The man suspected of gunning down 12 people at a screening of the new Batman movie last month is mentally ill, his defense lawyer said, seeking more time to assess his health.

File picture shows James Holmes, the man suspected of gunning down 12 people at a screening of the new Batman movie last month, in court July 23 in Centennial, Colorado. Holmes is mentally ill, his defense lawyer said Thursday, seeking more time to assess his health. Photo: AFP

James Holmes faces two counts of first degree murder for each person killed in the July 20 massacre in Aurora, Colorado -- one for each victim's deliberate killing and one more for killing through "depraved indifference" to life.

But at a court hearing in Centennial, near Denver, defense attorney Dan King chastised prosecutors for not turning over all the reports, photos from the crime scene and other evidence.

"We cannot begin to assess Mr Holmes's mental illness until we have all of that information," said King, who referred to his client's mental illness two other times.

Authorities say Holmes, 24, until recently a neuroscience student, burst into a midnight viewing of "The Dark Knight Rises" and claimed he was "The Joker" -- Batman's sworn enemy in the comic book series that inspired director Christopher Nolan's film trilogy -- before opening fire.

Ten of the 58 people who were wounded in the attack remain hospitalized and four are in a critical condition, leaving open the possibility that the huge charge sheet could yet grow longer.

Holmes already faces 116 attempted murder charges for the woundings, one count of possession of an explosive device and one sentence enhancement count for a "crime of violence" as well as the charges for the killings.

At Thursday's hearing attorneys discussed the merits of revising the judge's order barring public access to court records, following media requests.

Prosecutors argued that sealing the court documents protects the integrity of the ongoing investigation -- which so far has generated 2,677 pages of evidence -- and defense lawyer King said continuing to suppress access to the records protects his client's right to a fair trial, but no decision was made.

Judicial District Court Chief Judge William Sylvester did not indicate when he will rule on the media request but he set the next scheduled court hearing for August 16.

That hearing will discuss whether a package the former graduate student allegedly sent to a University of Colorado psychiatrist should be considered protected communication under doctor-patient confidentiality privilege.

Prosecutors have said it will be several weeks before a decision is made on whether or not to seek the death penalty for Holmes. Only one person has been executed in Colorado since capital punishment was reinstated in 1976.

Source: Tuoi Tre News