Terror And Murder In Colorado

[BoSoxGal]

I didn't request a mediation, Joe Guy.

There has been much discussion on this board regarding defamatory statements being posted re: Gob's professional credentials by loCA, re: LJ's business activities by Andrew D, and re: you engaging in lewd behavior with children by Quad.

Apparently it's your position those concerns don't apply to statements made about me. Duly noted.

I've nothing further to say re: James Holmes, the Aurora tragedy, or LJ's despicable statements about me.

Carry on however you see fit.

[Lord Jim]

This guy was very meticulous and well organized:

(CBS News) The police say there was more to James Holmes' plot than the attack at an Aurora, Colo. movie theater that killed at least 12. His apartment building has been evacuated.

According to police sources, the same suspect who would not tell police a motive for the shooting did tell them that if they went to his apartment they might find explosives. Holmes didn't mention it was a trap.

After arresting Holmes, police went to his residence. But they moved cautiously, and that may have saved some lives. Standing on top of an armored vehicle, a SWAT Team member held a camera at the end of a pole. He saw a sophisticated booby-trap set to kill anyone coming through the front door.

"There appear to be incendiary devices," Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates said. "There are chemical elements. There are all kinds of wires."

Investigators now believe that Holmes used a timer to set off loud techno music at the apartment just before midnight. It was meant to spur a noise complaint to police. The ruse theoretically would have drawn them into the apartment building, detonating a firebomb and then drawing all available police and rescue units to the other side of town before the shooting at the theater started. That would have allowed him more time to kill more people and left a much smaller police response to the theater shootings.

"This is someone who is engaged in predatory, thought provoking, very well planned out behavior," former FBI profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole told CBS News.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-5 ... straction/

[loCAtek]

Sorry. I thought this thread was about the nutter that went berserk and started thrill killing innocent strangers at the movies.

Which brings me to another unrelated point, why were there so many children under twelve at this movie?

[insert rant about inappropriate parenting skills]

If they were with their parents, then it's considered okay;

PG-13: "Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some Material May Be Inappropriate For Children Under 13."



PG-13 is thus a sterner warning to parents to determine for themselves the attendance in particular of their younger children as they might consider some material not suited for them. Parents, by the rating, are alerted to be very careful about the attendance of their under-teenage children. A PG-13 film is one which, in the view of the Rating Board, leaps beyond the boundaries of the PG rating in theme, violence, nudity, sensuality, language, or other contents, but does not quite fit within the restricted R category. Any drug use content will initially require at least a PG-13 rating. In effect, the PG-13 cautions parents with more stringency than usual to give special attention to this film before they allow their 12-year olds and younger to attend. If nudity is sexually oriented, the film will generally not be found in the PG-13 category. If violence is too rough or persistent, the film goes into the R (restricted) rating. A film's single use of one of the harsher sexually-derived words, though only as an expletive, shall initially require the Rating Board to issue that film at least a PG-13 rating. More than one such expletive must lead the Rating Board to issue a film an R rating, as must even one of these words used in a sexual context. These films can be rated less severely, however, if by a special vote, the Rating Board feels that a lesser rating would more responsibly reflect the opinion of American parents. PG-13 places larger responsibilities on parents for their children's moviegoing. The voluntary rating system is not a surrogate parent, nor should it be. It cannot, and should not, insert itself in family decisions that only parents can, and should, make. Its purpose is to give prescreening advance informational warnings, so that parents can form their own judgments. PG-13 is designed to make these parental decisions easier for films between PG and R.

As to why they were at a midnight movie; many theaters around the country did Marathon Screenings of all the Batman movies back-to-back-to-back, with the newest feature as the climax. Those are kind of 'camp-outs' at the movies, which are getting more and more popular with families as quick 'n easy mini vacations.

[The Hen]

And how does that rating apply to a six year old?

[loCAtek]

If they are with their parents, they can enter to see the movie.

Frankly, about the only rating that bars minors entirely is 'NC-17' and 'X'.

