, Holmes!”
Judge William Sylvester has ruled that prosecutors have succeeded in establishing probable cause to believe that Holmes, described by his own lawyers as suffering from an unspecified mental illness, committed the crimes alleged and ordered that he remain held without bail to stand trial.
Once Holmes enters a plea, prosecutors will have 60 days to decide if they will seek the death penalty.