Theater shooting trial day 56: 'Phase 2' of the penalty process continues

'Phase 2' of the penalty process continues in the trial of James Holmes for the Aurora movie theater shooting. He was convicted earlier this month on 165 counts and now his defense is presenting mitigating evidence in an attempt to convince the jury his life should be spared.

3rd & 7 37yd

- Quote
Dennis Bonnono said the gunman was "Just a great little kid."

by anica.padilla 7/27/2015 10:21:36 PM
Dennis Bonnono said the gunman got along with his parents as well as anyone would expect.

by anica.padilla 7/27/2015 10:22:13 PM
This is like the Arlene Holmes story.....

by Carolyn 7/27/2015 10:22:19 PM
- Quote
Dennis Bonnono said about finding out about the theater shooting: "It flabbergasted me. It was so horrific."

by anica.padilla 7/27/2015 10:23:36 PM
As a mother, I think I would do everything I could to try to help my child and I think the family does have the right to help try to humanize him. As I have said before, I would probably beg anyone I could to help if they could. I'm not saying that what he did was right, but he does have a family. How many of us would have something snarky to say if no one came to try to help him in some way?

by Suzi Lewis 7/27/2015 10:23:52 PM
@7 or anyone know about how many more witnesses/days we have left for mitigation phase?

by colo 7/27/2015 10:23:55 PM
@Carolyn...that's what the DT is trying to do is portray Arlene as the victim's mother to spare his life. I do not agree with this angle and it shouldn't be allowed.

by TammyC 7/27/2015 10:23:59 PM
This is more about the mom than anything else.

by happy 7/27/2015 10:24:00 PM
Of course they support JH he didn't try to shoot them!

by Abrandt 7/27/2015 10:24:04 PM
So, what I'm getting out of all of this is, he should not get the DP because he has a great family. ??

by FMM 7/27/2015 10:24:08 PM
We had to pay for all these "witnesses" to fly out here? How about accomodations?

by jerry 7/27/2015 10:24:45 PM
Sarcastic answers aren't serving anyone, folks. May we please try to be as civil as if we knew the victims' families were listening?

by Clancy 7/27/2015 10:24:48 PM
- New Witness
Defense call Ritchie Duong, who went to middle school, high school and college with the gunman.

by anica.padilla 7/27/2015 10:25:15 PM
- Quote
Duong: "We used to play this card game... Magic: The Gathering [in the middle school cafeteria.]"

by anica.padilla 7/27/2015 10:26:34 PM
- Quote
Duong described the gunman in middle school as "A funny kid. Kinda like a goofball."

by anica.padilla 7/27/2015 10:27:16 PM
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"In high school he seemed like the same person to me... didn't change at all," Duong said.

by anica.padilla 7/27/2015 10:27:48 PM
Duong only went to the gunman's house once.

by anica.padilla 7/27/2015 10:28:16 PM
I am getting weary of people being asked how JH's relationship with his sister was/is. What has that got to do with the price of tea in China? I have heard that question more than his relationship with his parents. Very strange.

by DocJ 7/27/2015 10:28:26 PM
Colorado has numerous mitigation factors that are allowed at trial. Thus far, the DT has presented one, and only one of them.

The law doesn't care that Jimmy went to church, built forts and hung out with his sister. None of those are mitigating factors.

As I see it, his mental illness is the only one they have that matters and can be deliberated on, and the PT has presented (and won) the case they made for 4 aggrivators. He's screwed.

by Mark 7/27/2015 10:28:38 PM
This sounds like an affluent person's defense - great family, great neighborhood, good schools - i guess the poor slop who comes from poverty, the DP is practically a foregone conclusion

by Tiki Torch 7/27/2015 10:28:46 PM
I'm wondering - lot's of defense witness bashing here. For those of you who feel that way, do you ever think about how you might feel if you had a family member who had committed this crime? Would you still love him or her - would you abandon him or her - would you want his or her life to be spared? How many of you can answer this truthfully? I'm honestly interested if what you have to say.

by luce 7/27/2015 10:28:55 PM
@FMM it sure looks that way. it is sad that that is the best they have, but I'm sure they feel they have to try something.