[Joe Guy]

It's not a question of whether the rating allows a child to be there, it's a question as to why a parent would bring a 6 yr old or 3 month old to a violent midnight movie.

[Lord Jim]

It's not a question of whether the rating allows a child to be there, it's a question as to why a parent would bring a 6 yr old or 3 month old to a violent midnight movie.

If they were an early 20s-something or late-teen parent who really wanted to see a late night showing of the movie and couldn't afford a sitter....

Maybe not the most responsible decision, but 99.999999% of the time not a decision that would result in some psycho opening up on them with a machine gun....

That's not the sort of thing anyone can plan for...

[Miles]

LJ, normally I would not get involved in an argument between posters however this time I think you bashing of BSG in unwarented. After reading this post you seem bent on picking some sort of fight. I have always respected you and don't understand your anomisity.

[Econoline]

This was not a thread I had much interest in reading through, because of the depressing subject, and because I didn't have much free time yesterday. So imagine my surprise when I did get around to it, and found that the topic I had been reluctant to read (more than I already knew from the news reports) about had been turned into something not just depressing but outright offensive.

Jim, I think you went off the deep end here. I respect your political opinions more than I do most conservatives'...but I can't imagine how you could think that bsg in particular--or for that matter, any legal professional who actually believes in the American justice system--could *NOT* find the opinion you expressed in your initial post "pretty damned arrogant". For you to respond not by simply saying that, well, yeah, "pretty damn arrogant" is what I *DO* around here, but instead by getting all huffy, calling her opinions an "unprovoked insult," starting with the personal insults, then the professional insults, and then culminating with THIS turd in the punchbowl:

Editec, wherever you are, from the bottom of heart, I deeply and sincerely apologize. You may be wrong about a lot of things, but you had this one pegged dead to rights.

...I'm sorry, but words just fail me.



Rather than struggle to say anything more, I'll simply defer to Miles, who put it quite well. I suggest you read his post again. That is all.

[Lord Jim]

Because I would really like to see this come to an end I have deleted what I originally posted here.

I'm just going to say for the record that I categorically reject the characterizations of what happened here in the above two posts, and that I sincerely hope that no one else will try to stir this up again. If that happens, I do of course have to reserve the right to respond.

[Lord Jim]

Well this certainly is no surprise....

Colorado suspect was brilliant science student

DENVER (AP) — James Eagen Holmes came from a well-tended San Diego enclave of two-story homes with red-tiled roofs, where neighbors recall him as a clean-cut, studious young man of sparing words.

Tall and dark-haired, he stared clear-eyed at the camera in a 2004 high school yearbook snapshot, wearing a white junior varsity soccer uniform — No. 16. The son of a nurse, Arlene, and a software company manager, Robert, James Holmes was a brilliant science scholar in college.

The biggest mystery surrounding the 24-year-old doctoral student was why he would have pulled on a gas mask and shot dozens of people early Friday in a suburban Denver movie theater, as police allege.

In the age of widespread social media, no trace of Holmes could be found on Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Twitter or anywhere on the Web. Either he never engaged or he scrubbed his trail.

A longtime neighbor in San Diego, where Holmes grew up, remembers only a "shy guy ... a loner" from a churchgoing family. In addition to playing soccer at Westview High School, he ran cross country.

The bookish demeanor concealed an unspooling life. Holmes struggled to find work after graduating with highest honors in spring 2010 with a neuroscience degree from the University of California, Riverside, said the neighbor, retired electrical engineer Tom Mai.

Holmes enrolled last year in a neuroscience Ph.D. program at the University of Colorado-Denver but was in the process of withdrawing, said school officials, who didn't provide a reason. The school later said in a statement that he left the program in June 2012.

As part of the advanced program in Denver, a James Holmes had been listed as making a presentation in May about Micro DNA Biomarkers in a class named "Biological Basis of Psychiatric and Neurological Disorders."

In academic achievement, "he was at the top of the top," recalled Riverside Chancellor Timothy P. White.

Holmes concentrated his study on "how we all behave," White added. "It's ironic and sad."

