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Attorneys: Holmes plans insanity plea in Aurora theater shootings

Posted at 3:42 PM, May 07, 2013
and last updated 2013-05-07 23:44:16-04

(CNN) — Attorneys for Colorado movie theater shooting suspect James Holmes on Tuesday filed their intent to enter a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity on behalf of their client.

Holmes faces charges in the July 20, 2012, shooting spree that took the lives of 12 people and wounded dozens more at the premiere in Aurora of the Batman movie “The Dark Knight Rises.”

Federal agents have said the 25-year-old former University of Colorado doctoral student planned the attack for months.

His trial is scheduled to begin next February. If convicted, Holmes faces the death penalty.

The judge overseeing the trial of Holmes said Tuesday that the defense must show “good cause” to change his plea from not guilty to not guilty by reason of insanity.

By CNN Staff.
CNN’s Carma Hassan contributed to this report.
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