James Holmes’ psychiatrist reported him to school: sources
Dr. Lynne Fenton is shown in her headshot from the University of Colorado Hospital website.
James Holmes troubled his psychiatrist so much that she reported him to University of Colorado six weeks before he allegedly gunned down 12 at an Aurora movie theatre, TV station KMGH reported.
Dr. Lynne Fenton referred Holmes, 24, to the school’s “behavioral evaluation and threat assessment” team, or BETA.
According to unnamed sources, the university’s threat-assessment team didn’t forward that information to police because Holmes quit school shortly after that.
“Fenton made initial phone calls about engaging the BETA team” in “the first 10 days” of June, sources told KMGH.
Because Holmes dropped out, the BETA team had no authority in the matter, the TV station reported.
Police charged Holmes after 12 people died and 58 injured during a shooting during a midnight screening of “The Dark Knight Rises” on July 20.
Holmes was a doctoral student at the CU’s Anschutz Medical Campus until June, CNN said.
He now faces 24 counts of first-degree murder and 116 counts of attempted murder, the Denver Post said.
Fenton was instrumental in creating the BETA team, the Post reported.
She no longer has a direct role, but acts as an adviser.
CU officials defended staff reaction in the Holmes case.
“I believe, until it’s been demonstrated otherwise, that our people did what they should have done,” CU chancellor Don Elliman told the newspaper.
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