From a distance, Holmes' life appears unblemished, a young man with unlimited potential. There are no indications he had problems with police.

Somehow, the acclaimed student and quiet neighbor reached a point where he painted his hair red, called himself "The Joker," the green-haired villain from the Batman movies, according to New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, who said he had been briefed on the matter.

Authorities say Holmes arrived at the theater dressed in black, outfitted in a gas mask, ballistic helmet, vest and leggings, black tactical gloves and protectors on his throat and groin. He was armed with an assault-style rifle, a shotgun and Glock handgun.

Police said he started his attack by tossing two gas canisters into the theater, where he had bought a ticket for the midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises," the new Batman movie.

http://news.yahoo.com/colorado-suspect- ... 49806.html

The more we learn about this, the more the profile of a highly intelligent sociopath and malignant narcissus really fits what was done to a tee.

[Joe Guy]

. .. .....

Maybe not the most responsible decision, but 99.999999% of the time not a decision that would result in some psycho opening up on them with a machine gun....

That's not the sort of thing anyone can plan for...

It's stupid decisions like those parents made that add to the tragedy.

Taking a 3 month month old to a midnight screening is not as bad as taking a 6 yr old, in my opinion. But it is believed by many that violent movies can influence children in many ways. Batman movies obviously had an Influence on Holmes.

The parents of the 6 yr old made a dumb move taking him or her to that movie. But not because of the shooting. This is another issue entirely.

[Lord Jim]

Taking a 3 month month old to a midnight screening is not as bad as taking a 6 yr old, in my opinion. But it is believed by many that violent movies can influence children in many ways.

I think it really depends on the kid....

When I was a kid, I saw a lot of violence on television, it didn't make me violent....

Maybe this kid is really into Batman; and maybe (as Strop suggested) taking him to this movies was treat for him; a chance to see something he's interested in and do something he doesn't normally get to do....maybe he wasn't there with a parent; maybe he was there with an older brother or sister...(little kids love going places and doing things with older siblings)

Too many unanswered maybes for me to issue a condemnation...

Obviously the one who is really at fault here is the evil scumbag who opened fire....

I have no problem at all condemning him.....

[Gob]

Taking a three month old smacks of someone so enthused about seeing a movie that the absence of a baby sitter isn't going to stop them going. Taking a six year old smacks of a demanding child.

[Gob]

Profile: Aurora cinema shooting suspect James Holmes

Before he allegedly shot 12 people dead at a cinema in Aurora, Colorado, on Friday, James Holmes was considered a quiet young man, introverted but pleasant.

The 24-year-old had been studying for a PhD in neuroscience at the University of Colorado at Denver, although he was about to quit.

"He basically was socially awkward, but not to the degree that would warrant suspicion of mass murder or any atrocity of this magnitude," said Billy Kromka, a research assistant at a lab where he spent several months last summer.

The FBI said he had no significant criminal record - local police said he had a speeding ticket from 2011 - and no links to terrorism.

Mr Holmes was born on 13 December 1987 in San Diego County, California, where he spent at least part of his childhood.

In 2006, he graduated from Westview High School in the upmarket district of Torrey Highlands, where his parents still live. A yearbook showed he played football for the school's junior varsity, or "B" team.

A former classmate, Breanna Hath, said Mr Holmes was extremely quiet, "really sweet, shy" and "didn't have any creepy vibe about him at all".

"There were no real girls he was involved with," she told the Washington Post. "It seemed he was really into a video game group that hung out together."

Intellectually gifted, Mr Holmes won a scholarship to study at the University of California at Riverside, where he gained a bachelor's degree in neuroscience in 2010.

"He had the capability to do anything he wanted academically," Timothy White, the university's chancellor, told reporters on Friday.

After graduation Mr Holmes returned to San Diego, where he is said to have struggled to find a job. Eventually, he got part-time work at McDonald's.

In June 2011, Mr Holmes enrolled in the doctoral programme at the University of Colorado at Denver and moved into an apartment building near the Anschutz Medical Campus in the eastern suburb of Aurora.

