The justice system?

[Trish Crocker]

Just saw a thing on MSN that stated that the trial of the guy that shot all of those people at the theater in Colorado will probably last months or even years. HUH????? How much guiltier do you have to be? Why do the taxpayers have to pay all of this money for a lengthy trial?? I'm not sure where I stand on capital punishment and I know that this is not the forum to debate it but I'm thinkin that it's a pretty sure thing that he did it...and I really don't think he has anything worthwhile to contribute to society. Even if he weren't executed...why do we have to have this loooong trial?? Put him before a jury, let the jury decide his guilt or innocence (should take about 5 minutes at the most) then send him to prison forever...sounds easy to me.

[Penguin]

Just saw a thing on MSN that stated that the trial of the guy that shot all of those people at the theater in Colorado will probably last months or even years. HUH????? How much guiltier do you have to be? Why do the taxpayers have to pay all of this money for a lengthy trial?? I'm not sure where I stand on capital punishment and I know that this is not the forum to debate it but I'm thinkin that it's a pretty sure thing that he did it...and I really don't think he has anything worthwhile to contribute to society. Even if he weren't executed...why do we have to have this loooong trial?? Put him before a jury, let the jury decide his guilt or innocence (should take about 5 minutes at the most) then send him to prison forever...sounds easy to me.

The trial wont last years but if they deceide to seek the death penalty it could take awile to hear all of the appeals. Death penalty cases usually take the longest. I will stop here cause I could go on and on about what I think should happen.

[Barefoot]

Put him before a jury, let the jury decide his guilt or innocence (should take about 5 minutes at the most) then send him to prison forever...sounds easy to me.

Put him before a Judge. Then put him in jail and throw away the key. Make sure he goes in with the general population who don't like baby kiillers. I try to be charitable and think positively, but I just can't do it in this case.

[mfp509]

That ACT that he put on in court yesterday was just that! Nothing but an act to appear insane or mentally ill. With all the planning he did for this terrible crime and then he asked for a lawyer, he is well aware of what he did. This should never drag on - execute him.

[Taltarzac725]

This will drag on for a very long time with all the evidence, witnesses, and other stuff involved. At least, it looks like many of the victims/survivors of this fiend James Holmes get to look this man in his bulging shocked depressed eyes. There are hundreds of victims/survivors when you could the families of the victims/survivors of the 70 people Holmes wounded or killed. http://www.glendale.co.us/departments/pd/vavictimrights.htm

Many of the victims will need this court case to get some closure with respect to their sense of getting justice from the CO Criminal Justice System.

Cannot see any kind of Casey Anthony kind of surprise coming out of this one.

[kathy and al]

For those opposed to the death penalty-----do you have a change of heart after this incident?? This creep will plead insanity and you and I will pay for him to live "rent free" for the rest of his life. A real tragedy.

[Taltarzac725]

For those opposed to the death penalty-----do you have a change of heart after this incident?? This creep will plead insanity and you and I will pay for him to live "rent free" for the rest of his life. A real tragedy.

There is little chance that his lawyers will be able to argue insanity successfully unless there are facts that have not come to light yet. He planned the attack on the Batman movie premiere for months and also had his apartment rigged to kill any nosy neighbor who came in to check when his loud music started around midnight. Thus distracting the Aurora police and fire department to his apartment and its bombing while he attacked the theater patrons.

I am not a big fan of the death penalty because a powerful clique of people can frame an innocent man-- and have done so it the past based on the various DNA reversals of death sentences-- but do believe that if there are a lot of checks and balances in the justice system that the death penalty should be used in certain very egregious cases like with the Oklahoma City bombers, any terrorist like those from 9/11 as well as James Holmes.

[shcisamax]

I didn't totally follow this because it is so...sad. Did they ever say what it was that "made him want to do it?" Like Columbine was because he had been bullied. Haven't we all. But from what I saw initially was he was a really smart guy going for his PHD for neuroscience and suddenly dropped out. What the heck happened that he felt justified doing this horrible thing?

[Taltarzac725]

I didn't totally follow this because it is so...sad. Did they ever say what it was that "made him want to do it?" Like Columbine was because he had been bullied. Haven't we all. But from what I saw initially was he was a really smart guy going for his PHD for neuroscience and suddenly dropped out. What the heck happened that he felt justified doing this horrible thing?

He is not talking as far as I know. His computer might have some kind of explanation for his motive.

[Taltarzac725]

§ 16-8-103. Pleading insanity as a defense. (http://search.jurisearch.com/NLLXML/getcode.asp?userid=GUEST9&interface=NLL&statecd=CO&codesec=16-8-103&sessionyr=2011&Title=16&datatype=S&noheader=1&nojumpmsg=0)

CO seems to use the M'Naghten Rule with the irrestible impulse test. http://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-procedure/the-irresistible-impulse-test.html http://www.enotes.com/criminal-law-reference/insanity-defense#mnaghten-rule

[2BNTV]

I'm not a big fan of the death penalty as I think it doesn't stop people from killing. In James Holmes case, I will make an exception.

GOD only knows what motivated this person to do such a tragic act and it probably will be years if ever, we will know what ran through his mind. If we did ever learn what made him do it, how does this knowledge benefit us in stopping future attacks?

My heart goes out to all the victims and families and friends.

[kathy and al]

There is little chance that his lawyers will be able to argue insanity successfully unless there are facts that have not come to light yet. He planned the attack on the Batman movie premiere for months and also had his apartment rigged to kill any nosy neighbor who came in to check when his loud music started around midnight. Thus distracting the Aurora police and fire department to his apartment and its bombing while he attacked the theater patrons.

I am not a big fan of the death penalty because a powerful clique of people can frame an innocent man-- and have done so it the past based on the various DNA reversals of death sentences-- but do believe that if there are a lot of checks and balances in the justice system that the death penalty should be used in certain very egregious cases like with the Oklahoma City bombers, any terrorist like those from 9/11 as well as James Holmes.
If his lawyers do not plan on pursing the insanity defense as you say then I would be curious as to what other alternative defenses he may have??? Kind of limited I would say.

[mfp509]

Here is a website set up for one of the victims who is now in ICU. His wife and unborn baby boy were not injured. I think the baby was born yesterday.

Caleb Medley - Actor, Standup Comedian (http://www.calebmedley.com)

[BarryRX]

I believe that our justice system is the second worst system in the world. The only system that is worse is everyone else's. But it works most of the time, and that is vitally important to a democracy. While the wheels of justice grind exceedingly slowly, they also grind exceedingly fine. I also would love to see him released to the families of the victims, but I recognize there is a very big difference between revenge and justice. If we let revenge rule our emotions, we become something less.

[Taltarzac725]

If his lawyers do not plan on pursing the insanity defense as you say then I would be curious as to what other alternative defenses he may have??? Kind of limited I would say.

No one seems to know enough about James Holmes to see what kind of defense he might have. His computer may have something that either the defense or prosecution or both might use.