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James Holmes Theater Shooting Case: Defense Seeks to Move Trial

Lawyers for James Holmes again asked a judge to move his murder trial in the Aurora theater killings because of "voluminous and intensive" coverage.
IMAGE: Aurora theater shooting suspect James Holmes
Aurora theater shooting suspect James Holmes in court in Centennial, Colorado, in June 2013.Denver Post pool via AP file

Lawyers for James Holmes have again asked a Colorado judge to move his murder trial in the 2012 Aurora theater killings, not only saying potential jurors have already made up their minds but also accusing the news media of poisoning the well with false stories.

Holmes, 27, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to multiple counts of murder and attempted murder after 12 people were killed and 70 others were injured in the July 2012 massacre at an Aurora movie theater during a screening of "Batman: The Dark Knight Rises."

Defense attorneys said in a 20-page motion filed Friday in Arapahoe County district court that surveys of 3,500 potential jurors showed that 68 percent believe Holmes is guilty — and that half of those respondents said their minds couldn't be changed.

They blamed "voluminous and intensive" coverage of the case, singling out what they called false reports that they had faked medical emergencies to postpone the trial.

IMAGE: Aurora theater shooting suspect James Holmes
Aurora theater shooting suspect James Holmes in court in Centennial, Colorado, in June 2013.Denver Post pool via AP file

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— M. Alex Johnson