James Holmes, Colorado cinema gunman, sentenced to life in jail
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-34068806 Version 0 of 1. The man who was convicted of killing 12 people and wounding 70 others inside a Colorado cinema has been formally sentenced to life in prison without chance of parole. Earlier this month, jurors decided not to sentence James Holmes to death. His lawyers had argued the former neuroscience graduate student was mentally ill at the time of the shooting and should not be executed. Some survivors of the July 2012 attack have criticised the jury's sentence. But on Wednesday Judge Carlos Samour Jr praised the jury's compassion, contrasting it with Holmes's brutality. "It is almost impossible to comprehend how a human being is capable of such acts," said Judge Samour. No plans to appeal On 20 July 2012, Holmes slipped into a midnight screening of Batman film The Dark Knight Rises armed with a semi-automatic rifle, a shotgun and a pistol. He threw smoke canisters and shot at people trying to escape. Prosecutors argued the attack was clearly premeditated, with Holmes planning and amassing weapons for months, as well as booby-trapping his apartment to kill anyone who tried to enter. Defence lawyer Daniel King said on Tuesday his client will not appeal against his conviction, avoiding another lengthy trial for the victims. |