Aurora Theater Shooting Trial Begins

Another grey, cool, rainy day here in Boulder - pretty dreary, actually - and it seems like nature is mourning the loss of lives and the tragedies that happened three years ago during the Aurora theater shootings (actual date of the shooting, 20 July 2012).  The trial begins this morning, in Centennial, for the man accused of killing 12 and wounding 70 individuals.  He is pleading "not guilty by reason of insanity" to all 165 charges being brought against him.  His defense team will claim that he suffered from a "psychotic break" from reality and nothing was planned.  The prosecution will show how the accused began purchasing guns, ammunition, riot gear, and chemicals months before the date of the incident, showing that it was premeditated.  After the accused was caught outside the cinema complex, police and investigators found that his apartment was "booby-trapped" with explosive chemicals.
   The theater was showing the premiere of Batman: The Dark Knight Rises at a well-publicized and sold-out midnight showing.  Eighteen minutes after the movie began, the accused entered the theater through a back door, which he had previously blocked open.  He was dress in riot gear and opened fire on the people watching the movie.  At about the same time, neighbors reported that extremely loud music began playing inside his apartment; but it stopped after some time had passed.  It is thought by prosecutors that the accused wanted (a) a neighbor to complain to the police about the loud music after midnight and (b) wanted the responding police to break open the door when there was no response.  Multiple chemicals were rigged to combine upon the opening of the door, causing poisonous fumes and causing a flash-fire.  It is believed that the accused wished to cause as much havoc and fright as possible in both the theater and his apartment building.  A "psychotic break" leading to "temporary insanity" would not have lasted for months, which is how long the accused took to accumulate his arsenal....  And I was really happy to hear that the jury members will be offered free mental health counseling at the end of their services.
   And, today, the jury that found the Boston Marathon bomber guilty of all counts against him, will start meeting again to decide the man's sentencing...     I am really thankful that my Grand Jury stint here in Boulder does not involve anything like the trials in Boston and Centennial!
 
 

Today Seems Surreal...

After the extended weather forecast yesterday afternoon, I watched Kirk Montgomery and "The E Block" entertainment section on KUSA, Channel 9 news.  Kirk talked about how some of the movie critics who did not like The Dark Knight Rises (another Batman movie) had received nasty letters and even death threats.  I laughed.  Then he reported on how some people were paying scalpers up to $300 per ticket to get into the cinema and see the first showing of the film.  I laughed again.  On the NBC national Evening News, even Brian Williams mentioned these things as his closing news segment for the day.  I just shook my head...
   I remember watching the Batman TV show as I was growing up  - it was exciting, and fun, and very different with the graphics that were used.  -  I watched Star Trek , too.  And I freely admit to being in line to see the first showings of the first three Star Wars films and the first three Star Trek films, and the first three Indiana Jones films.  But not being a huge fan of the Batman movies, I really couldn't conceive of a midnight showing with a ticket price of $300.  Right now, I am very happy about that.
   When I arose this morning, I checked my home page on my PC - I didn't turn on the TV, and I haven't yet.  The first thing that leapt to my eyes was the report of 12 dead and 50 wounded at a midnight showing of the new Batman movie - and then I did a double-, and a triple-take.  This madness had happened at a movie theater in Aurora - about a 30-minute drive from my apartment.  I couldn't believe it as I read it then, and I still really don't want to believe it now.  It doesn't seem to be a part of the day-to-day reality of life.
   A 24-year-old ex-graduate student of neuroscience at the University of Colorado in Denver has been arrested for what happened this morning.  Police have tried to enter his apartment, but  have found multiple types of booby-traps  -  the area around his apartment has been evacuated.  According to reports, there was a violent gun battle being waged on screen, when an emergency exit door opened, and a canister of tear gas was launched at the front of the theater.  Then gunfire burst out - a lot of people thought it was a part of the "Premiere" experience, but as people screamed and collapsed and bled, it turned out to be real.  Twelve are dead, and reports vary, saying another 36 to 50 people in the theater were wounded.  The gunman had four weapons, and was wearing a bullet-proof vest, gas mask, and a police-style riot helmet.  He was arrested without a fight outside the theater, beside his car.  His name is James Holmes.
   What makes a person do such a thing?  I might contemplate killing myself, but I cannot comprehend wanting to kill or injure others.  And these senseless killing rampages seem to be increasing in both number and frequency...  Or is just that, with the internet, cell phones, You Tube, Twitter and Facebook, a person can receive so much more information from around the world so quickly?  What is turning our young people into hardened, unfeeling creatures who go out and kill, maim, and harm others "just for kicks?"