James Holmes — the man accused of murdering 12 people and injuring 58 others in an Aurora, Colorado movie theater Friday — appeared lethargic during his introductory hearing July 23, where he learned he's being held on suspicion of first-degree murder.
Sitting before an Arapahoe County judge in Centennial, Colorado, the 24-year-old appeared dazed and did not speak once during the hearing. At one point, Holmes even shut his eyes.
Holmes will be kept in custody on a no-bail hold due to the egregious nature of the crimes he's been accused of committing, according to the judge. Holmes has also been forbidden from contacting the victims and their families.
Formal charges against Holmes will be presented July 30. "The death penalty certainly will be considered in this case," 18th Judicial District Attorney Carol Chambers said outside of court.
In the months before the July 20 shooting, Holmes purchased four weapons: a shotgun, an assault rifle and two Glock handguns. He also bought more than 6,000 rounds of ammunition, special magazines for the bullets, body armor and a gas mask, Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates told reporters.
The movie theater massacre occurred just after midnight during a screening of Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises. "The movie theatre is my home, and the idea that someone would violate that innocent and hopeful place in such an unbearably savage way is devastating to me," Nolan, 41, said in a statement. "Nothing any of us can say could ever adequately express our feelings for the innocent victims of this appalling crime, but our thoughts are with them and their families."
