Theater shooting trial day 63: Phase 3 closing arguments

Jurors will come face to face with the ultimate question in the Aurora movie theater shooting trial: Should James Holmes be put to death by lethal injection?

3rd & 7 37yd

@emma and SMH: Respiderone and vistaril are very strong anti-psychotic medications used to treat schizophrenia and they completely wipe you out. They make you very sedated and drowsy

by Jen 8/6/2015 4:55:47 PM
@emma How do you know what medications he's on?

by hey 8/6/2015 4:55:48 PM
In the end no one wins. So many losses: lives of victims, function of those injured, future contributions of those murdered, millions of CO $$, life of a once promising JH, effects on the community. Unfortunately, from past experiences of victims....there is no sense of "closure". I can speak from experience as an aunt of a young (26 yr) victim.

by trl2 8/6/2015 4:55:50 PM
@ Edy - well said.

by Suzanne 8/6/2015 4:58:07 PM
@ Phil I think I'm blacklisted, but could you tell me if the closings will be available later in recorded form? Unfortunately the Dr. is calling my name...

by Carolet in Denver 8/6/2015 4:58:10 PM
@CaroletinDenver: Of course, we archive every chat and every day of video

by Phil Tenser 8/6/2015 4:58:20 PM
I don't know why people are under the impression that JH is enjoying this. You have no way of knowing how he is feeling; we already know he's introverted. He's heavily medicated and processing everything. There's not much that he can do besides sit in a chair and wait for a verdict.

by Jen 8/6/2015 4:58:24 PM
@Sophia, thank you for making me laugh today.

by Resa 8/6/2015 4:58:25 PM
by Phil Tenser 8/6/2015 4:58:30 PM
@your neighbor. First off If you watch JH through out the trial he was only interested in the video and information about him. He doesn't have to act anymore. When he decided to stop getting help for his mental illness. And go into the theater and killed 12 people and injuried 70 people. He made that choice. Nobody likes to have to put anyone on death row. It's not a enjoyable to any of these jurors. But this man deserves what ever the sentence is. He will have to sit and think about this for a very long time. He saw all the people in that theater, teens, adults, kids. So he knew they people there. He didn't have to go through with it. But he made that choice. Thats why he didn't kill himself. He knew of all the coverage he would get. Narcissistic is what he is. Its so sad.

by Michelle Buendia 8/6/2015 5:35:38 PM
@Sophia - I hope they come during this break. Again, I want to thank you for answering all my questions.

by Suzanne 8/6/2015 5:35:40 PM
@ Phil - I voted for AC but Orman is my second. I think they make a good team.

by Suzanne 8/6/2015 5:35:41 PM
@ jen he is because watch him as soon as he was convicted he's whole demeanor changed. He's more involved over at that table when the jurors are not there. So he's heavily medicated? How would you know that he's heavily medicated.

by Michelle Buendia 8/6/2015 5:35:45 PM
I'm not sure how much of JH's behavior has been the result of mental illness and how much is just an act. Clearly he is not legally insane. Yesterday, we saw what happens when an insane (paranoid schizophrenic) man attacks a movie theater. They use a little pepper spray, a crappy hatchet, and an old airsoft pellet gun; and they get themselves killed in the process. I have great sympathy and sorrow for Montano, but none for the mass murderer in this trial.

by puglove 8/6/2015 5:35:49 PM
When will the photograph (he's blinking in one of them) that was taken immediately after the shooting going to be released?

by Stephen 8/6/2015 5:35:58 PM
Edy, perfectly said.

by Sophia 8/6/2015 5:35:59 PM
In my opinion if a person gets the DP they should be put to death immediately. The people in the movie theater did not get the choice of a fair trial. I believe criminals have more rights than a person who lives by the law. I believe JH did not want to figure out what he wanted to do with the rest of his life and do believe there is something wrong with him, but this choice he made a easy way out of having to really deal with life. We as taxpayers will have to take care of him.

by Dkf 8/6/2015 5:36:08 PM
The testimony regarding JH and medication indicated he was LIGHTLY medicated (low dosage).

by Edy 8/6/2015 5:36:11 PM
@trl2 I agree completely

by emma 8/6/2015 5:36:22 PM
I am assuming that testimony for Veronica was extremely emotional. I have not seen any of it yet.

by Resa 8/6/2015 5:36:24 PM
When this trial is over it will be like the ending of Black Friday, "Cyber Monday" and March Madness- Focus on my work should improve significantly.

by TLR 8/6/2015 5:36:29 PM
@Jen - of course there's something JH could do. He could get up off his ass and say "Please spare my life - I'm sorry for what I did". He's just a pathetic excuse for a human being and needs to be gone, like the other three on death row.

by Nadine 8/6/2015 5:36:33 PM
@Phil you and your team will get a much needed break I am hoping after all this is over...with the craziness in the court not being enough to have to deal with you all had to deal with crazy's in chat-rooms!!

by LG 8/6/2015 5:36:40 PM
@TMT-WELL SAID!!!

