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Barry Guiterrez / for NBC News
Amee Gharbi holds her son, Yousef Gharbi, who was shot during the Aurora, Colo., theater massacre last fall. Doctors told him the the bullet fragment that entered his brain will likely stay there for the rest of his life.
She glanced over at her 16-year-old son Yousef, who got a bullet to the brain during the July 20 bloodbath, and "his eyes were as wide as mine."
Gharbi knows she will likely hear more of the same -- and worse -- after a judge found probable cause for first-degree murder charges against suspect James Holmes late Thursday, putting the case on track for trial.
But she said she'll endure it in the hope that light will be shed on the big unanswered question looming over the tragedy: Why would someone shoot up a theater full of innocent Batman fans?
At the very least, she said, the public may get a look inside a notebook he mailed to a University of Colorado psychiatrist in which he reportedly detailed his plans. "Everybody wants to know what's in it," she said.
At any point, prosecutors and the defense could strike a deal, thereby avoiding a trial, but many of the Aurora families say they want Holmes judged by a jury, even if it compounds the anguish they felt at this week's hearing.
Some are hungry for more information about Holmes' thinking and planning. Some seek emotional closure. Others know it’s the only road to capital punishment.
"Through an entire first day of the hearing, not one person in that room had a dry eye -- except for that son of a b***," Sam Soudani said of Holmes. "As far as I'm concerned, if he wants to be a robot, he should be deactivated."
'I just want to look him in the eye'
Soudani's 23-year-old daughter, Farrah, survived the shooting but suffered major organ damage. They both attended the preliminary hearing, but Soudani said Farrah would probably skip any trial.
"I don't think my daughter could look at him," he said.
Two fathers of Aurora theater victims describe watching the accused gunman, James Holmes, in court. KUSA's Todd Walker reports.
For Gharbi, face-time with Holmes is one reason she wants a trial instead of a plea deal.
"I just want to look him in the eye," she said of the doctoral-program dropout, who stared impassively into the distance during this week's court proceedings.
A trial isn't a necessity for Scott Larimer, who lost his 27-year-old son John and just wants to make sure that Holmes "never walks the streets again."
Yet if there is one, he hopes it will reveal whether anyone -- particularly the University of Colorado -- knew what Holmes was capable of and failed to act.
Larimer, who lives in Illinois, did not attend the preliminary hearing and said he wouldn't be able to handle the trial testimony.
"When they start talking about finding my son lying on the floor, I'm not sure I'm up to sitting in court. And if there are pictures," he said, trailing off.
Theresa Hoover, whose 18-year-old son, A.J. Boik, was among the 12 killed, went to the hearing, steeling herself for a raw reaction.
"I knew my child's name would come up, but to actually hear it was a little surreal," she said.
"During the 911 calls, A.J.'s fiancee [who survived] was with me, and it made her relive a little bit of what happened and that broke my heart. For me, I was like, 'OK, that's the moment when my son died.'"
Still, Hoover is not sorry she went. She said that since July she has been "in a daze," not quite willing or able to grasp that her artistic, spirited young son is really gone.
"Attending that hearing kind of helped me ... move past that," she said, adding that a trial would help her face the reality of her loss. "To hear all of this is almost healing."
Some want a trial because they want the case to end with a lethal injection, not a prison cell. Prosecutors have 63 days from arraignment to announce whether they will seek the death penalty.
Hoover said that while she doesn't think Holmes deserves to "walk this earth," she would rather see him locked up without parole, forced to "live with what he's done."
"Put him in general population, though," she said. "With the other mean guys."
Related stories:
James Holmes 'detached,' 'relaxed' after theater massacre, officer says
'Help me!': 911 call reveals teen's desperation after relatives shot in Aurora theater
FBI: James Holmes' booby-trap used remote-control car, frying pan
Leave a Comment:
There should be a trial. The shooter knew what he was doing. It was planned. Let justice run its course.
