The family of Colorado theater shooter James Holmes has released a statement expressing sorrow for the victims.
The short statement was issued by family attorney Lisa J. Damiani. It says the Holmes family is unable to comment other than to say they are deeply sorry that victims and survivors have suffered such a tremendous loss.
The July 2012 shooting killed 12 people and injured 70 others. Holmes’ parents, Robert and Arlene, attended each day of their son’s trial.
A juror in the Colorado theater shooting trial told reporters outside court that there was a single juror who refused to give gunman James Holmes the death penalty and two others who were wavering.
The juror, who did not give her name, said after the life sentence was handed down Friday that “It’s a tragedy. It’s a devastating result no matter what. I am deeply, deeply sorry — that isn’t even the word.”
The jury of nine women and three men could not reach a unanimous verdict on each murder count. That automatically eliminated the death penalty for Holmes.
The July 2012 shooting killed 12 people and injured 70 others. Defense attorneys blamed Holmes‘ mental illness for the attack.
The families of some of the 12 people killed in the Colorado theater shooting, including some who didn’t want the death penalty, are defending the work of District Attorney George Brauchler in prosecuting gunman James Holmes.
A jury failed to agree on a sentence for Holmes Friday, meaning he will be now sentenced to life in prison.
Tom Teves, wearing a photograph of his murdered son Alex Teves on his shirt, says about half of the families wanted the death penalty so Brauchler was right to pursue it.
Sandy Phillips, whose 24-year-old daughter Jessica Ghawi was killed and didn’t favor seeking death, says she has a hard time accepting that sentence for the sake of those among the 70 wounded who live in pain every day because of their injuries.
She also said it’s difficult to think that “this monster” will get to have visits from his parents and pictures from his admirers.
The families have become a tight knit group since the attack three years ago. Dave Hoover, the uncle of 18-year-old victim AJ Boik, says they all will still have hurt in their lives tomorrow but they will also have love.
The lead prosecutor in the Colorado theater shooting case says he’s frustrated that gunman James Holmes didn’t get the death penalty, but he praised jurors for doing a “hell of a job.”
District Attorney George Brauchler commended the nine women and three men for sitting through more than three months of grueling testimony without being able to discuss the case with anyone.
Brauchler recited the names and ages of the 12 people killed by Holmes and said they were at the heart of the case.
He said he has apologized to the victims‘ families for failing to win a death sentence and added that he doesn’t regret not accepting a plea deal earlier with strings attached for Holmes.
He says the attack was the type of crime that called out for the community, through the jury system, to be involved in the sentence.
Brauchler was joined at a news conference by a group of victims’ families, prosecutors and police officers.
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