Theater shooting trial day 61: Start of 'Phase 3'

Day 61 in the Aurora movie theater shooting trial – People vs. James Eagan Holmes. Today, prosecutors will call family members of the 12 victims who were killed.Jurors have already confirmed they found aggravating factors in the mass shooting for which they convicted the gunman. They also confirmed that any mitigating factors that might exist do not outweigh the aggravating factors. This round of testimony is the third and final phase before jurors decide on 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. 7NEWS and TheDenverChannel.com will have gavel to gavel coverage of the trial starting at 8:30a.m. (MST) everyday and ending around 5:30 p.m. (MST) Watch new live video on our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/7NewsDenver/live Additional resources:LIVE VIDEO & BLOG: http://bit.ly/theatertrialTIMELINE of the case: http://bit.ly/theatertimelineJURY PROFILE: http://bit.ly/theaterjury CONTINUING COVERAGE: http://bit.ly/theatercoverage

3rd & 7 37yd

So this is all confusing...he was dating the girl he was in the theater with. He jumped on top of her and was pushing her under the seats. She testified earlier in the trial.

by Marsha Laurienti 8/4/2015 9:23:48 PM
Mr. D-what a PROFOUND point you make. Wow. So well said...

by BluesB 8/4/2015 9:23:50 PM
- Quote
"I was not ready for tears, it was all denial"

by Phil Tenser 8/4/2015 9:24:01 PM
Daughter was afraid she might die too, Chantel says

by Phil Tenser 8/4/2015 9:24:25 PM
- Objection
403 objection sustained

by Phil Tenser 8/4/2015 9:25:23 PM
Chantel says her daughter carries an inhaler, locked up here after going through security

by Phil Tenser 8/4/2015 9:25:45 PM
Because he MIGHT of been with a female.... doesn't mean a thing. I have tons of male friends and I am married... let it go..please!

by Sally Mander 8/4/2015 9:25:49 PM
She does not act like she is sad. They described her as estranged wife..Why was he there at the movies with another girl?

by Sandy Smith 8/4/2015 9:25:49 PM
I feel her pain, but this woman just talks too much - sucks the life right out of you.

by Nadine 8/4/2015 9:25:50 PM
- Quote
"I feel very anxious. I feel, when I'm taking my kids to school, I have to have a pep talk that they're going to be fine"

by Phil Tenser 8/4/2015 9:26:11 PM
Showing more photos now

by Phil Tenser 8/4/2015 9:27:11 PM
- Quote
"I miss his smile, I miss his hugs"

by Phil Tenser 8/4/2015 9:27:57 PM
Yep.... I did remember correctly... Jansen Young when the shooter started his attack, Blunk knew to throw her to the floor. On the movie-theater floor, Blunk kept pushing her with his arms as she heard shots being fired. She eventually noticed that he had stopped pushing her under the seat, but she didn't think he had been killed.

by LG 8/4/2015 9:28:04 PM
My fantasy is for Brauchler to put up a big chalk board and make JH watch him erase ALL 12 points he thinks he accumulated from these murders. Brauchler announces that those points go back to the victims' families. Then he asks the jury to erase the 13th and final point by giving JH the death penalty.

by Sophia 8/4/2015 9:28:10 PM
Why does it matter who he was at the theater with?

by Suzi Lewis 8/4/2015 9:28:11 PM
No additional questions for Blunk

by Phil Tenser 8/4/2015 9:28:18 PM
Okay, so I missed something. Was this woman NOT married to this guy (separated) at the time of the murder? She's making it sound like this was a match made in heaven.

by Nadine 8/4/2015 9:28:20 PM
Jon Blunk

by Phil Tenser 8/4/2015 9:28:24 PM
Taking an afternoon break now

by Phil Tenser 8/4/2015 9:28:30 PM
I can't imagine JH still feels like he gained importance by killing these people seeing how beloved the victims are, especially given that JH will never have a motorcade nor a crowd which surpasses the archbishop when he dies. All of this testimony must be making him feel so much smaller -- if that's even possible.

by Poppy 8/4/2015 9:28:33 PM
@Sally -- Jansen Young was his girlfriend. Lots of interviews with her.

