The man accused of killing 12 in a movie theater in Aurora could face the death penalty, a Colorado prosecutor says.
James Holmes, 24, made his first court appearance Monday morning in a Colorado courtroom. Police and prosecutors accuse him of killing 12 and injuring 58 in a shooting rampage during the premiere of the latest Batman film, “The Dark Knight Rises,” in Aurora, CO Friday morning.
Police say Holmes has refused to cooperate with investigators. Monday morning he appeared before a judge with his attorney and was caught on film in public for the first time since the atrocities occurred three days earlier. Holmes sat quietly in prison garb before the judge and remained silent during a brief hearing. The court concluded with the decision that Holmes will be formally charged one week later on July 30. He is expected to remain locked up at the Arapahoe Detention Center until his next court date.
During his short court appearance, Holmes showcased a dyed red hairdo, an allusion some have suggested to the Joker character from the Batman series. According to authorities, Holmes told the police that he was the Joker once detained after the Friday morning massacre.
Sources within the facility tell the New York Daily News that Holmes has not shown any remorse since being booked last week and “thinks he’s acting in a movie.”
“He was spitting at the door and spitting at the guards,” a just-released inmate added to the Post.“He’s spitting at everything. Dude was acting crazy.”
