Theater shooting suspect's dating profile at issue

Judge: Tagline on Colorado theater shooting suspect's online dating profiles fair game

8/1/2013

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (AP) — The judge in the Colorado theater shooting case says prosecutors can present evidence involving the suspect’s memberships on two dating websites.

James Holmes has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to charges alleging he killed 12 people and injured 70 at an Aurora movie theater on July 20, 2012. His trial is scheduled for February.

Prosecutors say Holmes put up profiles in 2012 on Adultfriendfinder.com and Match.com that had the tagline, “Will you visit me in prison,” and could indicate his mental state.

Holmes’ attorneys argued that the information was irrelevant and potentially prejudicial, especially without confirmation of the taglines’ meaning and intent or who wrote them.

Judge Carlos A. Samour Jr. ruled today that the information can be introduced, and jurors can decide what weight to give it.