James Holmes Will Rightly Face Additional Charges for Aurora Colorado Massacre

Impact

After a James Holmes Halloween costume idea was scrapped out of respect for the Colorado victims, the Batman shooter is back in the news with additional charges in the July 20 Aurora massacre. 

The former University of California, Riverside, student sat quietly during his recent court hearing, and didn't react when defense attorney Dan King said, "we cannot begin to examine the nature and depth of Mr. Holmes' mental illness."

Prosecutors added 14 counts of attempted murder to the already existing charges against James Eagan Holmes. They also amended five other counts that the 24 year-old Holmes already faced, though details about the new charges weren't released.

Holmes is accused of killing 12 people and injuring 58 others by opening fire in a movie theater during the July 20 midnight premiere of Christopher Nolan's film The Dark Knight Rises. The highly publicized case faced increasing scrutiny as defense attorneys and prosecutors tried to contain efforts by the media to learn more details about the case.

Holmes is scheduled back in court on October 25 for a hearing aimed at answering whether police investigators improperly leaked information about the case to the media. Additionally, Judge William Sylvester set a January 7 date for a preliminary hearing in the case where he will likely decide whether prosecutors have enough evidence to proceed with their case against Holmes.

Though Holmes' attorneys are expected to use a mental illness defense, the 2013 hearing will give the media (and the public) a first solid look at the evidence against a scary killer who will be remembered forever in popular culture as the gruesome Joker.