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Judge accepts theater shooting suspect's insanity plea

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pcslookout

Lifer
The judge in James Holmes' murder trial accepted his plea of not guilty by reason of insanity Tuesday.

The suspect in last summer's shooting spree that killed 12 people and wounded dozens at an Aurora, Colorado, movie theater will be taken to the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo for evaluation.

He's expected to be returned to the Arapahoe County Jail on August 2.

Judge Carlos Samour Jr.'s ruling Tuesday came about a month after Holmes' attorneys asked to change his plea from a standard not guilty. The original not-guilty plea was entered by a judge on Holmes' behalf in March, over his objection, his defense team said.
Officers go inside Holmes' apartment

The defendant offered to plead guilty and spend the rest of his life behind bars if authorities would spare his life, but prosecutors in Arapahoe County announced in April they would seek the death penalty.

The defense then decided to make an insanity plea.

Asked by the judge Tuesday whether he had any questions about the plea, Holmes replied in a clear voice, "No."

Samour also ruled Tuesday that a package Holmes mailed to his psychiatrist before the shooting can be processed as evidence.

He had sent Dr. Lynne Fenton $400 in burned $20 bills, a sticky note with an infinity sign, and a spiral notebook containing a placard. Written on it: "James Holmes, Of Life," according to court documents.

The defense had previously argued that the contents of the package is covered by doctor-patient confidentiality. But with an insanity plea, that confidentiality no longer applies.

Before the shooting, Fenton, who works at the University of Colorado's medical campus, warned campus police that Holmes was dangerous.

Holmes faces murder and other charges in the July 20 shooting spree at the premiere of the Batman movie "The Dark Knight Rises."
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http://us.cnn.com/2013/06/04/justice/colorado-theater-shooting-plea/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
 
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This is the guy that had that orange hair right? If so, iirc when I saw his mugshot I thought he was a bit insane. Even more so even after seeing him in some court videos, the dude does seem out there.
 
techs said:
Yeah, being a nation of laws. What's wrong with us?
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Go ahead and tell the mothers who lost their children because of this fucktard and let me know how that goes for you. God help you if you ever lose a child to some shit like this and the ass avoids the needle.
 
I don't see what the problem is with this. Seems perfectly reasonable to allow them to enter the plea of insane. Still have to prove it.
 
dabuddha said:
fucking bullshit. I'm sure Tsarnaev will do the same. That's whats wrong with our country.
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yeah fuck that due process and laws and shit.

waggy said:
and from what they were saying even if they find him insane it does not mean he gets out of jail or punishment.
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well, yeah it pretty much does. though he'd spend the rest of his life locked up in an asylum instead. which the system views as not jail and not punishment. to someone on the inside, is it that different? probably not.
 
dabuddha said:
Go ahead and tell the mothers who lost their children because of this fucktard and let me know how that goes for you. God help you if you ever lose a child to some shit like this and the ass avoids the needle.
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Under the law you have to know what you are doing and intend to do it. Its why we don't convict you of murder if your car brakes fail and run someone over. You lacked the intent to murder the person.

Even semi barbarian tribes recognized that some people are, or go, insane.
 
dabuddha said:
Go ahead and tell the mothers who lost their children because of this fucktard and let me know how that goes for you. God help you if you ever lose a child to some shit like this and the ass avoids the needle.
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How will killing him help anything? The damage has already been done. If he's deemed insane, he'll be under lock and key for the rest of his life. If he's not deemed insane and stands trial, he'll be under lock and key for the rest of his life. No matter what punishment is meted out, it won't bring back the dead.
 
Personally I find locking someone up for life to be a complete waste of resources and they should be killed. Let them choose how they want to die but lets not waste tons of resources just to keep them locked up with no good coming of it.
 
The defendant offered to plead guilty and spend the rest of his life behind bars if authorities would spare his life, but prosecutors in Arapahoe County announced in April they would seek the death penalty.
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This is the worst part of it all.
 
Insane or not, I'd personally rather the system execute the guy, but I'll settle for permanently locked up either way.
 
KaOTiK said:
Personally I find locking someone up for life to be a complete waste of resources and they should be killed. Let them choose how they want to die but lets not waste tons of resources just to keep them locked up with no good coming of it.
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I agree with this.
 
Kadarin said:
Insane or not, I'd personally rather the system execute the guy, but I'll settle for permanently locked up either way.
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Yep. Being crazy shouldn't negate the actions...nor the punishment for the actions.

Crazy people should be held to the same standards that everyone else is...
 
I'd prefer to see him get the needle in the arm or wherever they put the thing. No matter my preference, seeing him rot behind bars will have to do if that is what the jury decides.
 
Back when the shooting occurred I heard a number of attorneys on TV discussing a possible insantiy plea.

I don't remember a single one predicting it would fly.

I (vaguely) recall the attorneys naming off instances where he made it clear he knew that what he was doing was wrong.
 
Kadarin said:
Insane or not, I'd personally rather the system execute the guy, but I'll settle for permanently locked up either way.
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I agree. He shouldn't be allowed to pose a danger to those responsible for his incarceration, whether he's sane or not.
 
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