Theater shooting trial day 53: Start of the penalty process

Day 53 in the Aurora movie theater shooting trial – People vs. James Eagan Holmes. Today, the penalty phase of the case begins. The jury found Holmes to be legally sane and therefore guilty 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.

3rd & 7 37yd

@polisalwaysright
I don't think you should be posting things about the jury foreman here it's not the correct format I feel!!

by LG 7/22/2015 9:57:55 PM
Jury will create outcome. It is not a balance found through blind justice.

by oxk 7/22/2015 10:13:50 PM
One way I know the courts still in recess is by looking at the color of JH's shirt. Today it's white!

by Kristle 7/22/2015 10:13:53 PM
Aggravating factor number 2 is?

by Lori J 7/22/2015 10:14:07 PM
@okx, yeah I thought it was kinda weird that there was 2 Columbine survivors on this one jury.......

by Me 7/22/2015 10:14:13 PM
@okx No need to be embarrassed I am Proud of this jury and I'm a 3rd Gen Native...

by LG 7/22/2015 10:14:15 PM
Exactly Frank, defense virtually conceded to the aggravating factors.

by Lori J 7/22/2015 10:14:18 PM
Why is everyone getting so angry and hurry again. You got the verdict you all wanted. He will never ever see the light of day again. Why are we all bashing the jury now?? What did they do now?? You guys are hard to please.

by Me 7/22/2015 10:14:28 PM
@ David Ford- The defendant used a picnic able cloth clip wrapped with aqua duct tape

by FPsych 7/22/2015 10:14:36 PM
When the defense sisters' chairs start rockin - you can tell their knees are knockin! Scared of something!

by JW 7/22/2015 10:14:38 PM
@David: He got back in the exit door by having an exact fit clip that people use on tables to hold the tablecloth. Wondering how he knew the thickness would work! Maybe during a lone reconnaissance visit to the theater he tried it out.....

by Kristle 7/22/2015 10:14:44 PM
okx has forgotten what a jury of peers actually means.

by Mark 7/22/2015 10:15:11 PM
i agree

by Sunrise7 7/22/2015 10:15:20 PM
Okx- you are HIGHLY confused here. Many have already discounted the bizarre, rambling defensiveness you have spouted; when 90% of us are here to learn, encourage, share this rare experience, & NOT provoke one another. You are all over the place!?! You are attacking my statements for something I didn't even disagree with you on. I echo Flip- WHAT are you smoking??? This disorganization/
nonsensical thinking may be what happens when one individual uses several user names to drive his/her opinion home, & then loses track of each argument/"identity". I specifically stated that I thought jurors should be sacred and protected. I won't read or reply to any other ramblings you attach my identity to. Do YOU even know who you are...??? WOW. :O !!?!

by fascinated 7/22/2015 10:16:12 PM
If a juror is likely to become front page because of personal life events of a similar nature than the trial at hand, they likely have prejudices that could be compromising to a fair trial. You are trusting that pain experienced by one can stop future pain of another. Just saying. Jury is deciding the outcome, and it isn't blind justice, anymore.

by oxk 7/22/2015 10:16:22 PM
DAVID FORD- He used picnic clips wrapped in tape to keep he door from shutting when he went out to take his "fake" phone call.

by Boy, wonder if that... 7/22/2015 10:16:46 PM
@polis. I'm not naïve, but I respect this jury, regardless of how they vote, and give each of them the benefit of the doubt of approaching this with the integrity that is expected of them. So, I am going to go on record here, because they can't speak for themselves in this forum, to say that I don't believe anyone of them lied. ( Also, just to clarify, it would not be a "simple" lie). .

by Mr.D. 7/22/2015 10:16:57 PM
its working fine Anica

by NT8 7/22/2015 10:16:59 PM
@Me there are NOT 2 Columbine survivors on the jury

by LG 7/22/2015 10:17:05 PM
Yeah I had to not just refresh but click off the site and click back on. On my cell app it also didn't have audio.

by Cindy L 7/22/2015 10:17:10 PM
Got my audio back

by Tjq 7/22/2015 10:17:12 PM
@okx Don't be embarrassed for Colorado. Colorado is proud.

by Robyn 7/22/2015 10:17:14 PM
@me...not knocking the jury....we are just curious! :)

by Sister 7/22/2015 10:17:17 PM
Audio came back with the live video, and is there now. can you play the exhibits for us?

by Lori J 7/22/2015 10:24:13 PM
There is a note from the jury - the judge will return to the bench in 5 minutes.

by anica.padilla 7/22/2015 10:24:41 PM
Both the DT and the PT knew the backgrounds of every juror they selected for this trial. Both sides decided based on that information who would be eligible to serve.

