Theater shooting trial day 58: Arlene Holmes expected to testify

After the father of the convicted Aurora movie theater shooter concludes the testimony he began Tuesday, the gunman's mother is expected to be the next witness to take the stand.

3rd & 7 37yd

@Sandy Smith who knows that the jury is thinking. Jodi Arias didn't have 1 person, not even her own mother testify on her behalf and there was at least 1 juror that couldn't put her to death so she got life in prison.

Holmes at least has lots of people to ask for mercy on his behalf. All it takes is 1 juror to say no.

by Me 7/29/2015 5:14:53 PM
That makes sense BluesB. I get confused with all these people off and on the stand.

by DocJ 7/29/2015 5:14:57 PM
I've read comments from legal analysts on national channels that say the defense is putting on a "dog and pony show", even though it is mediation phase in a capital case. I took a bit of offense to that-ONLY because I love the Judge S., and don't think he would allow that.

by BluesB 7/29/2015 5:15:11 PM
@Mrs Amaz - and that every one called him 'Jimmy'

by Marti 7/29/2015 5:15:16 PM
Barrett called the Holmes parents "super parents"

by Phil Tenser 7/29/2015 5:15:27 PM
The "do you support" questions indicate this video is almost over

by Phil Tenser 7/29/2015 5:16:45 PM
A few cross-examination questions from Edson on this one

by Phil Tenser 7/29/2015 5:16:55 PM
Mandi- there's been MUCH SPECULATION/
conspiracy theorist material about that very fact. You are not alone in noticing that bizarre coincidence.

by BluesB 7/29/2015 5:17:01 PM
@JWARD----I just joined a few minutes back. Hope all is well with baby and mommy. Sleep yet?

by Tired 7/29/2015 5:17:06 PM
Good trial lawyers know when to NOT put on evidence even when they have it available. For example, Brauchler did not put on Dr. Resnick for rebuttal in main trial, as he knew the jury was 'done' and he did not want to alienate them. The DT should have realized the same with respect to these videos. Would have been much stronger to end this phase this morning right after the dad, bring on the mom. One two punch with two strongest witnesses.

by Sophiamtn@gmail.com 7/29/2015 5:17:11 PM
@Victoria, my thoughts are after lunch break. They're also only doing an hour today. Thank goodness!

by Kels 7/29/2015 5:17:18 PM
Hey Everyone! I havent been on for awhile due to work and training newbies... Sooo What video are we watching?

by HI 7/29/2015 5:17:21 PM
and then we would sing Kumbaya.... I know they are trying to help but geezzz

by Mayday43 7/29/2015 5:17:22 PM
DocJ-' as do I...

by BluesB 7/29/2015 5:17:23 PM
Video concluded

by Phil Tenser 7/29/2015 5:17:29 PM
Judge offers to let defense publish the two exhibits mentioned on the video

by Phil Tenser 7/29/2015 5:17:39 PM
The next video is Katherine Barrett's testimony

by Phil Tenser 7/29/2015 5:18:18 PM
I honestly have to say at this point I'm think the jury isn't going to come back with anything but DP ... imo

by LG 7/29/2015 5:20:01 PM
this guy is milking way overboard...for those who heard the coach...this guy totally contradicted her...she called the convicted killer a "Shadow" and forgot he was even there!

by Carolyn Pechilvr 7/29/2015 5:20:09 PM
Also, funny that the defense was so secretive about their mitigation theories. They don't really have anything but mental illness and all the little Jimmy stories from people who barely knew him.

by Sophiamtn@gmail.com 7/29/2015 5:20:11 PM
I admit I am behind in watching today. IMO, if the jury finds that aggravating factors are greater than the mitigating factors and they move to phase 3, he will get death

by rod 7/29/2015 5:20:15 PM
The family I know of, there is extreme mental, emotional and probably physical abuse, as well as neglect that has gone on in the past, and continues to go on now, you can only see this if you are on the inside of their secretive circle, you have to get very close to the inside of their world to see these things, again they are very secretive, no one gets in, and no one can see this being on the outside, not friends, no relatives, not people at work, no one sees these things, and even going to therapy, if you are not and cannot be honest, well then there is no sense in going to therapy, because everyone just thinks everything is just fine in their little world, and not coming to therapy in an honest manner, in which to cause positive change, therapy just doesn't work folks, you gotta be willing to put all of your garbage out there if you really want help. These people went to therapy to try to "change Jimmy", and not to actually change the family dynamic that caused Jimmy to be the way he is! Take some freaking responsibility for what has happened here, he wasn't born screwed up, and it took a lot of "dysfunctional parenting" to get him to this point. And, if a TWIN sister is psychotic, and schizophrenic, guess what, ole Robert doesn't get completely off the hook here, he has issues as well, and never wanted to address them, so I wonder what this looked like on the inside of this family, growing up as a kid.

