James Eagan Holmes, who is being held in a Colorado jail after allegedly fatally shooting 12 and wounding 58 others at a suburban Denver movie theater on July 20, made his first court appearance on Monday morning as he began to face charges that could result in the death penalty.
Arapahoe County District Judge William Sylvester presided over the hearing, which advised Holmes of his constitutional rights, and heard preliminary motions from the prosecution and defense on the ongoing proceedings. He ordered that Holmes, 24, appear in court to be formally charged on July 30.
(PHOTOS: Batman–Movie-Theater Shooting in Aurora, Colo.)
The suspect sat in court wearing a burgundy jumpsuit and sporting brightly dyed red hair, occasionally staring at the floor with a sullen expression. At one point, Holmes closed his eyes while the judge spoke. He was flanked by his public defender. Holmes has been held in solitary confinement at an Arapahoe County jail and is expected to remain there until his arraignment. Authorities have said he has been largely uncooperative and that it may take months to learn the motive behind his mass killing.
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Holmes was arrested early Friday after allegedly staging a lethal assault during a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises. He was armed with an assault rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun and two Glock handguns. Police have since deactivated and detonated several booby traps set in his apartment.
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