James Holmes Formally Charged with 12 Counts of First Degree Murder for the Movie-Theater Massacre in Aurora Colorado

James Holmes has been formally charged with multiple counts of first-degree murder for the July 20 massacre that took place at a movie theater at a midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises”.  The events that took place that night claimed the lives of 12, and wounded 58 others.

The first degree murder charges reiterate the fact that many believe that Holmes, 24 committed premeditated murders, as he purchased the contents of an armory in the weeks leading up to the assault in Aurora Colorado.

In addition to the 12 counts of first-degree murder that Holmes has been charged with, he has also been slapped with more than 100 counts of attempted murder.  He was also charged with the possession of an explosive device, although it is not currently clear if the device in question was the smoke canister ignited in the theater used to confuse moviegoers, or the explosive devices found in his booby-trapped apartment.

Holmes did not enter a plea when he was charged, only uttering one simple “yes” during the entire court proceedings.  This is becoming normal behavior for Holmes as his initial appearance in court last week found him dazed and silent.  Holmes is currently being held without bond in isolation at the county’s detention center, where he has been since police arrested him outside the theater.

The defense team for Holmes said in a court filing on Friday that he is a patient of Lynne Fenton, a psychiatrist and medical director at the University of Colorado-Denver Anshutz Medical Campus.  It was not announced what he was being treated for, nor if he were prescribed any medications.  Though

Holmes' defense team said in a court filing Friday that he was a patient of Lynne Fenton, a psychiatrist and medical director at the University of Colorado-Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, where Holmes was a doctoral candidate in the university's neuroscience program before dropping out June 10. They did not say what Holmes was being treated for or if he is on any medications.  This announcement makes it likely that his defense team will try to stave off a possible death penalty by arguing that he is mentally ill.