Theater shooting trial day 59: Phase 2 closing arguments

This afternoon, both sides will present their closing arguments in phase two of the penalty process, which focuses on mitigating factors.Jurors have already confirmed they found aggravating factors in the mass shooting for which they convicted the gunman. After closing arguments, the same jurors must decide if the mitigating factors outweigh those factors.Essentially, jurors will be asked to decide between giving the gunman a life prison sentence or moving on to phase 3 -- the final step toward the death penalty.Holmes was convicted on 165 counts including murder and attempted murder for the shooting that killed 12 and injured 70 others during a midnight premiere of the Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado. His defense attorneys unsuccessfully argued that he was insane at the time of the shooting.

3rd & 7 37yd

Just logging in today. What is happening?

by ASK 7/30/2015 5:48:24 PM
I know Brady has to make these objections, but following the mitigation "Jimmy Show", it's laughable when she discusses unfair emotional prejudice...

by BluesB 7/30/2015 5:48:33 PM
@ME as a outsider to your country i know full well your not all barbaric heathens in fact your very much like us over here ok you might talk funny and your meals would feed two but apart from that i always found you fine :)

by markefc_ 7/30/2015 5:48:43 PM
Hey Phil..... are you having fun yet?!? ;)

by LG 7/30/2015 5:48:56 PM
Brady says the additional slides contain quotes and she objects in the same ways, asking for offer of proof

by Phil Tenser 7/30/2015 5:49:17 PM
Will the graphic photos be viewable by us during the closing since there will be no lingering?

by Tami in Ga 7/30/2015 5:49:20 PM
JH's brown bag and paper plate need to be thrown out.

by Kristle 7/30/2015 5:49:22 PM
Brauchler repeats response, says they address the mental health mitigators

by Phil Tenser 7/30/2015 5:49:36 PM
I totally love this judge. He has been fair and impartial this whole time.

by Sandy Smith 7/30/2015 5:49:51 PM
Judge agrees with Brauchler

by Phil Tenser 7/30/2015 5:50:00 PM
Due to ongoing debate regarding the OKX name, I'm banning those accounts. Please retreate with a new name

by Phil Tenser 7/30/2015 5:50:20 PM
Defense is done with their objections

by Phil Tenser 7/30/2015 5:51:12 PM
Brady says they will point out a chart they used in jury selection, that explains the process

by Phil Tenser 7/30/2015 5:51:24 PM
Brauchler says no problem either

by Phil Tenser 7/30/2015 5:51:30 PM
@LG Chanel 7 has already said we are allowed to discuss the DP here.

by Me (CaliMiSFit@yahoo.com) 7/30/2015 5:51:38 PM
The defense team is grasping at straws right now which is there job but they are fighting an uphill battle.

by Sandy Smith 7/30/2015 5:51:42 PM
@litprof Executions are currently on hold in Colorado and will be on hold for many years (while they waste money) due to lethal injection challenge in courts and action by the governor staying executions over concerns about the death penalty generally.

Pentobarbital is included as a backup for Sodium Thiopental in Colorado's lethal injection protocol.

Why do you think methods of execution have changed so much over the years? Because of all the botched executions. The WORST being lethal injection. Executions that went so horribly wrong (so horrible i can't even describe it here) that the victim families ran out of the room throwing up and screaming because it was so awful. You know what though? They asked for it, they demanded it and they should stay and watch it. Watch until the last breath is gasped. Watch until the violent convulsing stops. (up to 45 minutes of suffering).

There are actually few "successful" executions compared to botched executions. That's why it's been abolished in 19 states. That's why the people performing the executions have to stay anonymous. That's why it takes up to 20+ years to actually execute the individual. Why? Because it's barbaric and unnecessary.

by Me (CaliMiSFit@yahoo.com) 7/30/2015 5:51:59 PM
@markefc_ is has oft been said we are the same people separated by a common language :)

by PA Watcher 7/30/2015 5:52:03 PM
@Me I'm so sorry for the pain you and your mother have suffered. IMO your view on the DP argument is extremely warranted because you've experienced such a traumatic crime first-hand. It's easy for others to say they're for / against the DP, having never been in your shoes. My heart goes out to you and your ability to forgive.

