Jury reaches verdict in 'Batman' massacre

  • 17/07/2015
James Holmes (REU)
James Holmes (REU)

A US jury has found Colorado theatre shooter James Holmes guilty of murder for the attack that left 12 dead and dozens wounded.

The verdict means the 27-year-old former neuroscience graduate student could get the death penalty for the 2012 shooting.

Jurors reached their decision Thursday after deliberating for about 13 hours over two days.

They must now decide whether Holmes should be executed or sent to prison for life without the possibility of parole.

Holmes pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, and his lawyers argued he was so addled by mental illness that he was unable to tell right from wrong at the time of the shootings.

But prosecutors maintained the attack was meticulously planned over months and Holmes knew what he was doing.

AFP