How the hell do you know Are you a psychic who can analyize people from thousands of miles away??? This man is quite clearly insane or at least worthy of being judged by experts.
We agree for once OZZIe boy,we need to see what was in that journal he sent to his shrink,and who and what medications he was given before his insane acts.
The media acts like he sent a letter to Wayne Lapierre,if that pyschiatrist knew what he was planning and told no one and did nothing ,his A$$ should be held accountable.
Doctor/patient confidentiality be damned,too many dead people.
Okay! Oz the great and powerful has spoken - so shut up, NC Resident.
Let's us look at offending comment:
1: "There should be a trial." - Yep.
2: "The shooter knew what he was doing." - The results speak for themselves.
3: "It was planned." - Nah, maybe he acted spontaneously, and the apartment rigged with explosives was serendipity.
4: :Let justice run it's course." - See #1.
Resident: You must be psychic!!!
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
Johninppa -
"We need to see what was in the journal" - we'll only see that if the defense enters it into evidence.
"The media acts like he sent a letter to Wayne Lapierre,if that pyschiatrist knew what he was planning and told no one and did nothing ,his A$$ should be held accountable." - If you have been keeping up with this story, you might have read that the journal was not delivered, or opened, until after the shooting. Not that I believe everything the media writes, but that is what we have to work with at the moment.
"Doctor/patient confidentiality be damned,too many dead people." - Then we will need to get laws changed and, prhaps, the Constitution amended.
It is sometimes hard living in a society ruled by the Constitution - there will inevitably be some egregiously foul results. (This POS has rights, and I agree that that seems unpalatable.) But tell me, who does it better?
@MPA
Nothing about doctor/patient confidentiality in the constitution,right?Laws changed ,yeah,the Constitution,WHY?
I want to know every SOB that medicated this guy,I'm effin tired of being blamed for over medicated psychos.
john -
I indicated maybe the Constitution because most of the privacy laws take their legitimacy from the 4th & 5th Amendments. Not suggesting to that it is right, just that it is what it is.
Now, I completely agree with you that the cause of some of these shootings MAY be related to the use of psychotroic drugs. There should be an investigation into that, and regulation if found to be causative or contributory.
Exactly right MPA
We have all this investigative power of the state,local and federal governments,and all we ever hear about is what kind of gun and magazine the guy used.
We know more about his friggin gun than we do about him and his cohorts.
If something like this happened with one of those militia dudes they would be pulling everybody he ever talked to for the last 5 years out of bed in the middle of the night to question them.
But since its a medicated nut and his actions dovetail with the anti gun agenda,the investigators investigate,and the crickets chirp.Old news and I'm tired of it.
Guns may not kill people but 100 round drum magazines sure as hell do. I want to excercise my Second Ammendment Rights and make it as easy as possible for deranged people to purchase para military firearms as easily as possible. This should go a log way to cutting down on violent crimes and particularly mass murders.
Who should be held accountable?
The drum magazine
or the shrink who knew what he was planning?
Third choice would be Wayne Lapierre,which I know you will choose.
Great. And for every parent like this, I'll show you a dozen who feel otherwise. The easy access to para military firearms makes it far easier for these crazies to cause maximum mayhem When you have people like General Stanley McCrystal saying that guns like the AR-15 are designed to deliver the maxium punch with the greatest lethality and that they have no place in the civilian world other than law enforcement people you might want to take heed. I keep hearing the same tired, worn out talking points from the gun crazies. I happen to be interested in firearms of the Second World War. My all time favs are of course the Garand, .50 cal browning, especially in the top turret of a B-17 as used by my uncle, the Bren gun, the Lee Enhfield, the finest bolt action rifle of it's era and 40 mm Bofors anti aircraft guns. Should I be allowed to possess all of these and go waltzing through town carrying them???
and BTW, "God" has supposedly been around for thousands of years and it seems to have done little to suppress wars and hideous crimes like this.