by tim 7/29/2015 5:20:50 PM
@tim: I allowed your last comment because it expressed your opinion and did not insult anyone else in the chatroom, but I have to ask you to refocus on the topic at hand. This case is about the defendant's punishment for the crime he was convicted of committing.

by Phil Tenser 7/29/2015 5:22:40 PM
Maybe the defense will rest after Mrs. Holmes. Playing all of these now, would make sense.

by Mz Cassidy 7/29/2015 5:22:48 PM
@MzCassidy: We agree on this end

by Phil Tenser 7/29/2015 5:22:56 PM
I think the Judge is doing an excellent job of allowing the defense to present JH with his day in court. The last thing the Judge wants is to give way for appeals because of something he did or didn't allow. He's doing a great job, Brauchler is excellent, as well as the entire prosecution team. The defense attorneys are doing the best they can with what they have to work with. I would not want to be in their shoes!

by Marti 7/29/2015 5:23:03 PM
A little "sidebar" for us here on the thread: Did anyone else (who followed trial) feel shocked that Jodi Arias didn't get DP after all of her "brain fog"/lies to jury/bragging to press that she'd never get convicted, etc. etc. etc. etc.?

by BluesB 7/29/2015 5:23:11 PM
FYI along with Libor scandal of father...JH grandfather (army/Turkish language expert) was reported to be a probable CIA operative. Father was working for companies that are associated with DARPA and research with development of artificial intelligence.

by trl2 7/29/2015 5:23:21 PM
to me this is also an unfair process as jurors are unable to submit questions to the witnesses and I honestly feel the Prosecution is dropping their ball rapidly!! They needed to put themselves in the jury box and think of questions they would have asked... the jury heard the coach so the question I would have asked on behalf of the jury is "how well did you know the coach?" and besides when was the last time you saw the convicted murderer, when was the last time yo spoke to him? spoke to his parents? finally were you aware, since you claim to know them so well, were you ever told about any trouble or mental illness he has?

by Carolyn Pechilvr 7/29/2015 5:24:29 PM
correction Marti these depos are subject to appeal because the process is disrupted as the jurors werent able to submit questions to these witnesses

by Carolyn Pechilvr 7/29/2015 5:25:16 PM
@CarolynPechilvr: It IS a very interesting observation. The defense agreed that they understood these video testimonies would prevent the jurors from submitting questions, and still wanted to move forward. On the flip side, the jurors haven't been submitting questions -- even for the father

by Phil Tenser 7/29/2015 5:25:36 PM
Carolyn, remember they have rebuttal witnesses.

by Tammy Garrison 7/29/2015 5:26:05 PM
Barrett says she never saw the defendant being mean to his sister. She is being shown photos, asked to circle the defendant in them

by Phil Tenser 7/29/2015 5:26:23 PM
Being a defense attorney is not a fun job. Defense attorneys are usually the people that fight to keep the states that still have the DP from putting a mentally ill person to death because they believe it's wrong.

I suspect there is at least one person on that jury that also thinks it's wrong. All it takes is 1 juror.

by Me edited by Phil Tenser 7/29/2015 5:27:58 PM
@Tired - sleep is a precious and slippery commodity right now, but he's doing really well and I'm a tough mother. ;o) We'll get through it soon enough.

by jward12 7/29/2015 5:28:14 PM
jurors have, with one exception, not asked any questions.

by trl2 7/29/2015 5:28:16 PM
I think that the fact that the jurors are asking no questions speaks volumes.

by Harold Finch 7/29/2015 5:28:22 PM
The Judge also let go of his ruling and so did the Prosecution when he ruled the Defendant was to be called the defendant or Mr Holmes! To relentlessly call him Jimmy only nauseated me

by Carolyn Pechilvr 7/29/2015 5:28:35 PM
Tim - interesting points. Thanks for sharing.

by LK 7/29/2015 5:28:36 PM
Tammy, I missed this am but did the pros change their minds...because as of leave last night they said they have zero rebuttal

by Carolyn Pechilvr 7/29/2015 5:28:42 PM
@Phil The jurors' not having questions for witnesses, especially the father, feels like they are not particularly swayed by his childhood behavior. What do you think?

by Lori Butterfield edited by Phil Tenser 7/29/2015 5:28:49 PM
@LoriButterfield: While my opinion on what it means is irrelevant, I do think it is an important and interesting observation. This has been a normally active jury, but they've been largely passive through this phase

by Phil Tenser 7/29/2015 5:29:37 PM
@Jward--awesome! Youre blessed!

by Tired 7/29/2015 5:30:10 PM
@Phil- do you know if the courtroom is crowded?

by CSP 7/29/2015 5:30:11 PM
@CSP: From here, I cannot see any more than what you see, so I can't answer your question. I'm actually at our studio in Denver and not in Arapahoe County

by Phil Tenser 7/29/2015 5:30:39 PM