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James Holmes Pleads Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity

By Jeralyn, Section Crime in the News
Posted on Tue Jun 04, 2013 at 01:38:36 PM EST
Tags: James Holmes (all tags)
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The judge presiding over the criminal case of James Holmes, accused of the Aurora theater shootings, has accepted Holmes' plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.

Today was the deadline for the filing of non-capital motions. The defense filed a slew of them. They are available here.

One motion gives notice the defense will move for a change of venue before trial. In other pleadings, it asks that the jury be sequestered during jury selection and that non-English speaking jurors be allowed to serve (and that the court provide translators.) [More...]

The defense is challenging the searches of Holmes' iphone, ipod, email accounts and computers. It is seeking to suppress his statements and opinion testimony about firearms, computer forensics, hair and fiber analysis, his handwriting and other fields of proposed expert testimony.

In a pleading seeking to prohibit prospective jurors from having cell phones, computer or electronic devices at the courthouse, the defense says the trial is expected to last four months, but may take longer.

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    James Holmes Pleads Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity | 1 comment (1 topical)

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    He was in federal court (none / 0) (#2)
    by scribe on Tue Jun 04, 2013 at 07:02:35 PM EST
    where the insanity defense is really, really circumscribed.  The John Hinckley/Ronald Reagan assassination attempt case led to the extant limits on the insanity defense.

    In any event, in Loughner's case there was an ongoing back and forth about whether he was even competent to stand trial which included, as I recall it, the government ramming anti-insanity medication into his body against his will to make him competent to stand trial so they could kill him.  In the end, it came down to a plea of guilty yielding life without parole.

    James Holmes Pleads Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity | 1 comment (1 topical)

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