Holmes to be formally sentenced this week

“I will never forgive the monster that sits in this courtroom, smiling and laughing with his defense attorneys when the jury and your honor are out of the room”, said Anita Busch, whose second cousin Micalya Medek was among the 12 people Holmes killed.

The shooting at the Aurora Theater occurred in 2012 whose trials are being concluded as the person who was responsible for shooting twelve lives is being tried in court.

“Well, prison’s no picnic, and knowing he will understand some level of pain for the rest of his pathetic life will be enough”, Phillips said. They won’t be able to address Holmes directly but rather the judge, who must hand down sentences on 141 other counts that include attempted murder and an explosives charge. But they could not unanimously agree on the death penalty for Holmes.

“No amount of justice will make up for the loss”, she said, her voice choked with emotion.

Robert Sullivan, the grandfather of the youngest victim, 6-year-old Veronica Moser-Sullivan, called on Holmes to “do the correct thing for once” and petition the court to be executed by firing squad.

After lovingly describing Veronica’s short life and calling her “my angel”, Sullivan called the sentence immoral and reprehensible.

Many victims testified during Holmes’ four-month trial about the terror and carnage he inflicted on more than 400 people who filled the seats at a sold-out midnight movie premiere of “The Dark Knight Rises” in suburban Aurora.

Tom Teves, whose son Alex was killed, called Holmes an evil coward and also denounced the defense attorneys as “agents of evil” who were trying to advance their own careers. One of the victim’s mother complained that he was not given to the death penalty, but Samour replied that he will be punished for every crime that he has committed which might lead to twelve life sentences as well.

The gunman had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty.

Defence lawyers can present mitigation evidence on the attempted murder convictions, but it is unclear if they will do so.

In her statements, Pourciau reminded the court Holmes killed 13, because of the death of a mother and her unborn child that chilling summer night. The judge has not set a limit on the number of witnesses allowed to take the stand and has granted Holmes the opportunity to speak, though he declined the privilege during his trial.

He could ultimately be sentenced to a maximum of 3,318 years in prison, in addition to the mandatory life sentence, prosecutors said.