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

@Humble, see you just confirmed what I was saying about JH. He had an outburst and now he is better. Show mercy on this young man. Jeeze.

by okx 7/30/2015 4:06:09 PM
paragraph 44 is about echolalia. 26 is the passage about lack of motivation

by Phil Tenser 7/30/2015 4:06:37 PM
AC leave?

by right 7/30/2015 4:06:38 PM
Looks like the lead attorneys from both tables exited the room, probably working on their presentations

by Phil Tenser 7/30/2015 4:06:57 PM
The Judge is a professional, but is clearly trying to stay on task and moving forward (not backward, that would frustrate anyone!!)

by Kristle 7/30/2015 4:07:11 PM
Thanks Phil. Thanks Markfc

by Sandy 7/30/2015 4:07:12 PM
Once again, Judge S. schools us and them. His patience has been tried repeatedly- surprised he remains so civil.

by Mr.D. 7/30/2015 4:07:15 PM
Orman proposes rephrasing line about prodromal negative symptoms

by Phil Tenser 7/30/2015 4:07:34 PM
JH OUTBUST killed 12 people! are you kidding me?

by right 7/30/2015 4:07:50 PM
I think Nelson is pretty sexy with those glasses on and the hair in the bun. Shes got that Librarian thing going....

by Tired 7/30/2015 4:07:52 PM
Bet he & Brady are working on their presentation.

by Tami in Ga 7/30/2015 4:07:54 PM
The whole time I have been watching I thought James Holmes was in an almost catatonic state. Today I see he's a completely different defendant. Very animated. My question...have they changed his meds...or has he been 'acting' this entire trial?

by Anita Bowen 7/30/2015 4:07:57 PM
wow orman, you are something else.

by Tara 7/30/2015 4:07:59 PM
Can someone tell me what AC is? Who?

by CH 7/30/2015 4:08:00 PM
@Suzi you stated exactly what I've been thinking. So sorry for your family member and what they suffered.

by Edy 7/30/2015 4:08:03 PM
AC will knock the closing out of the ballpark! Can't wait!

by Sally Mander 7/30/2015 4:08:04 PM
Nelson says that based on her notes the existing line is accurate, but judge asks her to check again

by Phil Tenser 7/30/2015 4:08:23 PM
let's start a petition to get judge Samour to the supreme court.

by Humble Pride 7/30/2015 4:08:27 PM
Judge says he's going to step down to make these changes. He'll come back to deal with the final questions and then his staff will work on the copies while he works on the presentations

by Phil Tenser 7/30/2015 4:08:56 PM
Ok sorry for the comment delay, didn't have someone else around to read/approve them. 24 of them for me to look at... so here they come

by Phil Tenser 7/30/2015 4:19:09 PM
@ok The defendant will be shown more compassion and leaniancy then He ever showed the 12 people He killed.

by Abrandt 7/30/2015 4:19:35 PM
I don't remember the judge ever losing patience when the jury is present - anyone else remember if he did?

by vt 7/30/2015 4:19:37 PM
Isn't it great how everywhere you look people are using Steve Jobs' creation, the iPad? He saw the vision and we didn't. Now it seems every courtroom and hospital uses iPads.

by Kristle 7/30/2015 4:19:41 PM
OKX- again JH did NOT have "an outburst", unless you define an outburst as being 6 months of careful planning of a crime.

by MW 7/30/2015 4:19:44 PM
Ha ha @Humble YES!

by Kristle 7/30/2015 4:19:44 PM
I am not supportive of the death penalty, however I am very objective. I cannot understand why JH should be shown mercy when he showed absolutely no mercy on the day he decided to commit these atrocious murders. He knew the consequences of his actions and he needs to face the music (no pun intended).

by Jennifer 7/30/2015 4:19:48 PM
Yeah, but Dr. Gur was nuts and couldn't document anything or base anything on tests or interview with the defendant!

