Theater shooting trial ay 62: Phase 3 continues with families of those killed

Day 62 in the Aurora movie theater shooting trial – People vs. James Eagan Holmes. Today, prosecutors will call approximately nine more family members of the victims who were killed.

3rd & 7 37yd

Going to take a break until 4:15

by Phil Tenser 8/5/2015 9:52:40 PM
They also need to avoid their spouses telling them about the news. To go home and tell their spouses to say nothing about any news period!

by Cindy L 8/5/2015 9:56:04 PM
Judge is praying jurors decide by Friday so he doesn't have to worry all weekend about jurors reading the news.

by Sophia 8/5/2015 9:56:05 PM
Great poll question- @Phil. I voted Friday- I'm going on vacation on next week and it will be hard to watch the 7News App on a roller coaster...;-)

by Victoria 8/5/2015 9:56:13 PM
@Sophia I can't watch the victim impact, too sad. They are ingrained in my mind.

by Suzanne 8/5/2015 9:56:15 PM
@Sophia: victim impact statements prior to sentencing are the best to listen to. They get to speak to the gunman directly. I wouldn't miss it for anything.

by Cindy L 8/5/2015 9:56:38 PM
@Suzanne, the final decision is "reversed" and sent to a higher court (probably the CO Supreme Court or the US Supreme Court). All of the objections by both sides have been marked and recorded for the appeal(s). It's so the defense can potentially make a case that the prosecution failed to do their job, the judge didn't do his job, etc.

by Kels 8/5/2015 9:56:44 PM
Three hours.....can I change my vote??

by Sophia 8/5/2015 9:56:54 PM
I think the judge needs to go on a month long cruise to The Mediterranean to unwind after this. He has well hidden the stress this must have on him.

by Megh 8/5/2015 9:56:58 PM
@Sophia, I will be here if at all possible.

by caz 8/5/2015 9:57:01 PM
Yesterday, did I hear the judge say something about hearings on other charges related to this case? Or was I just hallucinating?

by vt 8/5/2015 9:57:06 PM
@vt: Hearings in that he has to officially pass sentences for the attempted murder charges

by Phil Tenser 8/5/2015 9:57:22 PM
Weird thing to ponder, but I'm curious to know whether any of the DT has established any sort of a kinship with JH over this time; I'd be interested to know what they think of him.

by Poppy 8/5/2015 9:57:26 PM
So closing arguments are tomorrow? Will the jury be given the case tomorrow p.m. or Friday a.m.?

by Nadine 8/5/2015 9:57:28 PM
@Nadine: maybe by the pm. but unclear. Depends on if there are delays

by Phil Tenser 8/5/2015 9:57:44 PM
That's ok, Phil......maybe there will be fireworks after all that tension!

by Sophia 8/5/2015 9:57:47 PM
@Phil...can the judge choose life in prison even if the jury give JH the death penalty?

by Viking 8/5/2015 9:57:49 PM
@Viking: If he could, what would be the point of the jury deciding?

by Phil Tenser 8/5/2015 9:58:00 PM
Ok, so victim impact statements happen when????

by Nadine 8/5/2015 9:58:02 PM
Ditto what @Matt said, thank you 7!!!

by caz 8/5/2015 9:58:03 PM
@Matt - I'm in the same boat with my feelings about the verdict. Been here since day 1 and I'm 180 degrees from where I started.

by kate 8/5/2015 9:58:05 PM
Too bad the shrinks dropped the ball. So much destruction.

by suzy 8/5/2015 9:58:54 PM
@Phil - will the jury be officially done once they give this verdict?

by colo 8/5/2015 9:58:55 PM
@colo: I believe so

by Phil Tenser 8/5/2015 9:59:00 PM
Kate, Matt, me too.

by Sophia 8/5/2015 10:00:22 PM
The only person to blame in all of this is JH not anyone else....

by LG 8/5/2015 10:07:01 PM
I also echo what Matt said: this has been great, informative and enlightening coverage. I am in Los Angeles however will certainly tune in to this station/site for area coverage. Thanks so much, Phil.

by Poppy 8/5/2015 10:07:04 PM
@Phil - (thank you for being awesome and answering questions!!) Not sure if this is necessary a legal analyst question but I'd be curious to know if they expect a quick turn around on this last verdict

by colo 8/5/2015 10:07:12 PM
@colo: I don't know if our analysts will be able to stay through the end of today, but we can try to ask tomorrow if not today

by Phil Tenser 8/5/2015 10:07:31 PM
Poppy, most of the DT seem to ignore JH even during breaks. They act like they are arguing a theoretical case, rather than for a real person.

by Sophia 8/5/2015 10:07:34 PM
Victim impact statements are written or oral information from crime victims, in their own words, about how a crime has affected them. All 50 states allow victim impact statements at some phase of the sentencing process. Most states permit them at parole hearings, and victim impact information is generally included in the pre-sentencing report presented to the judge.

by LG 8/5/2015 10:07:39 PM
@nadine victim impact statements were made today

by emma 8/5/2015 10:07:40 PM
@Phil - thank you sir!

by colo 8/5/2015 10:13:00 PM
Back in the courtroom now, ready for the meeting about the instructions

by Phil Tenser 8/5/2015 10:15:17 PM
If mr Edwards is there today, he needs to be on his best behavior (i.e., mouth shut). The judge's nerves are already stretched tightly!

by Sophia 8/5/2015 10:15:19 PM
Instruction #1 is about Phase 3 being completed

by Phil Tenser 8/5/2015 10:16:28 PM
No objections from Edwards

by Phil Tenser 8/5/2015 10:16:39 PM
Nelson says they have raised a few concerns about similar instruction at end of phase 2 and she incorporates those here

by Phil Tenser 8/5/2015 10:16:59 PM
Phase 3 only allows for murder victim family members to speak. Judge will "officially" hand down the sentence at some future date (based on Jury decision) and address all other charges. My understanding is any victim will be allowed to speak at that time and probably will be arranged through the prosecutor.

by Edy 8/5/2015 10:19:08 PM
Phil Tenser, the names of your folks who have participated in your station's outstanding coverage, especially on-line, of the James Holmes trial haven't been put on the screen often enough; thus, I haven't caught all of them. You guys deserve at least a snail-mail letter from me to your boss extolling your coverage and thanking him. Could you give us a list of the names who have appeared on-screen?

by tg_kendall 8/5/2015 10:19:10 PM
@tg_kendall: That is very kind, but please know that this is not about us at all. We're doing our jobs, and in this case we're passionate about this being the right thing to do. I'll share your post with the staff, but nothing more is necessary. We're all tired, we've worked hard, but we all agree it was the right thing to do

by Phil Tenser 8/5/2015 10:19:59 PM
Phil, do you know when yesterday's testimony and todays will be posted? I missed most of it.

by happy 8/5/2015 10:20:02 PM
As usual, Nelson objects before she even knows what she is objecting about......um

by Sophia 8/5/2015 10:20:03 PM
@Sophia: thank you.

by Poppy 8/5/2015 10:20:33 PM
@happy: I'll get the archives updated tonight

by Phil Tenser 8/5/2015 10:20:41 PM