Sources: Colo. massacre suspect has made "half-hearted" suicide tries

AP

James Holmes, the suspect in the Aurora, Colorado movie massacre, has made various "half-hearted" suicide attempts in recent days, law enforcement sources tell CBS4's Brian Maass.

CBS4 Denver: Aurora shooting suspect Holmes attempted suicide

A court hearing for Holmes scheduled for Thursday has been postponed after his attorneys said Wednesday that he had been taken to a hospital for unspecified reasons.

19 Photos

The Colorado massacre suspect

23 Photos

The Aurora shooting victims

Court documents filed Wednesday gave no details of James E. Holmes' condition, other than that it "renders him unable to be present in court for (Thursday's) hearing." The hearing had been scheduled to discuss pretrial motions and media requests for information under state open records laws.

However, law enforcement sources told CBS4's Maass that Holmes has made multiple suicide attempts in recent days -- although none have resulted in serious injury.

Holmes received medical attention after at least one of the attempts. But law enforcement contacts characterize the attempted suicides -- including running into a jail cell wall -- as half hearted attempts.

At a hearing Wednesday on defense attorneys' request to delay the court date, defense attorney Tamara Brady said Holmes was taken to a hospital Tuesday. She didn't say where or offer details on why, saying attorneys don't want to disclose privileged medical or psychiatric information.

The 24-year-old Holmes is charged with killing 12 people and injuring at least 58 by opening fire in a crowded theater on July 20. A midnight showing of the latest Batman movie was under way at the time.

His mental health has been an issue in the case since shortly after the shootings. His lawyers told the judge in early August, about three weeks after the shootings, that Holmes was mentally ill. They have not said whether he would enter an insanity plea.

Holmes has appeared alternately dazed and alert in previous court appearances. Attorneys have not said whether he is under medication.

He had been seeing a psychiatrist before the shootings.

He's being held without bail and hasn't entered a plea

[scooter1904]

Give him 2 helium tanks...........2 plastic tubes..........1 plastic bag....

[Jame-_V]

I can't imagine why the state wouldn't let some one like him just sign a confession and let him push a button that blows his brains out.. it would save the tax payers allot of money and get to the point allot faster. he doesn't have to sit thinking about crimes he isn't going to care about getting fat off the state, if he killed 1 or 2 people yes maybe he would get the chair or something, but when a person kills more than 2 people, the public gets all sheeple and stands in awe like they are something to be worshiped. if anything this just proves that if your going to kill someone just do it big so you dont get the chair....

this is bs they should just let him kill him self and be done with it.

[MaryLynnRitch]

this is a half-hearted article if you ask me. How is a suicide attempt half-hearted? Pretty serious if you ask me. DUMB reporting for the readers entertainment.

[NYgfwa]

No such attempt will stop the beginning of his trial or his descent into hell (life jailing or execution).

[molsondog]

PLEASE stop showing his face in these articles. He does not deserve the exposure. Display a fixed image of a theater set or something, even a black square, but keep his face out of the press.

[judymar14]

Too bad he doesn't make a complete suicide. It would save taxpayers supporting him for the next 40+ years.

[willow11st]

What I Must Know is :has his lawyers ever said to him,"Okay,Jackass,Enough with the goofy faces on Mugshot Picture day!!"Or,Does he really look like that?SCARY!!

[enough-already]

I realize it's just a matter of semantics, but doesn't it seem kind of ridiculous to keep referring to this P.O.S. as "the suspect"? Is there ANY doubt in anyones mind that he is guilty of killing and wounding all those people? Can't the legal system/media come up with a more accurate term than SUSPECT? Please!

I think I need to go smoke some pot and calm down! Yeah, that's it. I'll go smoke some pot. And have something to eat. And watch TV. And maybe take a nap.

Okay, bye. :)

[twmat311]

They just can't help using this stupid picture. Or giving him news space.

Any news on any of the VICTIMS??? How are they doing?
Oh, that's not headline-making.

[USEagles]

Leave him a loaded gun, knife, pills, arsenic.... Come on and help the guy "out"!!!