In his application to rent the apartment, he described himself as "quiet and easy-going", according to the Denver Post.

Gabriel Macias, another resident who works a nearby factory, said Mr Holmes was "always wearing camouflage pants and a hat."

"We did not know him well because he talked to nobody. He was always locked up behind his door," he told the AFP news agency.

Lab colleague Billy Kromka said he had been one of the quieter people, and had spent much of his time immersed in his computer, often participating in role-playing online games.

By the spring of this year, Mr Holmes had begun to struggle with his studies and got weak scores on the comprehensive exams last semester.

His supervisors had planned to give him remedial instruction, an unnamed faculty member told the Washington Post, but he instead decided to end his studies in early June. The university has confirmed he was "in the process of withdrawing".
Gun purchases

In the 60 days leading up to the cinema attack, Mr Holmes legally bought four weapons at local gun shops - an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, two .40-calibre Glock handguns and a 12-gauge Remington shotgun.

Chief Dan Oates of Aurora police said he also purchased more than 6,000 rounds of ammunition on the internet, including 3,000 rounds for the assault rifle, 3,000 for the Glocks and 300 for the shotgun.

On Thursday night, Mr Holmes was arrested in the car park of the Aurora multiplex where the shootings were carried out.

He was said to have surrendered without incident, in possession of several firearms.

New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly told reporters on Friday that Mr Holmes had portrayed himself as Batman's arch-rival, the Joker.

"It clearly looks like a deranged individual. He had his hair painted red, he said he was 'The Joker', obviously the 'enemy' of Batman," he said.

Aurora police would not discuss any motive for the attack.

They said Mr Holmes had told them during questioning that there were explosives in his apartment, and that officers had discovered chemical and incendiary devices linked by wires.

The San Diego Police Department later released a statement on behalf of the Holmes family, which said: "Our hearts go out to those who were involved in this tragedy."

"We ask that the media respect our privacy at this difficult time... We are still trying to process this information and appreciate that people respect our privacy," the statement added.

[Gob]

Is This Aurora Theater Shooter James Holmes’ AdultFriendFinder Account?


The crowd-sourcing magic of Reddit may have unearthed another side of alleged Aurora movie theater gunman James Holmes. Several Redditors dug up what might be Holmes’ personal account on AdultFriendFinder.com, a social networking site for casual sex seekers. The profile says that he is looking for a “fling” or “casual sex,” and his bio quote says “Will you visit me in prison?” The picture sure looks like Holmes but I am no expert on adult friend finder (I swear) so let’s evaluate.

UPDATE: Mediaite has learned that law enforcement are investigating the AdultFriendFinder page to determine its authenticity.

UPDATE #2: According to TMZ, sources at AdultFriendFinder are now confirming that the profile does, in fact, belong to Holmes. They tracked the IP address to Aurora and matched up the personal information with what we already know about Holmes.

Certain Information on the page seems to corroborate that user “ClassicJimbo” is indeed Holmes for several reasons:

1) The page indicates this user is a 24-year-old male and is roughly 6’0″ in height. That is his age and approximate height.

2) The username “ClassicJimbo” includes Jim, which is a common short-hand for James.

3) The user lives in Aurora, Colorado.

4) The user is a “Gold” member, which seems to mean he could not have signed up just today (if this were a Reddit hoax).

5) The user’s personal bio quote is: “Will you visit me in prison?” This fits neatly with the fact that he gave up to police without incident, seemingly all part of a plan (almost too much so).

6) The most important corroboration of all: the page includes a profile shot of the user with dyed red hair, as Holmes was reported to have upon apprehension after the shootings. Check out the profile picture below, with side-by-side comparison to the official photo released to the press earlier today.

[loCAtek]

Um no, features don't match. Clue: check the ear whorls.

[The Hen]

I would if both photos had a clear view of the ear whorls.

As they don't, your statement is premature.

[loCAtek]

Well, I said features (plural); the width of the nose bridge and nostrils doesn't match either; the whole nose is off.

[loCAtek]

lip structure...