 |
| James Holmes and attorney (file photo) |
Judge Carlos Samour said balancing Holmes right to a fair trial with the need for public access was tough. "There should be as much access as possible. But there has to be limits."
The judge presiding over the Aurora theater shooting trial said Monday that the soonest he would rule on whether to allow cameras during the mass murder trial would be Sept. 30.
Arapahoe County District Court Judge Carlos Samour was clearly struggling with requests from the media to allow one still and one television camera in the courtroom during the insanity trial of James Holmes.
Samour said balancing Holmes right to a fair trial with the need for public access was tough. "There should be as much access as possible. But there has to be limits."
Samour was skeptical about contentions from the prosecution and defense that expanded media coverage would result in unfair scrutiny of victims and witnesses. Whether there are cameras in court or only in the hallway and parking lot, Samour said everyone involved will likely be heavily photographed and scrutinized.
Holmes appeared in court today wearing jail garb and a scraggly-looking beard. For the 1st time in court, however, he was wearing fashionable, red-rimmed glasses. He sat in his chair and swiveled at times, staring at the floor during the hearing.
Holmes is accused of killing 12 and injuring dozens more in a July 2012 shooting rampage at an Aurora movie theater. His trial is set to start in December and last well into 2015.
Holmes has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
Source: Aurora Sentinel, Sept. 23, 2014
