AURORA | James Holmes’ mother testified Wednesday that her son was never violent before he killed 12 and wounded 70 others during a July 2012 shooting at an Aurora movie theater.
“He never harmed anyone ever. Ever. Until July 20, 2012,” Arlene Holmes said.
Arlene Holmes was the last witness the defense called during the mitigation phase of Holmes’ sentencing hearing, during which the defense is trying to convince the jury not to sentence him to death.
She said she was especially shocked when she learned he used guns in the attack because the family never had guns and she didn’t think he knew how to use one.
Choking back tears, Arlene Holmes said she still loves her son.
“He has a serious mental illness, he didn’t ask for that,” she said.
In testimony that lasted the entire afternoon, Arlene Holmes discussed her son’s seemingly happy childhood, and the defense showed the jury home movies and pictures of James Holmes as a child.
When her testimony was complete, prosecutors opted not to cross examine Holmes’ mother.
The next phase of the trial is expected to include prosecutors calling relatives of the 12 killed in the theater as they try to convince the jury that Holmes should be sentenced to death.
The same jury that convicted Holmes of murder last month will decide his sentence.
The trial started in late April is scheduled to end in August.
Court is in recess until 11:30 a.m. Thursday.
HE’S A HORRIBLE MONSTER! I could care about what his 2nd grade teacher had to say, my God almighty, he was a little kid then, now he’s ground into the monster we have today!
Do we need more defending of this monster? Siblings, 2nd grade teachers, parents? What are we trying to do here? Actually wash away the sins of this mass murderer? Is this necessary? Is no one guilty of anything any longer? Are we always first to find cause or reason for any bad behavior? Can’t we just say ‘this person is pure evil and should be put to death’? Is there always going to be defenders of ANY act, no matter how heinous?
You clearly have no idea what is going on. He was already found guilty of the murders – now the jury has to decided if he should get life without parole or death. This is the mitigation phase in which the defense is allowed to bring forward witnesses that speak to the character of the defendant and who he is/was as a person. The whole theme of the defenses argument has been that Mr. Holmes is mentally ill and that at around the time of middle school, thats when he started to change from being a very happy and social kid to becoming much more closed off and introverted. So, bringing in people who have had experiences with the defendant both BEFORE middle school and after is important so the jury can hear how he changed over the course of time due to his mental illness.
If calling him “pure evil” makes you feel better because you are unable to accept the fact the Mr. Holmes is mentally ill, than thats fine for you – but “evil” is subjective, and thus not a real diagnosis.
And as for your last sentence – the answer to your question is Yes. There will ALWAYS be people defending people who commit crimes. No matter what they did. Why? Its called the Constitution. Maybe you should read it sometime.
Well said, Colo31!
Read above, same goes for you.
@gofastgo:disqus No one is arguing whether or not Mr. Holmes committed a horrible and brutal act of murder – He did. But it is clear that he has a serious mental illness. Being ill does not equate to being a monster – About one in four adults suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in the United States. Perhaps you are one of the fortunate ones who does not have a mental illness – or have a family member or close friend with a mental illness. I wonder how you would feel if you did.
At what point will you do-gooders understand that, when someone is criminally dangerous, mentally ill or nay, they must culled, that ‘all’ lives do not matter, not when a heinous crime is committed. The victims lives are much more valuable to me, and should be to you. I’ve seen the hocus-pocus that is mental health doctoring, it’s all smoke and mirrors, harsh medications (killed a very dear friend of mine, after they turned her into a vegetable) and of course the old stand by, electric shock treatments. Those, as with this thing, need electric shock, but in much greater doses, running in a direct current through their bodies.
And of course, it equates to being a monster, not a ‘poor, misunderstood, mentally ill person’. Do you think anyone that kills more than his girlfriend, say 5 people, as in the Fero bar mass murders, isn’t a bit nutty? It’s too easy to blame mental illness for this. Have you spoken to any of the victims of this monster? Nah, why would you, too concerned about all those mentally ill folks walking around, and in Denver, high to boot.
@gofastgo Apparently you spend a great deal of time trolling this site (I saw that you’ve made 2823 comments?) and post mean spirited comments meant to incite and provoke argument rather than engage in honest & intellectual debate and exchange ideas and perspectives on important issues – I think this speaks volumes on intellect. Wishing you well – but I am finished with any further conversation with you.
The monster in Sweden, killed 77 people, 8 via a bomb in a van, then executed 69 more in a Youth Camp. He’s mentally ill, taking college courses before his release in about 20 years, do you find that thrilling? Enlightening? Heart-warming? Do you want to say, ‘I want to cheer for the recovery of this wonderful individual that the psychiatric doctors were able to heal’ Betcha’ do.
I answered you, but it made too much sense for AS to allow it, they would rather have you pontificate on the justice system, not the true victims of this monster. You continue to care about this worthless life, and I’ll continue to pray for the victims, they went to a movie, many never left the theater alive, God bless them.
If he became mentally ill at about middle school time, why didn’t his parents, school officials or someone in authority see that he received the necessary mental health treatment so that he never would have done what he did?