Crime & Safety

Prosecutors Seek Death Penalty for Colorado Shooting Suspect

James Holmes is accused of opening fire on a theater and killing John Larimer of Crystal Lake and 11 others.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for James Holmes, the man accused of opening fire on a Colorado movie theater last year and killing 12 people, including John Larimer, 27, of Crystal Lake. 

The district attorney in the case spoke with dozens of family members of the victims before coming to the decision, according to CNN. 

Larimer, a graduate of Crystal Lake South High School, was a member of the U.S. Navy and went to the midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises" at the Aurora, Color., theater in July.

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Larimer is credited with saving the life of his girlfriend, Julie Vojtsek, of Algonquin who was with him at the movie by shielding her from the gunfire, according to the Daily Herald. 

Last week, prosecutors denied a plea deal from Holmes who offered to plead guilty in order to avoid the death penalty, according to the New York Times. 

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Holmes, 25, is charged with 155 counts of murder and attempted murder for accusations that he is responsible for shooting and killing 12 at the movie theater and wounding 58 more, according to the Huffington Post. 


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