Theater shooting trial day 55: Phase 2 continues with defense witnesses

Defense attorneys will continue to call witnesses in the first full day of phase 2, where they are trying to show mitigating circumstances sufficient to convince the jury to spare their client's life. James Holmes was convicted last week of the 2012 Aurora movie theater shooting in which 12 people were killed and 70 were injured. Jurors also agreed with the prosecutors that sufficient aggravating circumstances were present to move forward to this stage.

3rd & 7 37yd

@Clancy, I appreciate that you have your own opinion. Respectfully, I disagree. I would never be able to kill a human, but if my child was in that theater, I would have ZERO hesitation to add HIS value to my life by ending him. In order for me to do that, he would no longer be human in my eyes.

by Loz 7/24/2015 4:59:19 PM
Barrett says he was neighbors with the Holmes family in Oak Hills neighborhood in Salinas, California

by Phil Tenser 7/24/2015 4:59:42 PM
Barrett says the neighborhood was surrounded by strawberry fields on 2 sides, a school too.

by Phil Tenser 7/24/2015 5:00:39 PM
Barrett also calls the gunman "jimmy"

by Phil Tenser 7/24/2015 5:00:47 PM
@Loz you have said that many times in this blog. =/

by Me 7/24/2015 5:00:58 PM
Loz, I feel the same way.

by JG 7/24/2015 5:00:58 PM
Barrett says his children attended school with the convicted gunman

by Phil Tenser 7/24/2015 5:01:04 PM
Defense shows evidence photo of welcome to Castorville sign

by Phil Tenser 7/24/2015 5:01:57 PM
Just FYI, Anica used the same word that fascinated was just banned for using. Anica warned us that individuals from Reddit & other groups had come on two days ago in order to get a rise out of people. I recognize fascinated from the beginning, & read his/her remark before it was removed. Seemed to me there were opinions being addressed, & personal experiences being shared for basis of his/her opinion. Much more offensive things have been posted. Don't understand why that word is off limits. Anica used it several times, as well as many others of us on here. Just my thoughts. Fascinated brought some interesting/good material here...& was defending his or her character. IMHO.

by DT8 7/24/2015 5:02:11 PM
@DT8: The word is not off limits, but calling names and accusing others is off limits. Don't confuse the issue

by Phil Tenser 7/24/2015 5:02:29 PM
@Me, I have never said that.

by Loz 7/24/2015 5:02:42 PM
The defense knows how to say "Salinas" California. Brachler butchered the hell out of it yesterday haha

by Me 7/24/2015 5:02:43 PM
I'm personally torn about the DP. I don't think I have the right to say someone needs to die. I just wonder how I would feel if it was my daughter that was killed. If I was in the theater and had an opportunity to hurt or kill JH in self defense. I hope I never have to face that choice.

by Suzanne 7/24/2015 5:02:47 PM
@Phil, do you think the DT has prompted all of them to refer to him as that? I don't think that is simply a coincidence

by JG 7/24/2015 5:02:49 PM
Let's not make a stink about it. I need to go to a meeting anyway. See you guys soon :)

by Loz 7/24/2015 5:02:52 PM
"We love it that they had a young son and a young daughter" Barrett says of the Holmes family

by Phil Tenser 7/24/2015 5:03:16 PM
That is probably why JH did what he did, "Strawberry fields, nothing is real"

by Humble Pride 7/24/2015 5:03:23 PM
Barrett says gunman was in the age group of other boys who hung out in the neighborhood

by Phil Tenser 7/24/2015 5:03:40 PM
Boys were around 9-11 yoa when they met

by Phil Tenser 7/24/2015 5:03:52 PM
Great, now everyone is going to go rubber neck on that street

by caz 7/24/2015 5:04:23 PM
@Clancy - I've always appreciated your posts. We, as trial watchers, need to realize there are possibly family members of Mr Holmes watching the trial on D7 and reading our comments on Scribble. It's nice to read comments from those who are sympathetic to all involved. Any one of us could have a family member hiding deep psychological problems from us. It's not our place to judge the family of Mr Holmes for failing to recognize the severity of his psychosis. He's an intelligent person, and highly capable of keeping secrets from those who love him.

