Aurora (United States), Oct. 12 (Xinhua-ANI): Prosecution and defense lawyers in the trial against Aurora shooting suspect James Holmes said the media covering the event was hampering their investigations and harassing and intimidating witnesses, in heated arguments delivered in court Thursday.
Attorney Steven Zansberg, representing more than 20 media organizations, dismissed the claims and repeated demands for media access to court documents, sealed to the public since Judge William B. Sylvester imposed a Gag Order on the case three days after the July 20 shooting that left 12 dead and 58 injured.
In a hearing that lasted one hour, Holmes, the 24-year-old former CU neuroscience Ph.D. candidate, appeared with short- cropped, dark brown hair and bushy, long sideburns. He was more subdued than his last court appearance three weeks ago. A number of victims and family members were in attendance at the Arapahoe County Justice Center.
Thursday Sylvester granted the prosecution's request to add additional charges against Holmes, now charged with 24 counts of First Degree murder and 126 counts of attempted murder for a total of 152 counts. The massacre is considered one of the worst mass shootings in US history.
In response to Zansberg's demands, both the defense and prosecution admitted that the "redactions," or words crossed out in court documents before they are released to the media, "appear to be excessive."
Zansberg asked the court to "unseal the unnecessary redactions" and develop a policy for further media disclosures. Judge Sylvester said he would rule on the media's request by Oct. 15. (Xinhua-ANI)
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