Colorado judge enters not guilty plea for James Holmes, trial date set for Aug. 5
James Holmes killed 12 people and injured 59 others during his shooting rampage.
James Holmes, who has been accused of shooting dead 12 people and injuring another 70 in a Colorado movie theater last July, is due to stand trial on August 5 after a judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
The Denver Post reported Tuesday Judge William Sylvester entered the plea over the objections of Holmes’ defense team, who argued they needed more time to respond to the 166 counts of murder, attempted murder and other crimes.
A trial has been scheduled for August 5 and prosecutors will announce next month whether they plan to seek the death penalty for the 25-year-old, the Associated Press reported.
On Monday, Sylvester warned Holmes he must “waive all medical confidentiality and agree to be drugged for a psychiatric exam” if he later pleaded guilty by reason of insanity, NBC reported.
Sylvester said Holmes also could be given a polygraph examination as part of an evaluation at the state mental hospital.
Holmes allegedly spent months planning the July 20 shooting rampage at a midnight showing of the Batman film "The Dark Knight Rises" in the Denver suburb of Aurora.
A month before the attack, the former neuroscience graduate student at the University of Colorado had failed oral board exams.
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