What not to expect from Batman shooting trial in Aurora

Why it happened at all? Like many other mass shootings, including Columbine, cops had plenty of warning.
In the case of the Aurora theater shooting, it occurred in the same metro area as Columbine.
Why wasn’t the admitted killer at the theater, James Holmes, committed to a mental institution after making death threats.
Has government gone too far in trying to make sure defendants are not jailed or hospitalized for making what appear to be death threats?
Perhaps the most outrageous thing people watching on live streaming may not see is a deluge of emotions from surviving victims and family members of the dead and wounded.
The defense has asked Judge Carlos Samour to issue an instruction to witnesses to curb their emotions.
Westword reported: "Holmes's attorneys asked Samour to give victims an instruction before they testify during the penalty phase of the trial, which will take place if jurors find Holmes guilty, about the impact the crime had on them. In part, the instruction says, ‘Your testimony should be factual, not emotional, and should be free of inflammatory comments or references. The Court will not allow you to testify if you are unable to control your emotions.’"
The prosecution is disputing the request to restrain emotions.
If taken to its logical conclusion, such a ruling would allow the defense to ask the judge to remove a juror who cries.
There is no doubt that the University of Colorado psychiatrist treating James Holmes warned police he was dangerous. The doctor got threatening text messages after the warning, court documents said.
Warnings from parents of the Columbine that Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold planned to kill fellow students were ignored.
In fact, the teens were in custody part of the time before the massacre for stealing electronics from cars.
Just as the public rarely finds out all the details on police shootings and bizarre court rulings, questions are likely to remain after the trial ends around Labor Day.
Odd, isn’t it, that police are so fast to see themselves in danger when they are often so slow to prevent violence against others.
The judge is seeking a very large panel of potential jurors and jury selection may continue for several more weeks with the trial beginning in May.


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