by vt 7/22/2015 10:28:14 PM
@fascinated I think you're right! I bet the jury doesn't realize only ONE aggravating factor needs to exist before we move to Phase 2. Wouldn't that be a sorry mess if the jury makes a decision based on incorrect understanding of the jury instructions! They were so long! Hopefully they figure it out while they're waiting for a DVD player.

by Edy 7/22/2015 10:28:27 PM
imo... this jury is doing right by what is asked of them. They are being thorough in their deliberations. I think job well done by them.

by colo 7/22/2015 10:28:33 PM
@Me, IMO I have not seen anyone "attack" you, I see, you getting upset if we don't reply to your comments. Perhaps you are too emotionally involved. I had to remove myself from this trial more than once.

by Resa 7/22/2015 10:28:40 PM
@fascin.. eerr @EVERYBODY It's really really unhealthy to carry this much hate, anger and nastiness in your heart. You all should learn forgiveness. You will live a happier life, trust me. If my family and I can forgive the man that brutally raped, beat and murdered my mother then surely you all can stop the bloodlust for someone you don't even know. Someone you have never even came into contact with. It's starting to carry over onto this poor jury! To make things worst, you all look down on and chastise others for having opinions other than your own. It's really sad actually. It makes me sad.

by Me 7/22/2015 10:28:59 PM
The jury seems to have badly lost its focus. The finding of aggravating circumstances was to be a mere formality, not even contested by the defense. It is during phase 2 when they will have the heavy lifting, after a month of testimony weighing mitigating vs aggravating factors.

by Frank 7/22/2015 10:29:08 PM
Is court back yet.

by Tjq 7/22/2015 10:29:09 PM
Those who are just here to fight, please leave!

by Suzanne 7/22/2015 10:29:12 PM
@oxk--C'mon, friend, please tell us that you are kidding....is your idea of blind justice that everyone involved in this trial should keep their eyes firmly closed at all times? How about deaf justice? Then no one would be able to hear the horrifying 911 calls from theater 9. How about mute justice? Then no one would be able to voice their opinion or bring a verdict... Why not just advocate for completely crippled justice, oxk???

by flip 7/22/2015 10:29:26 PM
Managing editor at @Newsweek on being banned from the #theatershooting trial: twitter.com/KiraBind/statu…

by Anica Padilla via twitter 7/22/2015 10:30:06 PM
So the Managing Editor that sent the tweet from Newsweek is banned from the courtroom, NOT Newsweek as a whole. Correct?

by Kristle 7/22/2015 10:41:37 PM
Kristie - It was not the managing editor who sent the tweet, she just responded to it happening. The entire Newsweek organization is now banned from the court house premises for the remainder of the trial.

by anica.padilla 7/22/2015 10:42:31 PM
Okx, me, all other plural names: the DEFENSE TEAM APPROVED THE COLUMBINE-RELATED JURORS IN the VOIR DIRE part of jury selection. Do you get that? They also were NOT Columbine survivors. Some knew and were friends w/the victims AND with the shooters!?! This was all revealed early on, which is why it's clear you are trolling, using several names, etc. Your "facts" are all over the place & are simply not accurate. Theater shooter's own attorneys APPROVED ALL DELIBERATING JURORS. So there's no embarrassment for CO, or conspiracy theory...in fact, we're a stronger state for what we've survived. Please take your garbled monsense elsewhere. It's getting insulting & yet simultaneously LAUGHABLE!

by fascinated 7/22/2015 10:42:48 PM
@Resa, nice try

by Me 7/22/2015 10:42:51 PM
Thanks Anica for that tweet... they should be ashamed. I'd be curious to know if that reporter gets canned or not.

by colo 7/22/2015 10:42:54 PM
I wish it was a question about if all aggravating factors need to be proven or not.

by Lori J 7/22/2015 10:42:57 PM
Good for the jury. They had to sit there for hours waiting for the lawyers to bicker this morning. Now, the lawyers can wait for them.

by litprof 7/22/2015 10:43:00 PM
Take a look at the foreman juror's comments about the Columbine shooters back in 1999 they are very odd indeed. They seem compassionate towards the killers. This, coupled with his favorite athlete being Tim Tebow will make the outcome of death penalty chance almost zero.

by polisalwaysright 7/22/2015 10:43:04 PM
Can anyone (judge) confirm with jurors that they do, indeed, understand only ONE aggravating factor must be proven to move to next phase...? This seems strange and quite worrisome...A CA jury set a thrice-convicted man on trial, FREE, in 2013, I think(?) due to not understanding instructions. They found him guilty, but filled the forms out incorrectly. It's a very big deal!! The murderer walked out of the court a free man (*the judge was astounded). They couldn't "fix" the ruling due to Double Jeopardy. Everyone was aghast.

by fascinated 7/22/2015 10:43:15 PM
Judge Samour said he would not hold the reporter in contempt, but Newsweek may still discipline that person.

by anica.padilla 7/22/2015 10:43:41 PM