The only thing wrong with this guy is that he is a cold blooded killer......Every time something like this happens, they say they have mental problems....bullshtt, I say eye for an eye,go back to the old days where if you kill someone you die yourself, I'll bet it will change the way a lot of these killers think.No more sitting behind bars for the rest of their lives getting taken care of by taxpayers.
Are you qualified to judge the criminally insane??? That's what we have courts, judges, medical experts and juries for. Your lust for vengeance on what I think is a very sick human being does nothing to cure the problem itself. Sadly, there will be many more mass killings like this until we start to limit access to military type weapons with huge magazines. This kid had a 100 round drum on that AR. You can squeeze off a hell of a lot rounds in just a few seconds with a weapon like that. How many people would he have killed had been using a knife???
And yet, OZ, you castigated NC Resident for stating that justice should take it's course.
Hilarious.
This is the exact kind of attention these murderers want...and constantly running stories about it will encourage other mentally unstable people to think..."that's the kind of attention I want"...STOP showing these things and giving others ideas...
Sorry, keeping silent about rampant gun violence is not going to reduce the carnage. We have to determine the kind of society we want to live it.
Once again we have someone who is completely mentally ill and has no sense of reality !! This is why we need to have more mental health assistance in this world Yet our Government keeps on cutting back on any chance of providing a possibility of stopping these types of things from happening. The damage is done ! hurting a mentally ill person will not bring back the Lost ! If you truly want these acts of violence to stop !! DO SOMETHING !! support gun laws and fight for mental health care !! Otherwise SHUT UP !
The government cut back on mental health care because the bleeding hearts decided that mentally ill people (even the severely mentally ill) should not be committed and locked up. The consensus is that because we have such wonderful drugs to help them, they should be given drugs and left to their own devices. The problem comes when a person is regulated on those drugs and then decides that they don't need them anymore and discontinue their use. They cannot be forced to continue to take those drugs and they cannot be committed unless they actually harm themselves or someone else.
That is besides the fact that just because someone commits a heinous crime that you or I would never even think of committing does not mean that the person is insane. We are all animals. We evolved from animals and just because we have the evolved with the capacity to think, reason and talk does not mean that we no longer have any of those animal instincts. Having a conscience and living our lives based on societal norms is what keeps most of us from committing heinous crimes. As we have evolved we have learned how to control our animal instincts. Insanity is just an excuse we use for everyone because we don't want to believe that a human being can be in his or her right mind when they commit such heinous crimes. Not everyone that commits a heinous crime is insane. It isn't like people all of a sudden started committing murders, these things have been going on forever. Greed, control, notoriety all play a role in why people commit these types of crimes. Look back in history and you will see these things happening over and over and over and over again. Whether we want to believe it or not, there are people out there that are just pure evil.
People kill people. Obviously this man is possessed. Of course how can you pick him out of crowd when there are so many out there possessed. Its common as water. Doctors label it as some diagnosable disease or something that occurred in their childhood. I say look at him. He is possessed. We watch the likes of him on the television everyday. Its common. The deluge of technology and science creates a great smoke screen. It gives people in high places even more power to "do what thou will'. Aleister Crowley did satan a great turn by promoting this way of thinking. Forget what God's will is, just do what you want to do. This man did and he is possessed. We have seen him before. His name was Charles Manson. His name is Jim Jones. His name is George Bush. His name is Ronald Reagan. Thing is these are all well known people in high places. What about the person sitting next to you? What about the person sleeping in your son's room? My point is call it what it is. Its possession by the evil one. Turn to God. Jesus Christ can protect you. How do I know? He has warned me to go this way or that when I have been in danger. I avoided disaster because I listened. Ask and you shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and the door shall be opened. Don't you think its about time you trust in Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. Bend the knee and bow the head. He is waiting for you. Thank you Lord.
Folks want to know what's wrong with our country?
Well here it is.