by BluesB 8/6/2015 5:36:41 PM
Howdy- Work keeps getting way, so I have to go back a replay stuff at night so this may have been asked already. Phil - Will D7 keep coverage going after the jury comes back with a verdict and the judge hands down whatever sentence they find. I'm not sure what the process is after that they come back with their answer in Phase III

by Just Thinkin 8/6/2015 5:36:48 PM
@JustThinkin: We'll continue to cover whatever is made available to us

by Phil Tenser 8/6/2015 5:37:07 PM
I, too, have put myself in the jury's place. And in the parents' place. And in the victims' place. And I still oppose the DP. And there IS a lot of mind reading on this forum, to Jen's point.

by Clancy 8/6/2015 5:37:18 PM
Brauchler has been the driving force behind all of this ..He has made "experts" look like kindergartners, defense witnesses look foolish and has been dramatic enough to make people sit up and take notice.I know he is a DA but who wouldn't want him on their side? He is awesome...

by Sandy Smith 8/6/2015 5:37:27 PM
And @trl2, I'm so sorry for your loss. And I do agree that this entire event and its aftermath are an encyclopedia of loss from which there will be no closure, whether the gunman lives or dies.

by Clancy 8/6/2015 5:37:29 PM
Do the closing arguments go first or are there other things that come before them?

by MW 8/6/2015 5:37:31 PM
Risperdal and vistaril are NOT that likely to cause impairment at the low doses he's taking; which have been disclosed in testimony. He has to be alert & orientated enough to help with his defense & to answer/comprehend judge's allocution questions. This was covered in every phase. He laughs smiles & jokes w/DT when jury is not in room. It's on recorded video clips.

by BluesB 8/6/2015 5:37:33 PM
There actually have been many "cues" to how he's doing if you watch carefully -especially when jury is not present.

by BluesB 8/6/2015 5:37:35 PM
Great poll @Phil! lol 140 for AC. He is awesome! Love watching him work.

by Della (Me) 8/6/2015 5:37:38 PM
Phil,
Thank you for your excellent moderation and coverage throughout this trial.

by smoothsn 8/6/2015 5:37:39 PM
Folks, c'mon--whether you hate the prosecution or love them (like I do), how can anyone seriously answer a poll concerning attorney effectiveness with anyone from the defense team. The defense team has not prevailed at any phase in this trial so far. How can that be construed, in any universe, as "effective" legal advocacy ????

by flip 8/6/2015 5:37:44 PM
Has anyone paid attention to or have an opinion on the other DP case that is going on right now?

by Rod 8/6/2015 5:37:50 PM
what ever the verdict may be I want to thank all those at 7news, the legal analysts and those in the chat room. This crime has affected ppl here in Canada. Now I make sure of my exits when I go to the movie theater in case a fire occurs. I am choosing to remember the victims and not the gunman. You are all Colorado strong and my heart goes out to all those affected.

by naturegurl 8/6/2015 5:38:20 PM
by Phil Tenser 8/6/2015 5:39:45 PM
@BluesB..Thank you :)

by TMT 8/6/2015 6:03:34 PM
the other dp isnt as easy to follow, but one of the accused made a plea agreement to testify against Lewis but then changed his mind. Now he might be facing DP too

by emma 8/6/2015 6:03:35 PM
Nadine-also well said!

by BluesB 8/6/2015 6:03:36 PM
@Clancy I agree with you

by Dawn 8/6/2015 6:03:38 PM
So now that I have a better understanding of the legal process, how in the heck I'm I going to figure out future cases without this awesome group of people to point stuff out to me, especially the little details that I miss and they catch (then I have to replay the video to watch)?

Thanks again D7 for allowing this great forum. Sounds like there is a need for this type of discussions!

by Just Thinkin 8/6/2015 6:03:41 PM
Heh, I came to this trial feeling sympathy for JH and I hated Brauchler during his opening statement. I hated his use of 'that guy' and I hated his theory of the motive. I thought Brauchler was obnoxious arrogant and full of himself, didn't care about the truth and was using this trial to get ready for a career in politics.......my, how my opinions have changed since then! If that is not effective lawyering, don't know what is. Although I also go away each night and review the facts for myself, as I'd really hate to think my opinions are based on the skill of the lawyers rather than the actual facts.

by Sophia 8/6/2015 6:03:47 PM
I agree w/you flip. When Justthinkin revealed yesterday what Gur was paid, I almost fainted. It's disgusting, especially when shooter took so much, & clearly comes from such privilege & wealth & opportunity. And we paid for every crumb of cracker in his Lunchable bite sized sammies. This entire case was handled, imo, with this equation:
PT=class, truth, restraint, professionalism.
DT= distract, hide, deflect.
Judge=as near as perfection as I've witnessed, especially in a case of this magnitude. PT proved sanity beyond a shadow of a doubt. Jimmy's not going to get everything he wanted. Take those "points" BACK, today, Brauchler!!

by BluesB 8/6/2015 6:04:02 PM