Aurora movie theater shooting day 54: Prosecution hopes to move to next sentencing phase

Day 54 in the Aurora movie theater shooting trial – People vs. James Eagan Holmes. Today, prosecutors hope to move on to the second phase of the sentencing hearing. The jury found Holmes, the admitted gunman, was sane when he went into the midnight premiere of the Dark Knight Rises in an Aurora, Colorado, movie theater and opened fire on the audience, killing 12 and wounding 70. 7NEWS and TheDenverChannel.com will have gavel to gavel coverage of the trial starting at 8:15 a.m. (MST) everyday and ending around 5:30 p.m. (MST) Watch new live video on our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/7NewsDenver/live Additional resources:LIVE VIDEO & BLOG: http://bit.ly/theatertrialTIMELINE of the case: http://bit.ly/theatertimelineJURY PROFILE: http://bit.ly/theaterjury CONTINUING COVERAGE: http://bit.ly/theatercoverage

3rd & 7 37yd

@Kathy - good thought. Yes I'm sure they'd be interested in seeing the parts that the outside world was privy to.

by MyraJ 7/23/2015 3:02:32 PM
Never heard of 4chan and reddit....assuming they are social medias? Did people post snarky comments yesterday?

by Kristle 7/23/2015 3:02:38 PM
@fascinated - I was surprised too that jury was taking so long on phase 1 and I think (based on my jury experience) is that they are being very deliberate and thorough. This phase is the hard part because of the DP

by Edy 7/23/2015 3:02:43 PM
Good morning. I am wondering if the delay was due to the video the jury requested seeing. Wasn't there a period of time that the PT and DT were discussing whether or not they should be allowed to see it? I might be mistaken...

by vt 7/23/2015 3:02:47 PM
In my opinion I think what is taking so long is that the jury has to be unanimous on each count and there are some aggravating factors that I believe that the prosecution cannot prove so I believe there will be a phase two but not on all counts. They also have to check the boxes next to each count of what aggravating factor exists with each charge. .

by Stacie 7/23/2015 3:02:52 PM
@DocJ, aggreed.

by Kels 7/23/2015 3:02:58 PM
@docj to me it just seems like they're deciding whether or not they want to hear anymore. but also, if they can't decide, it's over. any decision from now on has to be unanimous and if it's not, it's automatic lwop.

by blue 7/23/2015 3:03:21 PM
@Loz very wise. My mantra has become "Don't feed the trolls."

by MyraJ 7/23/2015 3:03:24 PM
What phase would the victim's and victim's families take the stand to say their opinion in Holmes decision of life or death?

by Sarah 7/23/2015 3:03:27 PM
Thank you, Anica!

by amjinoh 7/23/2015 3:03:29 PM
Hey Me, I wanted to explain about the whole Methodists and the death penalty thing. So we have a book of discipline which is like our constitution, and then we have a book of resolutions, in which, frankly, people resolve to say things which make them feel better, but are not binding on us all. So while the official line is that the United Methodist Church apposes the death penalty, I'm not bound to support that position personally. Hope that helps.

by Tammy Garrison 7/23/2015 3:04:07 PM
Yesterday, several groups posted links to our chat rooms on social media sites including 4Chan, Reddit and Tumblr. They were encouraged to fill the feeds with unrelated, offensive and argumentative posts.

by anica.padilla 7/23/2015 3:06:34 PM
they only have to agree on one of the factors to continue. i think they may be confused after the DT buried them in confusing instructions.

by blue 7/23/2015 3:06:49 PM
If you all stop talking about how bad the trolls are they will eventually go away. If you continue to complain about them, it will get worst. That's how they work. Just don't mention them again and they will get bored and leave.

by Me 7/23/2015 3:06:51 PM
I think we all were very aware for the past two weeks or more that the Columbine survivor was the jury foreman. We just didn't know his name. But anyone in the courtroom who looked at the jury could then go and find his photo to name him.

by Cindy L 7/23/2015 3:06:54 PM
Im so new to chat rooms that I had to google the term "Troll". LMAO!!!

by Tired 7/23/2015 3:07:25 PM
Phil, can you repeat that?