The evidence is monumental against this genetic failure and here we sit with our broken due process system that takes weeks, months, and even possibly years to convict someone. Back in the day it wasn't uncommon were you were arrested and the next day you had your trial. And in that same day you were sentenced. If it was prison, you went to prison, if it was death you were hung on a tree.
But today we have lawyers that want to stretch out some of the worst cases as long as they can because both sides are vying for fame and fortune. They absolutely want to climb that ladder by any means necessary, to be in the spot light. And if that means dragging out the victims pain and suffering for as long as they cay... they'll do it.
I'm a stern believer in due process, but our "process" today is @!$%#ed up, period.
I agree, totally dysfunctional, including the penalty aspect.
Great post.
OZ -
I always enjoy your pre-programmed rants on here. I CHALLENGE you to go back to post #19.3 and answer my question. You don't even have to give a reasoned resosponse, just a knee-jerk answer will do.
Whatcha got?
Nothing as usual,maybe if you're lucky he'll tell you about the Senator.
Didn't expect a reply, john.
For those who may not be familiar with OZ, I have two words: TROLL ALERT!!
[CRICKETS]
;-)
Always are. I keep posting the question, the grabbers never answer.
The time and expense required to deal with this clearly mentally unbalanced individual makes me sick. But I have to think that the safeguards built in to our legal system that mandate the approach being taken in prosecuting him are the same that would help mitigate the possibility of an innocent person being wrongfully convicted in a different instance. A death sentence for this guy would probably make some people feel better, but it's not going to reverse the event and bring anyone back to life. I agree with those that post that we should study this guy to better understand what mental illness is and then use this knowledge to address mental health issues on a broader scale in this country. Guns don't kill people - people kill people. Moderate actions to limit assault weapons, sizes of ammunition clips and increasing the rigor of background checks for the purchasers of guns to better uncover potential mental deficiencies is the best overall approach right now to try to limit this type of horrific event. You'll never get rid of wackos. We simply have to do whatever we can to identify them and limit the means they might employ to hurt others.
I agree with some ,but weapon type and magazine capacity is no issue at all.
The same damage could be done with a 12 gauge pump and a pocketful of 00buck,that would be grand pops duck gun.
These are unarmed victims,trapped in an area,like shooting fish in a barrel,no special weapon required.
I'm afraid that evil fruits loops like this guy is becoming to many for whatever reason! I know we live in the 21st century but maybe we need to go back a ways?! Lets make an example of this evil SOB!
Does he have rights? I say not... Maybe a public hanging? Or maybe the firing squad? Hmm I would make myself available for that! ;) I know we as good honest people can't do that right? Well maybe it's time for that kind of drastic action?! Just maybe and I do mean maybe if a few of these evil SOB's would see something like that happen to this Rotten person!? Just maybe they would think twice before going in any public place including are schools and killing good people that in no way deserved what they got from these Evil Fruit Loops! Now maybe I'm wrong? Maybe I shouldn't even think that way? Or maybe it's going to take that kind of thinking to Stop these kind of Evil actions!?
As a semi-liberal that owns a 9 mm, shotgun, and a .44: I'm confused. Nobody is proposing to take my guns away right? We're just talking about "assault weapons"? If so, who cares? I actually wouldn't really care if my guns were taken away. It's not like I carry them around. They are locked up and unloaded so probably would not do much good in the very unlikely event that a murderer comes to my house. I'm pretty confident that I'll find a way to rip a guy's head off if he comes to my house uninvited. Gun or no gun: I dare you to F with me. Suckers.
Marc -
Most gunowners care (you have stated you don't mind being disarmed - and trust in the government to protect you and yours?).
And we are not just talking about assault weapons. Go read Feinsteins proposal - kiss your 9mm, shotgun, and .44 goodby! Her proposal is to completely disarm everyone who is not military or security/LEO. (Oh, and she packs! There will be an exemptioin for congress.) Some on this post are making this about assault weapons, but the agenda of others is far more over-reaching.