by Tammy Garrison 7/30/2015 4:19:52 PM
@right, yes, but he is clearly sorry for what he did. he said that he cries himself to sleep most nights.

by okx 7/30/2015 4:19:54 PM
@nadine, dp is considered punishment----not justice justice is not cruel and deathly justice can only occur ( its a very when it occurs) with the chance to redeem oneself.

by okx 7/30/2015 4:19:57 PM
@HumblePride, he'd be awesome!

by Kels 7/30/2015 4:19:58 PM
No, good morning to YOU, Phil!

by Kels 7/30/2015 4:19:59 PM
Let's start a petition to get Judge Samour a cigar.

by puglife 7/30/2015 4:20:01 PM
This judge has always had a beef about each side having five or six lawyers. And he never has patience for unorganized or inarticulate objections. He cares about his commitments to the jury.

by Sophia 7/30/2015 4:20:05 PM
AC is air conditioning.

by Kristle 7/30/2015 4:20:06 PM
@CH - I had the same confusion. AC=Anderson Cooper aka George Brachler

by rh 7/30/2015 4:20:08 PM
20min break.....Judge taking his coffee with him.

by Kristle 7/30/2015 4:20:10 PM
@Anita, he seems to be like this often outside of the jury

by pcmamanim 7/30/2015 4:20:13 PM
From watching the activity in the courtroom, it is easy to infer that DB and Tish-Mc are dampening as much mitigation as possible and are very emotionally entrenched in obtaining the DP. They are more animated than in the past. Just thinking that they would be emotional if no DP is given.

by trl2 7/30/2015 4:20:24 PM
Truly, I wanted to be able to see the progression of disease in JH, not because I wish it on him, but because it would help me understand a little about his actions. Yesterday just proved to me that JH didn't have a big shift in his personality, in his actions, etc. He seems to be an overindulged, intelligent young man whose life didn't go as he had planned. He was intelligent enough to research all these things and I know he was bright enough to convince those examiners. He was always a loner, somewhat anti-social, awkward in social situations. NOTHING CHANGED!! And it makes me angry, if this is what he has been doing, because he is sabotaging the very group that he wants to rely on to save his life.

by Suzi Lewis 7/30/2015 4:20:35 PM
I hope everyone understands how difficult it is to get help with mental illness in this country. It is VERY expensive and most insurances NOT NOT cover ANYTHING that has to do with mental health. Most people are forced to NOT get help because they can't afford it.

by Me (CaliMiSFit@yahoo.com) 7/30/2015 4:20:39 PM
@Anita- others have been pointing this out. At first I thought this was a stretch-- but today really makes it appear more true. The Jury will never see this kind of affect/behavior.

by Mr.D. 7/30/2015 4:20:46 PM
LG why are you telling people in other countries that the all of the US has DP and we consciously kill. All of Europe holds to International Law and much of the US also holds the DP as cruel punishment without justice. CO is one of the states

by okx 7/30/2015 4:21:00 PM
At the beginning of this case, I felt as though JH was mentally ill, after listening to this case in it's entirety and keeping an open mind, I feel differently. I think he (JH) is smart enough to know the difference between mentally ill and legally sane. I think he thinks that he is smarter than the jury.

by Resa 7/30/2015 4:21:07 PM
I feel like I need to add that this is a change of game for me. The overdone testimony of his mother is what swayed me. She could not, or did not, ever show anything that could be considered a change signalling the onset of mental illness. What she talked about was a coddled, spoiled, normal, albeit, maladjusted young man (who, IMO, seems to be following in his father's footsteps) except that he wanted to feel power and was too cowardly to do anything except go to a darkened movie theater and slaughter strangers, as many as he could.

by Suzi Lewis 7/30/2015 4:21:15 PM
@Phil...if there is no phase 3....will the victims still have the opportunity to give statements prior to sentencing?

by trl2 7/30/2015 4:21:27 PM