by Suzi Lewis 7/27/2015 10:29:55 PM
Does anyone think that some of these DT witness' were shocked when they were served with a subpoena to testify? (since they knew JH from so long ago)

by Victoria 7/27/2015 10:30:02 PM
Duong said he felt the gunman was "still the same person" after graduating high school and going to UC Riverside.

by anica.padilla 7/27/2015 10:30:50 PM
- Quote
"We would have this thing, "Lost" night, where we'd watch this TV series "Lost" every week," Duong said.

by anica.padilla 7/27/2015 10:31:47 PM
- Quote
"He was never the type of person who would get mad... he'd cool off," Duong said.

by anica.padilla 7/27/2015 10:32:37 PM
@ Luce, ok I'll bite.

If my sister commited this crime, I'd tell her I still love her as the bullet from my .357 is entering her head.

Sometimes we have to put down things we love. We do it for them, and society.

by Mark 7/27/2015 10:32:49 PM
@Luce If a family member of mine did a crime like this I would be honest and say he/she was a great kid but that doesn't mitigate his/her heinous actions.

by Abrandt 7/27/2015 10:32:52 PM
Victoria...I'll bet they were...like the current witness.

by Carolyn 7/27/2015 10:32:54 PM
Anybody else think the anti Death Penalty paid for some of this testimony?

by NT8 7/27/2015 10:32:59 PM
i guess it'd be too sarcastic- but i'd love it if Brauchler could ask these folks what they think of James saying "" I hate EVERYBODY"" (including them too apparently )

by Tiki Torch 7/27/2015 10:33:01 PM
- Quote
"I know he's gonna go away for a while... I'm trying to distance myself from him," Duong said.

by anica.padilla 7/27/2015 10:34:01 PM
- Quote
Jury question: Did you notice any change in [the gunman's] personality from middle school through college?
Duong: "No."
Duong says there was no noticeable change in his demeanor, either.

by anica.padilla 7/27/2015 10:37:06 PM
@luce, I would never turn my back on anyone in my family, I'm 54 yrs. old, have 11 siblings, many adult nieces and nephews and many minor children in the family. I am native american and would never shun anyone. By the same token, I know for fact that my family would have done everything in their powers to get one help, if needed.

by Resa 7/27/2015 10:38:42 PM
Tammy C. are you saying that DT shouldn't have an opportunity to present mitigating factors (even though they don't seem to be effective)? That door was opened when GB refused to accept plea of LWOP and went for death penalty. Can't have it both ways.

by Mr. D. 7/27/2015 10:38:55 PM
good point Luce . I think it"s not so much about the DT as the system ,which is skewed more to the defendant's rights than the victims'.

by sher 7/27/2015 10:39:01 PM
Why doesn't Brady sit down when the PT was asking questions. Seems a little disrespectful.

by Steve 7/27/2015 10:39:03 PM
Random observation (but the testimony is making me restless): every one of the PT has a laptop (and open), but the DT not so .... Any reason the PT seem to use more technology?

by Poppy 7/27/2015 10:39:07 PM
@Abrandt, have you heard any of these witnesses condone JH's actions?

by Clancy 7/27/2015 10:39:12 PM
He has a lot of people asking to spare his life. Not many people facing the DP have many testify on their behalf. Jodi Arias had none. Not even her own mother.

by Me 7/27/2015 10:39:26 PM
Tiki if its not about killing then please tell me what the DP is all about. Who is sanctioning it? State law. Who is taking the responsibility ? I would think it is some of the citizens. It is a horrible thing, whether you agree with the jury or you believe he was insane.

by okx 7/27/2015 10:39:30 PM
- New Witness
Defense calls Earl Anthony Domingo, childhood friend of the gunman's. He said they played video games and the card game Magic: The Gathering.

by anica.padilla 7/27/2015 10:40:25 PM
- Quote
"The whole time I knew him he was very soft spoken," Domingo said.

by anica.padilla 7/27/2015 10:41:19 PM
Domingo said he went to the gunman's house once and had the gunman over to his home a few times.

by anica.padilla 7/27/2015 10:42:10 PM
Active duty air force guy sticking up for a terrorist? WOW! You wont last long in there.

by NT8 7/27/2015 10:42:16 PM