Follow closely the announcement next week of Biden's group. Expectations are that there will be bans on all detachable magazines (that would include my old goose gun - 3-round mag.), limit capacity to three shots, ban all weapons based on a design which originated with the military or Law Enforcement weapons, etc.
Heads up! We may all find ourselves instant criminals if they get some stuff passed and through the Supreme Court.
Our patriotic and law bidding gun owner should not be held responsible for the acts of other gun owners. However, it is the moral responsibility of Gun Makers, Gun Sellers, Gun Buyers and Gun Owners to help protect our children from Gun violence.
Furthermore, it is the responsibility of the President, Congress and every mother and father in the USA to protect their children from gun violence.
Therefore, I recommend a very easy solution to curtail this gun violence.
We the people of the USA should tax each gun made 100%, tax each gun sold 100%, tax each gun violent video game or movie 100% and tax each gun owner $20.00 a year for gun safety.
The income from all of these taxes should go to the protection of our children from gun violence in our schools and other public places, (i.e. This tax money will be used by public schools for hiring school guards, school entrance surveillance and by the NRA for giving gun owners yearly Gun Safety Classes).
This Gun Tax can be easily adopted by the President and Congress without all the 2nd Amendment issues. Furthermore, it would help the NRA and its law bidding gun owners and support their call for gun safety and gun violence.
Lastly, if a person has a gun and does not pay the $20.00 a year tax they are now a tax evader and can be prosecuted under IRS Tax Law.
Every tax money they take,they steal,do nothing,and come back in two years for more,because the potholes are stiil there.
This is no answer,same old BS.
How about we cut that Foreign Aid to all the people who hate our guts and put competent armed people in our schools?
Too simplistic for you?
Ah, kinda like obama care . . . it might fly.
An unfettered power to tax is a beautiful thing, isn't it?
Sign this petition on https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/enact-legislation-will-provide-mental-health-assessments-people-currently-owning-guns/ZDmYD9M1
Enact legislation that will provide mental health assessments for people currently owning guns. While background checks need to be mandatory for all purchasers we need a mechanism to address the problem of current gun owners or people residing with them who may have slipped into mental illness. There should be a way for family, law enforcement, neighbors, and other concerned citizens to request an evaluation. If the person is found to be mentally ill by a competent mental health professional, a legal hearing should commence to adjudicate the removal of the guns and that name be placed on the registry to prevent further purchases.
I ask you again, sea2, how will you propose to pay for the mental health assessments for the 85 Million current legal gunowners? Who will perform these evaluations?
Have you thought your proposal through?
I worked in psychiatrist homes,and every one I ever talked to was off the wall.
Now they're going to get to evaluate us?
Who you gonna send to evaluate the gangstas in our urban cesspools?
No thanks,comrade.
Not all of the gun owners if you read this proposal you would see it is for people identified as gun owners with possible mental health problems.
If you worked in "psychiatrist homes" you would know the proper name for them, doing nothing isn't an option, being paranoid is a condition that is diagnosable.
It is easy to poke holes, harder to find real solutions. People think crazy folks shouldn't have guns, this is a way to make some progress in doing something about it. Is it a 100% solution, no, but it is 100% sure doing nothing means more precious children being killed.
What in the world are you talking about?
The proper name for a psychiatrist home is just that,I mean where they live.
Long story short,I dont trust them .
Justice would be a quick death for this man who killed so many. Unfortunately, there is little justice in our legal system. I wish the lawyers would profit from a quick trial rather than one that drags on and on and on.
It has hard to trust our institutions these days. Nothing works right anymore.
he should be treated, like he did to his VICTIMS! let his VICTIMS deal with him the way they want to, and maybee he wont do it again ever!.
She's right. Life with the general population would be a much more severe sentence than death. The death penalty is the easy way out. I would relish the thought of him being tortured by gangsters for however long he can survive in the zoo.