Jury selection begins in movie theater massacre trial
Jury selection began Tuesday in the capital murder trial of James Holmes, 27, who is accused of fatally shooting a dozen people and injuring 70 more in a July 20, 2012 massacre at a Colorado theater at which a new Batman movie was being shown.
Holmes has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the high-profile case, for which an initial jury pool of 9,000 people has been developed. However, the Denver Post reports that 2,000 of those summonses have been returned as undeliverable. The Arapahoe County District Court trial could last until October, according to the Associated Press and Reuters.
Often, in such cases, the suspect is killed or commits suicide, notes jury consultant Alan Tuerkheimer, pointing out how unusual the trial is. “The public is going to get an insight into the mind of a killer who says he doesn’t know right from wrong,” he said. “It is really rare. It just doesn’t usually come to this.”
The Guardian, the Los Angeles Times (sub. req.) and New York magazine’s Daily Intelligencer blog also have stories.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Judge OKs insanity plea for accused shooter in Colo. movie theater massacre”
ABAJournal.com: “Parents of man charged with slaying 12 at Batman movie premiere plead for life-sentence plea bargain”
See also:
Denver Post (opinion): “Value of James Holmes trial goes beyond legal questions”
