These days the death penalty is LWPOP in our state. Look at Dunlap! Another coward just like this one. I would still go for death penalty, make it a potential start to a cultural change. You kill someone, or 13, we kill you back. No more burdening prisons.

Good luck JWARD!!!!! God Bless!

@ Robin.... the death penalty has not shown to be a deterrent for crime.

get the popcorn ready for the closing arguments

Phil make sure the connection is solid... I don't want to miss one second! Thanks!!

Hang in theere clancy and Me. Its been this way since Day 1. Very frustrating,ecause some of the huge determinants are in denial. Its a critical mind thing, I believe, All is not well and no intention of healing by considering unfamiliar possibilities within the diseased brain, that can blindness of consciousness. Thanks DocJ for the respect.

I however, don't believe he should have a cushy little situation for being "INSANE" and hangout in Pueblo until they decide he is now no longer a problem for society! I believe he should sit in jail for a very very long time, in fact the rest of his life, this is the consequence for murdering innocent men, women and children. Killing him would be the easy way out, and again, perpetuating more violence. Seriously mentally ill person, who needs help, but again, you cannot force people to get honest with themselves or anyone else, so whether he gets help inside prison, who knows, cannot force him to get help.

@Clancy...I fully expect him to be found guilty on all counts and for the jury to hang on the DP thus LWOP...I believe principled people can disagree on the DP without being disagreeable...I do think he deserves the DP but I can accept that people may not want to execute a mentally ill person, even if he is legally sane, and he gets LWOP.

my big problem is .......it is VERY clear this young man is seriously mentally ill and has been over the years.......do we put these people to death? I DO NOT believe he was insane when he committed the crime....he performed on too many levels to present a sane state of mind. All that said, I don't mind the opinions of others who feel just as strongly regarding he should be put to death. That is what makes our Judicial system superior to any other.....we all need each others opinions to make us THINK...and to THINK with a perspective.

What a cute name, SallyMander. :)

@phil,,, just wanted to say again,,, very thankful to you at Channel 7 for providing this public blog for peoples to express views/opinions,, and agree to disagree

I'm not torn on death penalty at all. Millions upon millions of babies are being aborted all the time by reason of "choice". Individuals like James Holmes have taken murder upon themselves and we're even giving them a trial?? What's wrong with this picture? This probably won't get posted.

This is not the place to debate the death penalty. If those of you feel so strongly about this issue. Why do you not take it to the public? Have you tried to do anything about it, other than attack people when you are hidden behind a screen? Have you started a petition to raise the issue to vote to demolish the death penalty? Seems to me that your judgement is clouded because the death penalty is on the table. Ask yourself, it was only life in prison would you put on the same face?

I am not a big believer in the DP. But I put myself in the shoes of somone who lost their child in this tragic event....and all I can think of is giving this man what he wants to find out....and that is...what is death.

I love this country! We can debate, try to convince, change our minds or not, and not go to jail for all off it. We can inform ourselves, and others, of how our judicial systems work, as well as our own moral and logical values work. You guys have been the best. Thank you.

thanks, mark!!

Now that I've sat and listened to this trial, heard the evidence, heard the defense. I believe him to be guilty and all counts and would vote to sentence to life without parole. IMO there is just far to much evidence on planning and deliberation on his part for me to buy that he was insane at the time of the attack. Mentally ill, yes, insane (by the legal definition in Colorado) - NO.

its awesome

I'm just happy that I am not a juror.

Of course studies show that the death penalty doesn't really deter crime. You get sentenced with the death penalty and spend the next 10 years-forever (or whenever you possibly die naturally) sitting in a facility. Maybe you actually get to a point where they institute the penalty and put you to death. That whole process needs to be rethought.
And I honestly don't know that JH cares either way if he is imprisoned for life, or put to death. He has shown no emotion through this whole thing, and is so full of drugs he probably can't feel.

Colorado currently has two men on death row: Nathan Dunlap and Sir Mario Owens. Both of these men were sentenced by juries to die by lethal injection. Mr. Dunlap was sentenced in 1996 and his case is still on appeal. Mr. Owens was recently convicted and sentenced in 2008.

A third man, Edward Montour, was on death row but his sentencing has been overturned and remanded for resentencing by the Colorado Supreme Court. Mr. Montour had refused the assistance of counsel, pled guilty to first degree murder and did not contest the sentencing hearing that resulted in a sentence of death by the trial court. The Supreme Court ruled that Mr. Montour maintained his right to jury sentencing despite having pled guilty.

The only other person in recent history to be sentenced to death by a Colorado jury was Robert Harlan. However, the Colorado Supreme Court overturned Mr. Harlan's sentence in 2005, instead sentencing him to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Despite many attempts to impose the death penalty over the last thirty years, Colorado has executed only one person, largely due to the efforts of Colorado Public Defenders.