James Holmes' Parents Attempt To Give Defense Member Note, Asked To Leave Court
CENTENNIAL, Colo. (CBS4) - Thursday is the final day of the first week of the Aurora theater shooting trial, which had Aurora police officers testifying about the arrest of James Holmes just moments after the massacre.
A big mystery of the case is why did Holmes surrender so quickly and reveal his home was rigged with explosives? More about those moments were revealed on Thursday.
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When Aurora police arrived at the rear of the theater they followed a trail of blood. It led to a white car and a man standing by that car dressed in body armor and a gasmask. Aurora Officer Jason Oviatt wondered if it was a policeman.
"He was dressed in black and wearing a tactical helmet and gas mask, and at first I thought he was another officer," Oviatt testified.
The gunman was placed in a police car and Oviatt said he heard a voice.
"And then I heard somebody inside a dumpster asking if we were cops," he said.
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Then for the first time a defense attorney cross-examined a witness about prior testimony apparently to get to Holmes' mental state.
"Do you recall at that time testifying that the suspect simply, quote, stared off into the distance?" Oviatt was asked.
"Yes," he replied.
"Do you recall that you testified at that time that the suspect, quote, seemed to be out of it and disoriented?" Oviatt was asked.
"Yes," he replied.
CBS4 Investigator Rick Sallinger was seated in court next to Holmes' parents and witnessed them pass a note to a person on the defense team. According to Sallinger, a deputy quickly intercepted the note and Holmes' parents were asked to leave the courtroom. No information has been made public about the incident.