James Holmes Surviving the Death Penalty Over Killings in US Theaters

James Holmes escaped the death penalty and only a life sentence for the shooting that killed 12 people at a movie theater in the US in 2012. Photo: AP

WASHINGTON - A man who opened fire on diners and killed 12 people, including Indonesian citizens at Batman film premiere in 2012 in a movie theater in the United States escaped the death penalty.



The jury court in the State of the US, Colorado sentenced the defendant named James Holmes was only life in prison without parole.

"He will serve life in prison without the possibility of parole," said the judge after the jury's decision read as reported by the BBC on Saturday (8/8).

James Holmes is considered mentally unhealthy but can be regarded responsible for the shooting.

Defense lawyers asserted that the former neuroscience graduate student, 27-year-old mentally ill alias not insane at the time his actions.

The jury agreed with the prosecutor that Holmes, although mentally ill, is responsible for his actions. Because the jury did not agree on the death penalty, automated feeding defendant was sentenced to life without parole.

One of the jurors later told NBC News that two members of the jury insisted on the death penalty but the others are also adamantly opposed on the grounds of mental illness.

Decision of a jury consisting of nine women and three men was revealed Judge Carlos Samour in the courtroom in the town of Centennial, Friday (7/8) yesterday.

(BBC/JPNN)