Colorado theater shooter’s dad saw wide-eyed smirk before killing

He said he’s seen James Holmes in jail only three times because his son typically doesn’t allow visitors.

But she soon had the courtroom’s attention as she made a desperate bid to save his life as he faces the death penalty for the 2012 Aurora, Colorado massacre. In this image made from Colorado Judicial Department video, defense attorney Tamara Brady, left, questions Robert Holmes, top right, the father of James Holmes, background left, during the sentencing phase o… Judge Carlos A. Samour Jr.is seen at top right. Earlier in the trial, Arlene Holmes tried to pass a note to the defense table, but it was intercepted.

The jury is considering whether James Holmes should serve life in prison without parole or be executed for killing 12 people and injuring 70 others at a crowded movie premiere in 2012.

Their son did give his parents reasons to worry in the months before the July 2012 attack, they said.

But then she choked back tears, saying that’s not true because “that’s why we’re sitting here”.

“They were interested in whether he had a history of violence, which he didn’t, and they were interested, I thought, in whether he was a terrorist”, Bob Holmes said. “I might have been crawling on all fours to get to him”. She said he never hurt anyone before the attack.

She told of a phone call she received from the University of Colorado not long before the shooting.

“He was not a violent person”.

Robert Holmes said Tuesday that he still loves and supports his son, who was an “excellent kid”.

The father of Colorado theater shooter James Holmes isn’t showing much emotion as he testifies in an effort to spare his son from execution.

After the mother’s testimony, defence attorneys were preparing to rest their portion of the sentencing phase, which has included several dozen family friends, teachers and former neighbours who said the Holmes they knew was shy, mild-mannered and polite- not the kind of young man who would gun down innocent strangers.

Closing arguments were scheduled for Thursday. “She didn’t tell me”.

Arlene Holmes has attended almost every day of her son’s trial along with her husband, Robert, but this is the first time she has testified or spoken publicly during the trial. They hadn’t known he was getting therapy, and thought perhaps he was depressed, or was suffering from Asperger’s syndrome, Robert Holmes said.

Fenton testified earlier that she called them because she was trying to determine if he was a danger to himself or others, but she also had concerns over her patient’s privacy.

A campus security official had offered to detain him for an involuntary hospital mental health commitment, but Fenton declined, in part because she said the parents told her he had always been withdrawn.

Asked whether she still loves her son, she said yes. “I still do”, Arlene Holmes said, choking up on the stand.

Their 22-year-old daughter, Chris Holmes, was the first in the family to take the stand Monday.

While Robert Holmes occasionally glanced at his son during his testimony, the two did not acknowledge each other until near end of the day.