by kate 7/24/2015 5:04:58 PM
- Quote
Neighborhood had an HOA, swimming pool. "It was a real community neighborhood. We really were able to bond quite closely with all the neighbors that we had"

by Phil Tenser 7/24/2015 5:05:00 PM
- Quote
"He was a gentleman, he was sweet. he never was involved in any altercations" Barrett says of the convicted gunman

by Phil Tenser 7/24/2015 5:05:56 PM
Kate, I'm wondering if there is a record that his dad actually did go check on him in those dates close to or in 2012.

by Tammy Garrison 7/24/2015 5:06:37 PM
jimmy didn't have any friends or what? who are all these old fogies?

by wonderbread 7/24/2015 5:06:38 PM
So this has to do with 20 July 2012 HOW?

by NT8 7/24/2015 5:06:52 PM
@kate I absolutely agree

by Me 7/24/2015 5:06:53 PM
Barrett says he never saw gunman be mean to sister

by Phil Tenser 7/24/2015 5:07:04 PM
Regarding the DP, it is the offense committed that becomes DP eligible. If I chose to impose the sentence of death to the offender due to the nature of the offense, I am not the killer. I am following the law. Does not have anything to do with my personal beliefs.

by Resa 7/24/2015 5:07:07 PM
OMG - does any one have pancakes to soak up all this syrup!!!

by Marti 7/24/2015 5:07:13 PM
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"I never saw any confrontations with any neighbors whatsoever."

by Phil Tenser 7/24/2015 5:07:28 PM
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Did it appear to you that he fit in? "I think he fit very much into it."

by Phil Tenser 7/24/2015 5:07:52 PM
I too am ambivalent about the DP. However, it is my understanding that the victims and the victim families met and, as a group, decided to request the court to seek the death penalty. I feel that they are the ones we should listen to, especially considering how depraved and heinous this crime was.

by Suzi Lewis 7/24/2015 5:07:56 PM
Mental illness or not, once you cross that line it ceases to be mental illness and becomes murder. Murder has consequences and you give up all your rights! If that includes giving up the right to live in the most heinous of crimes, then so be it. We kill billions of animals everyday for our survival, and killing (putting to sleep) a sadistic murderer is somehow wrong? Like I said, once that line is crossed there is no going back, this needs real consequences in a fair and humane fashion, death or life, truth and consequences.

by Acegirl 7/24/2015 5:08:15 PM
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"Not extremely outgoing, but he wasn't closed in. Not an introvert at that time"

by Phil Tenser 7/24/2015 5:08:39 PM
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"I think all those boys were having a great childhood"

by Phil Tenser 7/24/2015 5:08:49 PM
@wonderbread- maybe his childhood "friends" don't want to be involved/associated with him now?

by Victoria 7/24/2015 5:08:52 PM
Barrett says his home became a gathering place for the kids, because his wife didn't work in the hours after school let out

by Phil Tenser 7/24/2015 5:09:08 PM
Mark, And unfortunately thousands of innocent dogs (and cats) and killed every day! Just saying....

by LK 7/24/2015 5:10:30 PM
I'm confused. Either he was popular and no trouble making friends or he was introverted and a "to himself kind of guy" Those are pretty opposing to each other, yet between the first 15 witnesses, we've heard both.

by Marsha Laurienti 7/24/2015 5:10:55 PM
Barrett says Arlene Holmes informed him/his family about track team. Sons ran together, raced in northern Cali

by Phil Tenser 7/24/2015 5:11:18 PM
Wow-- Are you sure you are not thinking about the old show "Leave it to Beaver" Give me a break!!

by TMT 7/24/2015 5:11:20 PM
Suzi, I agree about victims and family of victims.

by Tammy Garrison 7/24/2015 5:11:27 PM
- Quote
"Jimmy was a great runner. He didn't like the long distance stuff but he liked the middle distance stuff. But the coaches were always encouraged and very proud"

by Phil Tenser 7/24/2015 5:11:53 PM
how would he know if these kids went home to do their home work..seriously

by Dennie Carp 7/24/2015 5:11:56 PM