by Tammy Garrison 7/23/2015 3:09:56 PM
missed most of yesterday...whoa sounds like things got out of hand on here yesterday....not sorry I missed it. I think the jury is being VERY deliberate....this is much more difficult to agree on...DP

by A.L. 7/23/2015 3:10:04 PM
@Anica....some just have far too much time on their hands. Who has time for all that? Geez! Blows my mind.

by Marsha Laurienti 7/23/2015 3:10:16 PM
Anica, why...?

by Tammy Garrison 7/23/2015 3:10:17 PM
@Tammy They just enjoy trying to get a rise out of people who genuinely care.

by anica.padilla 7/23/2015 3:11:00 PM
No talking about the jury foreman in here. Getting channel 7 in trouble because of us would be a bad thing too. So...no jury foreman and no troll talk, lol

by Me 7/23/2015 3:11:07 PM
I think I remember the defense asking the judge a few weeks ago to make a ruling on something protecting the jury from the media and the judge said no it wasn't necessary. Had something to do with jury members get death threats etc. and the public knowing their identity. Anyone remember what that was about?

by Me 7/23/2015 3:11:14 PM
Anica, can you repeat that order Phil talked about before we went to this clip?

by Tammy Garrison 7/23/2015 3:15:15 PM
@Tammy - Phil said he'd play it next!

by anica.padilla 7/23/2015 3:15:35 PM
Me, did you see my comment?

by Tammy Garrison 7/23/2015 3:15:45 PM
morning all-hope everything is back to civilization in this chat today

by naturegurl 7/23/2015 3:15:48 PM
Anica, do you know what phase the victim's would take the stand to state their opinion of Holmes getting life or death? Phase 2 or 3?

by Sarah 7/23/2015 3:16:16 PM
@Sarah I believe the victim impact statements are given in phase 3.

by anica.padilla 7/23/2015 3:16:36 PM
Good morning all !!! Here is the inappropriate Newsweek tweet everyone is talking about (with the name redacted of course): "@Newsweek Juror [redacted], a Columbine shooting survivor, never took his eyes off James Holmes while the verdict was read"

by polisalwaysright 7/23/2015 3:16:44 PM
@Anica and Tammy: My guess is that they are trying to create drama......news stories come from drama, as if we don't have enough drama in our own lives, humans love to create drama to feed to fires.

by Stephany 7/23/2015 3:16:49 PM
Thanks everyone -maybe I misunderstood. I just thought everyone thought we'd make it to phase 2 yesterday (hence defense witnesses waiting in the wings) because all they had to agree on was ONE AGGRAVATOR and then DT would start presenting mitigation. That's why DT didn't rebutt at the end of Orman's presentation. ??? THEN-life and death becomes pertinent - once they have to weigh shooter's mitigation factors for remaining alive, vs aggravating for death. Is that the incorrect process? It seemed all of the court parties expected them to be done and on with the next phase yesterday as well... (?)

by fascinated 7/23/2015 3:16:54 PM
@Tammy I did

by Me 7/23/2015 3:16:56 PM
Good mornng

by wp 7/23/2015 3:16:57 PM
What phase would the victim's and victim's families take the stand

by hi 7/23/2015 3:17:02 PM
no @me.

by blue 7/23/2015 3:17:03 PM
Isn't a troll someone hiding under a bridge? LOL

by Kristle 7/23/2015 3:17:12 PM
Since the defense made the instructions so confusing I wonder if the Jury thinks they have to find all the aggravating factors for each count.

by Abrandt 7/23/2015 3:24:12 PM
When will yesterday's video be posted?

by AKR 7/23/2015 3:24:17 PM
I do hope that the reporter at Newsweek faces some type of penalty. Complete lack of ethics IMO. I'm boycotting Newsweek.

by Resa 7/23/2015 3:24:20 PM
At what time are all of the Juror's names released?

by polisalwaysright 7/23/2015 3:26:00 PM
Tammy-I looked back and could have missed it-So sorry-could you paraphrase again? Can't find it...

by fascinated 7/23/2015 3:26:07 PM
@Kristle yes in Dora The Explorer...you must have kids. =)

by Me 7/23/2015 3:26:14 PM
@polis: Ah thanks, that's interesting.

by Kristle 7/23/2015 3:26:16 PM
@Kristie--thats why I got confused. LOL! Im just an innocent viewer here......

by Tired 7/23/2015 3:26:20 PM