by Lynn 8/4/2015 9:28:35 PM
I hope she's getting some good therapy with a professional. ..she has so much to "expel" and process and deal with...for her children, as well. She's not a seasoned parent, like our great Navy mom/last witness...each loss is different. She's putting on a brave face. I think the jury can sense it. Bless her heart.

by BluesB 8/4/2015 9:28:56 PM
She is young and she is nervous and people respond in different ways. She has two young children she has had to get on with life.

by MW 8/4/2015 9:28:58 PM
ahem - hate to say it, but i think mothers make better witnesses than a girl this young

by Tiki Torch 8/4/2015 9:29:03 PM
I honestly don't think some of this has hit home with her yet. Oh man... :/

by BluesB 8/4/2015 9:29:08 PM
Judge making a note about the hearsay objection he allowed earlier

by Phil Tenser 8/4/2015 9:29:47 PM
think judge is trying to give the jury a break every two witnesses...

by mandi 8/4/2015 9:30:02 PM
@Lynn That is fine...but why sit in here and nit-pick about these people? I don't get it???

by Sally Mander 8/4/2015 9:30:04 PM
That was odd

by PFysch 8/4/2015 9:30:05 PM
DA says he has one more witness left for today. By my count that would be 7, or just short of one half of the total list (corrected)

by Phil Tenser 8/4/2015 9:31:15 PM
Speak no ill of the dead. And I suppose as a corollary, remember the good.

by MW 8/4/2015 9:32:20 PM
When she took the stand, she was very emphatic "I'm his wife"...not sure what their status was, but Jansen Young stated under oath earlier in the trial they were dating.

by Marsha Laurienti 8/4/2015 9:32:27 PM
MW-agreed.

by BluesB 8/4/2015 9:32:28 PM
@Sophia, your post just gave me goosebumps. You should tweet it to the DA.

by LoriJ 8/4/2015 9:32:31 PM
@Nadine... they were separated at the time of the shooting she was living in Reno at the time with the children. He was dating Miss Young at the time of the shooting and at the theater with Miss Young which he saved her life while his was lost...

by LG 8/4/2015 9:32:34 PM
I googled Jansen Young- there are plenty of picture of her and Jon Blunk together

by Victoria 8/4/2015 9:32:46 PM
@Sally, it probably isn't a big deal, it just doesn't fit with earlier testimony or any of the info that came out earlier.

by Marsha Laurienti 8/4/2015 9:33:12 PM
just what would the DT have to offer as far as victim impact?

by mandi 8/4/2015 9:40:24 PM
Sophia -just saw your comment. We've got to get that idea to "beam" somehow to Brauchler. Amazing idea. Nails it home. Shooter loses. Points go to survivors. I LOVE IT.

by BluesB 8/4/2015 9:40:30 PM
I wonder why they're not putting Jansen Young on the stand? Or did they in Phase 1?

by Poppy 8/4/2015 9:40:34 PM
@Poppy: Rules in this stage limit the testimony to family (though broadly interpreted, I think Chantel is the more legal fit for the case)

by Phil Tenser 8/4/2015 9:41:01 PM
I think chantel mightve been a slight misstep - maybe its her manner, but she didnt come across as all that impacted, not as compared to the others

by Tiki Torch 8/4/2015 9:41:09 PM
Sophia-I bet the survivors would support that visual as well. Especially the erasing of the points. That's so powerful. I understand that J. Ghawi's brother is anti DP (?) but the concept alone is PERFECT for addressing the shooter's "motive". (*& I personally agree w/you about the 13th point).

by BluesB 8/4/2015 9:41:13 PM
I'd rather stare at the court seal than watch these testimonies twice...

by Lynn 8/4/2015 9:41:18 PM
Legal question: How is it that the Defense team (specifically Ms. Nelson) cry her eyes out over JH's sisters testimony and never shed a tear over the victims families stories? Is it a tactic for the Defense to show favor to their client or is it not a question that can be answered since he could clearly be a personality trait in the lawyer "honed in on their work/client". And if it can be answered, wouldn't the Defense Team discuss emotions and how to play it to their advantage?

by Kristle 8/4/2015 9:41:26 PM