Colo. shooting suspect James Holmes rejected from University of Iowa: "Do NOT offer admission"

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Source: Holmes letter warned of shooting

James Holmes' booking photo

(CBS/AP) IOWA CITY, Iowa - The University of Iowa rejected the suspected gunman in the Colorado movie theater shooting rampage from a graduate neuroscience program last year after he visited the campus for an interview which left the program director bluntly warning colleagues: "Do NOT offer admission under any circumstances."

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James Holmes applied to the Iowa program in late 2010 and was given an interview on Jan. 28, 2011, according to records released by the university. Holmes wrote in his application that he was passionate about neuroscience and would bring "my strong moral upbringing" to the program. He painted himself as a bright student interested in improving himself and helping the world with a career in scientific research.

But two days after Holmes' interview, neuroscience program director Daniel Tranel wrote a strongly worded email urging the admissions committee not to accept him to the school.

"James Holmes: Do NOT offer admission under any circumstances," wrote Tranel, a professor of neurology.

Psychology professor Mark Blumberg followed up with a separate email two days later to say he agreed with Tranel about Holmes, one of three students Blumberg interviewed. "Don't admit," he wrote about Holmes.

Neither official elaborated on their reasoning in the emails, which are among 12 pages of records the university released about Holmes in response to public records request filed by news outlets.

None of the documents further explain why Holmes' application was denied. University spokesman Tom Moore said Thursday that Holmes was academically qualified but officials did not see him as "a good personal fit for our program." He declined to elaborate.

Blumberg said in an email Thursday that he has no specific recollection of Holmes or his opinion, noting officials interview many applicants each year.

Holmes later enrolled as a first-year Ph.D. student in a neuroscience program at the University of Colorado, Denver. He withdrew about six weeks before the attack in Aurora, where prosecutors say the 24-year-old opened fire during a midnight showing of the latest Batman movie, "The Dark Knight Rises," killing 12 people and injuring 58 others.

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by noduleata September 1, 2012 7:32 PM EDT: Maybe Tranel thought that he might be upstaged by Holmes who by that stage had performed brilliantly in doing his degree with honors, as well as being narcissistic according two former mentor Jacobsen. So a clash of two narcissists one a tutor, the other a student. Student makes tutor look stupid in classes. Tutor would rather be roasted over hot coals than admit that, hence the onset of profound amnesia by Blumberg covering for him, also suffering MENS (Messianic Egomaniacal Narcissistic Syndrome, common among the biological sciences. Plenty of religious nutters in the AACR from my limited experience.; Reply to this comment


by ClaireODay August 31, 2012 2:01 PM EDT: I disagree that science programs necessarily disapprove of religiously oriented students. More probably he just came across as weird - like when I was in a chemistry program there was a grad student they kicked out but who wouldn't leave, he kept trying to sell various faculty members on a supposed perpetual motion machine he had invented. He most likely came across as a nutjob they wanted to avoid. I doubt they thought he was dangerous though. And I bet they refuse to say anything about their reasons because they didn't and don't want to be sued.; Reply to this comment

by mcpepper111 August 31, 2012 1:32 PM EDT

Ok, let me understand this now. Two school officials said "DO NOT ADMIT" in regards to James Holmes' application, which was actually a very astute observation. But then ...."Psychology professor Mark Blumberg followed up with a separate email two days later to say he agreed with Tranel about Holmes, one of three students Blumberg interviewed. "Don't admit". As I said, very astute of him. But then... "Blumberg said in an email Thursday that he has no specific recollection of Holmes or his opinion"... ???? What?

How insulting to think that we are going to believe the fact he absolutely refused to approve the admission of this would be student and then can't remember him? C'mon! This is such a chickensh*t response.

What is Blumberg trying to prove? That he's afraid to go on the record about Holmes? Why? The guy is obviously mentally unstable, morally corrupt, and completely insane; and possibly downright evil. AND he's incarcerated and is never getting out! So why not go on the record? Blumberg is making a fool of himself!

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by bobnjersey August 31, 2012 2:49 PM EDT: [So why not go on the record? Blumberg is making a fool of himself!]
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because it's easier and safer not to.