Was James Holmes merely a cunning mass murderer when he shot up the Aurora Colorado movie theater in 2012, or was he in the throes of a psychotic episode that made him violently delusional?
That question -- and not whether he’s guilty of gunning down 12 and wounding 70 others in the worst public shooting in American history -- is now at the crux of his murder trial for 166 related criminal counts.
The validity of Holme’s insanity defense can take months to prove or disprove, and in the end will make the difference in determining if the 27-year-old will be locked away in a psychiatric facility for the rest of his life, or if he’ll be executed.
Insanity is not an actual medical condition per se, but rather a legal term which encompasses a defense for a host of mental aberrations which might result in disturbed criminality -- in Holme’s case, schizophrenia, an incurable condition that strikes mainly young males.
Within those confines, there is little doubt that shooting up Batman moviegoers as the cartoon caped crusader’s evil nemesis the Joker is more than a bit batty. But mental health experts are also expected to testify that the highly-intelligent defendant has a family history of the degenerative brain disease which, unfortunately, spiraled out of control in 2012.
“Schizophrenia does not play favorites,” defense attorneys argue.
Prosecutors contend, however, that James Holmes is just a “brilliant” actor who’s “faking” psychosis to get away with murder. So they’re concentrating instead on the evidence and events preceding his unprecedented act of violence and, of course, the many victims of that carefully “premeditated” crime.
Meanwhile, a distracted-looking Holmes, who is known now for his many bizarre outbursts and even self harming during the three years he’s been in lockup, sits well behaved in the courtroom.
Of course, he’s also heavily medicated…
EPONYMOUS ROX @EponymousRox
