Prosecutors: Shooting suspect threatened professor

DENVER (AP) — The suspect in a deadly movie theater attack was barred from the University of Colorado campus for threatening a professor, weeks before he opened fire at a midnight showing of the new Batman movie, prosecutors said in court documents released Friday.

That conflicts with the university’s statements that Holmes was denied access to non-public parts of the campus because he had withdrawn from school.

The name of the person has been blacked out. University officials did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

Just minutes before the shooting, Holmes tried unsuccessfully to call his university psychiatrist, defense attorneys have said.

Holmes also mailed a notebook to psychiatrist Lynne Fenton, a professor at the school, including violent descriptions of an attack, attorneys said. She never received the package addressed to her, and it wasn’t discovered in a university mail room until after the shooting.

Defense attorneys don’t want it to be used as evidence, saying it’s protected by doctor-patient privilege. Fenton last saw Holmes professionally on June 11 before seeing him again in court on Aug. 30.

In the documents released Friday, prosecutors say the professor reported the threats, and Holmes was denied access to campus “as a result of these actions.”

In other documents, defense attorneys say the prosecutors’ allegations are false, based on university statements.

After weeks of secrecy surrounding the case, most of the documents filed in court were released to the public on Friday.

Holmes, 24, faces 152 charges in the July 20 shooting at an Aurora movie theater during a special midnight showing of the new Batman movie, “The Dark Knight Rises.” The attack killed 12 people and injured 58 others.

The defense has a psychiatry expert on its defense team and plans to use him as an expert, giving further insight into a possible insanity defense by James Holmes, the documents showed.

Defense attorneys claim Holmes is mentally ill, raising the possibility that Holmes will plead not guilty by reason of insanity.

In court, prosecutors suggested Holmes was angry at the failure of a once promising academic career and stockpiled weapons, ammunition, tear gas grenades, and body armor as his research deteriorated and professors urged him to get into another profession. Chief Deputy District Attorney Karen Pearson said Holmes failed a key oral exam in June, was banned from campus and began to voluntarily withdraw from the school.

SportsPlus

News

Hurricane Milton is a Category 5. Florida orders evacuations and scrambles to clear Helene’s debris

News

Jury selection begins in murder trial of Minnesota man accused of killing his girlfriend

Mower County

Weekend’s Halloween a success for Matchbox and the community

News

Minnesota Republicans seek a reset after two years of DFL trifecta in St. Paul

Education

AHS, Austin Online, and Austin Area Learning Center participate in Direct Admissions Minnesota Program

Business

Hormel Ghost Reaper Chili with Beans returns

Mower County

Ikes to hold cookout fundraiser

Mower County

In Your Community: Order Eastern Stars collect food for Salvation Army

Mower County

In Your Community: Duplicate Bridge

Mower County

In Your Community: Mower County Senior Center

Crime, Courts & Emergencies

Convictions: Sept. 16-30

News

A crash saved a teenager whose car suddenly sped up to 120 mph in the rural Midwest

Mower County

10 years of trees: Spruce Up Austin celebrates anniversary of Tree Trek

Mower County

Freeborn Mower Electric Cooperative linemen heading to Hurricane Helene support

Crime, Courts & Emergencies

Lyle 18-year-old gets prison time for child pornography charges

News

Minnesota first responders, volunteers head south to aid in Hurricane Helene cleanup

Mower County

Local songwriters featured next in the Mower County Grown series

Mower County

Vikings plan to bring Hockenson back to practice this week in latest step toward return

Mower County

Fire Department to hold open house

News

Walmart employees to get expanded cancer treatment options with the Mayo Clinic

News

Walz and Vance go in depth on policy while attacking each other’s running mates in VP debate

Mower County

Dinner and a Dance

News

State reminds Minnesotans to act now to avoid losing heat and electricity this winter

News

The US could see shortages and higher retail prices if a dockworkers strike drags on