by kate 7/30/2015 5:52:15 PM
Many of us on here have suffered horrific and undeniably life altering tragedies. Some of us choose to share the details, others do not. I respect all choices. I do not think that because someone shares their experience, that gives more weight in their argument, however. It's just a matter of whether or not to divulge details of pain you have experienced. My heart goes out to all of us who have been through something like this, and I suspect many of us can relate more than we express here...

by BluesB 7/30/2015 5:52:22 PM
Phil I would like to thanks you for keeping us updated every step of the way.

by Sandy Smith 7/30/2015 5:52:26 PM
This Judge rocks! Smart man, would love to just visit with him!

by Sally Mander 7/30/2015 5:52:28 PM
Brauchler says he needs 15-20 minutes to finish getting ready

by Phil Tenser 7/30/2015 5:52:58 PM
Brady asks for 5 minutes

by Phil Tenser 7/30/2015 5:53:02 PM
Judge asks to shoot for 15 minutes to get ready

by Phil Tenser 7/30/2015 5:53:12 PM
Im so glad im not apart of this Jury, gosh. They have already been waiting almost 30 minutes

by Tara 7/30/2015 5:53:18 PM
It feels like this is a second bite at whole apple For the defendant rather than simply weighing mitigating factors against aggravating factors.

by Sophia 7/30/2015 5:53:24 PM
@Pa Watcher We are in so many many ways and when you start calling football football not soccer we will be even closer lol

by markefc_ 7/30/2015 5:53:31 PM
@Sally Mander I agree! I would love to have a couple of beers with him.

by vt 7/30/2015 5:53:34 PM
@ Sally Mander - Me Too!!

by colo 7/30/2015 5:53:35 PM
phil if you put up a poll about do you agree with the death penalty maybe it would stop the conversation

by fredp 7/30/2015 5:53:38 PM
@Me As you can tell from the likes of my request to pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeee stop the DP talk ... I'm not the only one that's over it!!!

by LG 7/30/2015 5:53:45 PM
@Kristie- MAybe he will sell his brown bag on ebay to pay for his defense.

by Tired 7/30/2015 5:53:47 PM
Judge says he'll read instructions to the jury, take a break, then have the closings

by Phil Tenser 7/30/2015 5:53:59 PM
@Clancy-I understand, and have been aware for decades, studies do not correlate DP with deterrant outcomes , or even a drop in crime stats. But I still support it in limited situations. There is nothing logical about my feelings-- because absolute justice is really an illusion.

by Mr.D. 7/30/2015 5:54:17 PM
Nelson asking to alert the court to 2 discrepancies with exhibit numbers

by Phil Tenser 7/30/2015 5:54:31 PM
Nelson says they mistakenly used the same number twice... offers to add an "A"

by Phil Tenser 7/30/2015 5:54:56 PM
@Sally I would love to meet him too!

by Liz 7/30/2015 5:55:03 PM
@Phil have you and your team ever thought about coming to work over here you appear so much better than some of the news people we have here

by markefc_ 7/30/2015 5:56:29 PM
@markefc_: I've loved my visits overseas, but the journalistic philosophies are somewhat different in many instances, I understand.

by Phil Tenser 7/30/2015 5:56:56 PM
@me-'Worse botched death penalty problems than what happened in massacres? Bleeding to death? Dying from lack of air, choking on own bodily fluids? What could be worse than that????

by BluesB 7/30/2015 5:57:03 PM
I did not share some personal information for sympathy at all. Thank you for the nice comments but I shared it to show not everyone that has lost someone wants to kill people.

by Me (CaliMiSFit@yahoo.com) 7/30/2015 5:57:06 PM
Branchler seems anxious.

by Kristle 7/30/2015 5:57:07 PM
@markefc_ I played both football and soccer...we have to have 2 different names...otherwise I might have shown up in the wrong uniform :)

by PA Watcher 7/30/2015 5:57:11 PM
Everyone needs to realize if the DP was taken off the table, these trials would cost exponentially less to litigate.

by Staniel 7/30/2015 5:57:15 PM