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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAurora Shooting Suspect James Holmes Ordered To Wear Harness Anchoring Him To The Floor During Trial
DENVER -- Colorado theater shooting suspect James Holmes will be restrained during his trial by wearing a harness under his clothes that will be anchored to the floor.
A judge ruled Thursday that Holmes must be restrained because he's charged with violent crimes.
Defense lawyers asked that Holmes not be shackled because it would make him look like a criminal to the jurors.
he judge said jurors won't see the harness, and the anchoring cable will blend in with computer cables at the defense table.
The judge ruled earlier that Holmes can wear civilian clothing at his trial.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/james-holmes-ordered-wear-harness-trial-article-1.1384624#ixzz2XSwhAAMz
MrSlayer
(22,143 posts)The jackass doesn't have any guns now. This screams of paranoia.
Recursion
(56,582 posts)MrSlayer
(22,143 posts)Many people would. Get this over quickly.
Sheldon Cooper
(3,724 posts)alittlelark
(18,890 posts)He belongs in a high risk psy ward, and kept medicated.
HardTimes99
(2,049 posts)alittlelark
(18,890 posts)that there was no way to keep it out of the criminal justice system IMHO. PPl in this country want a lynching... hate to say it as a VERY anti-death penalty person, but he would be one I would do it to.........
***EXCEPT FOR HIS OBVIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS***
The guy has a truly F'ed up brain - you can see it in his eyes.... too bad no one noticed before he destroyed so many lives.
HardTimes99
(2,049 posts)executing the mentally ill violates the constitutional provision prohibiting 'cruel and unusual punishment'.
I'm also very anti-death penalty and I already had my response trigger finger itching until I read this:
alittlelark
(18,890 posts)He was likely born w/ F'ed up neural wiring.. If we still had school counselors he would have already been pegged, and either institutionalized or on heavy meds.
Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)His eyes would be pretty, except for that look. He's a very smart attorney. And not mentally ill.
The only defense to murder is insanity to the point where you don't know the difference between right or wrong, I believe. In other words, you can be insane, but still know you're committing an illegal act. If you know, then your insanity is not a defense.
All murderers are disturbed to some degree, don't you think?
alittlelark
(18,890 posts)you can see in them.
Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)backscatter712
(26,355 posts)At least that's what the latest batch of hearings were about - trying to determine whether Holmes qualifies as "criminally insane" - that is, not guilty of murder due to mental illness, but clearly dangerously mentally ill enough to require he be confined to an institution for the rest of his life.
MrSlayer
(22,143 posts)If he's that crazy and dangerous there's no need to keep him around.
alittlelark
(18,890 posts)....really, I do. This is a hard one for me, but I need to put myself in his position w/ REALLY F'ed up neural wiring and no good support structure.
I am very anti-death penalty, and he would wreak havoc in a prison - we have institutions that deal w/ F'ed up ppl like him.
PS - I give him less than 5 years before he is in that cemetery by his own hand or others.
backscatter712
(26,355 posts)I feel sorry for Holmes - he's clearly extremely mentally ill, and needs medical help, not revenge.
MrSlayer
(22,143 posts)I feel sorry for the families of the people he slaughtered.
alittlelark
(18,890 posts)You would want me on the jury. I can recognize the difference between biological damage and willful violence - If given information from mental health professionals. I have an open mind.
The families.....
backscatter712
(26,355 posts)...but that doesn't negate the possibility that Holmes is suffering from schizophrenia and other mental disorders that were completely distorting his perceptions and his thought processes.
Why did he shoot all those people? If he's sick, then there is no why - his cognitive functions were haywire, and nothing he was doing had any working logic behind it.
The courts and state psychiatrists are examining him to determine his mental state. If he's sick, he needs treatment. Punishment won't do any good for anyone.
Taking revenge on him won't bring back the victims.
pscot
(21,024 posts)quinnox
(20,600 posts)alittlelark
(18,890 posts)In this case I understand.
RebelOne
(30,947 posts)Aerows
(39,961 posts)femmocrat
(28,394 posts)Do they expect him to jump out of his chair? Seems excessive to me!
alittlelark
(18,890 posts)He does not belong in jail or court - he likely belongs in a high risk psychiatric facility.
undeterred
(34,658 posts)joeunderdog
(2,563 posts)I work with mentally ill forensics and he sure as hell looks like a legit NGRI to me. Most of what you see on Court TV when people claim insanity is a load of crap. This guy looks pretty messed up for real. But you never know until you talk to him. It all comes down to one thing--did he know right from wrong?
Myrina
(12,296 posts)That's what the great and shining beacon of Human Rights have devolved to, huh?
alittlelark
(18,890 posts)Criminal courts should not be involved. Psych professionals should.
Aerows
(39,961 posts)And I wouldn't want to be in a courtroom with him without some kind of restraints keeping him in place.
RobinA
(9,903 posts)Just because he is mentally ill, even extremely mentally ill, does not mean he's going to up and attack everybody in the courtroom. It doesn't work that way.
alittlelark
(18,890 posts)They are being cautious - and rightly so.
PS - Not EVERYONE in the courtroom.... just the ones they choose - oftentimes their own attorney, sometimes the judge, the prosecutor can be a good target........ the bailiff is often the best target because they have A GUN..
Gotta say, this dude is worthy of the harness.
I do not say this lightly.
HiPointDem
(20,729 posts)Tx4obama
(36,974 posts)Aerows
(39,961 posts)I'd say that's pretty much a good idea. At least they are making it so that he isn't in shackles, but *I* wouldn't want to be in a court room with that nut if he isn't somehow kept from going bananas again.
jmowreader
(50,589 posts)If he is that dangerous and unpredictable, he could try something while they're leashing him down