Insanity Pleas and the James Holmes Case

James Holmes became an instant villain when he burst into a midnight showing of the highly anticipated film The Dark Knight Rises and shot at the men and women who were in the audience. The violent shooter was arrested on the count of 12 deaths and 58 injuries due to his actions. Since his arrest, Holmes has been held in a jail in Arapahoe County, Colorado. His defense lawyer claims that Holmes is insane which is why he is being held in the medical ward. Yet other patients in the Arapahoe County Jail say that Holmes is far from insane and is even flaunting his sanity in the medical ward.

Holmes’ cell allegedly has a larger bed than most, a case of dominoes and a chessboard, and newspaper clippings from the day of the shooting. Holmes also allegedly has a window to look outside in his cell, a luxury for those who are held in the prison. One jail-mate told Fox News that she has heard Holmes on the phone recently and doesn’t believe that he suffers from any mental illnesses. She says that she does believe that he wants to glorify what he did, which is why he has posted newspaper clippings of the attack on his cell walls.

The jail mate says that she suspects that Holmes knows exactly what to do in order to minimize his charges. She believes that he is acting and is not insane at all. If you have been charged with a crime, and suffer from a mental disability, then this can have a heave effect on your case. If your lawyer is able to prove your cognitive disability and your inability to decipher that what you were doing was wrong, then you may be acquitted of your charges. Contact a California mental health lawyer if you or someone that you love suffers from mental health illnesses and is currently on trial.

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