Alleged shooter's mom: Reports she knew son was troubled were wrong
Source: Denver Post
James Holmes' mug shot (Photo provided by Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office)
SAN DIEGO A criminal defense attorney hired by the family of accused gunman James Eagan Holmes says his mother was portrayed inaccurately by national media reports that implied she knew that her son was troubled.
Lawyer Lisa Damiani said her client Arlene Holmes was awakened about 5:45 a.m. PST Friday by ABC News. Damiani she was asked if she was Arlene Holmes, and if her son was James Holmes. Reading a statement from Arlene, Damiani said "I said 'Yes, you have the right person.' But I was talking about myself."
Speaking in front of the high-rise building that houses her office in downtown San Diego, Damiani declined to say why the family had hired her.
On Monday morning, two attorneys from the state public defender's office were appointed to defend James Holmes, 24, against allegations that he killed 12 people and wounded 58 others in an Aurora movie theater early Friday morning. An Arapahoe County judge has sealed records relating to the case, including financial records showing his need for a public defender.
Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/theatershooting/ci_21139349/alleged-shooters-mom-reports-she-knew-son-was
What is the father doing?
lumberjack_jeff
(33,224 posts)1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)Mom, Arlene Holmes, hires a criminal defense attorney to protect her good name; accused shooter, James Holmes, on trial for (possibly) his life, gets a public defender.
steve2470
(37,457 posts)caseymoz
(5,763 posts)I'm supposing it takes a while to choose and hire a defense attorney for a trial in a different state, and it's almost impossible to do it over the weekend. She could be trying to scrape together the retainer to do it. The public defenders might be for arraignment only. We don't know yet.
Moreover, if her words were distorted, it's something she would want to set straight immediately. Like most people after such a trauma, she's probably not ready to confront the press herself, hence, hiring the lawyer for that purpose and to answer whatever inquiry the police have about it.
pscot
(21,024 posts)who might get the urge to take it out on her.
TouchOfGray
(82 posts)n/t
HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)Although there is only the remotest of possibilty the parents are responsible for the actions of their adult son, its a safe assumption that following the criminal trial there will be a rash of civil suits filed against everyone with even the remotest connection to the incident.
obamanut2012
(26,137 posts)I'm friends with attorneys.
Why read anything into it?
I also don't think they should become destitute because their son is a murderer. I also bet Holmes will get a pro bono anti DP attorney like Giffords' shooter.
LisaL
(44,974 posts)Whereas her son is eligible.
yellerpup
(12,254 posts)and they are not obliged to pay for his defense. They would probably lose everything they own for a lost cause. I suspect the attorney was engaged to get the mother's out of context quote corrected.
CJCRANE
(18,184 posts)It helps if you know the sentence before.
LiberalFighter
(51,084 posts)kiranon
(1,727 posts)than to show the question it was in response to. The constant need for a story - any story takes precedence over getting the facts straight. It will take time before anything about the shooter and his family is known. My guess is a mental illness such as schizophrenia that often manifests in its full blown state in the early twenties. I have know families whose children were so affected. Parenting was fine, kid was fine and often quite intelligent and then all changed as the brain changed to its adult manifestation.
loyalsister
(13,390 posts)The press will enjoy mangling an misinterpreting every thing she say. This attorney seems to be functioning as press secretary and a legal protector of the family that will be mercilessly harassed.
Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)I imagine they are both devastated. What is the need to pick on the family?
The rush to judgement is ridiculous. Her statement should never have been taken as an acknowlegement of anything other than they had reached the right person. Even if they would have known he had problems there would have been little they could do about it.
TouchOfGray
(82 posts)Holmes's mother suggests ABC News mischaracterized her statement
http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2012/07/holmes-mother-suggests-abc-news-mischaracterized-her-129835.html
Kalidurga
(14,177 posts)ABC is quickly losing whatever credibility they had.
pocoloco
(3,180 posts)Ever since Roone Arledge switched from sports to news, years ago.
klook
(12,166 posts)Probably trying to figure out how to keep on living. That's how I'd feel if my son did this.
The family probably hired a lawyer to help keep the press at bay. Good luck with that.
1KansasDem
(251 posts)rushed a couple of reports to the air, when an editor should have asked a few questions first.
El Supremo
(20,365 posts)I don't think he has been allowed to see his son. But the silence about the family has been deafening until now.
DallasNE
(7,403 posts)Cost him about $6,000. If true, where did he get that kind of money. I don't know any college students with that kind of pocket change.
totodeinhere
(13,059 posts)I have not heard any speculation about a possible accomplice, but you are right in asking where did he get that money. Did someone help him with the finances?
frylock
(34,825 posts)Lurks Often
(5,455 posts)it's unlikely he expected to be a in position to pay the credit card bill off anyway.
sense
(1,219 posts)college with many children of the 1% that have access to large amounts money at all times. He even has a bit of money himself, as he works and studies and is very frugal. We pay his tuition, room and board. He doesn't have a credit card, but is the only student he knows who doesn't.
HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)Credit card companies are rather free with giving cards to students. They'll run up a high balance, pay exorbinant interest, and finally get help from mom and dad. Big business for the CC compnies.
Serve The Servants
(328 posts)DallasNE
(7,403 posts)I saw a blog that said $15,000 but it wasn't sourced. I thought that was high and when I saw the $6,000 estimate it seemed more reasonable so I went with the conservative number. (Didn't know at the time how extensive the apartment was bobby trapped). The point is the same. Perhaps a credit card issuer will be on the hook but can college students get that high of a credit limit? I believe he was on a scholarship that paid for school and a housing allowance. Doesn't mean he couldn't have used multiple credit card though and made minimum payments for a couple of months -- and that assumes he hadn't already run up his credit card debt. I'm sure authorities are already looking into his finances so we may learn this in short order.
jaysunb
(11,856 posts)and Iwould be devastated, not only for my son, but those he hurt or killed.
I personally feel just as bad for the Holmes family as I do the victims and their families.
babydollhead
(2,231 posts)It was a chilling peak into the mind of the mother of a kid who killed a bunch a other kids as his high school
HangOnKids
(4,291 posts)As soon as I heard about this mass killing, I kept thinking of that movie.
obamanut2012
(26,137 posts)ProudToBeBlueInRhody
(16,399 posts)....but heard about it and now that you mention it, I'm very interested. Thanks for that.
babydollhead
(2,231 posts)shanti
(21,675 posts)what about her original "quote" that she "knew it was about her son"? is that what they're referring to?
LisaL
(44,974 posts)She never said anything like that.
HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)There was always the question of whether she was referring to her son or herself.
LisaL
(44,974 posts)HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)But when the media first reported the quote, there were questions over who she was referring to. Bad reporting. Thats why her attorney felt the need to clarify.
shanti
(21,675 posts)Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)I guess the media figured since he was a software engineer it meant he was off the hook,...or offline....
arcane1
(38,613 posts)One would think he is suffering enough as it is.
slackmaster
(60,567 posts)longship
(40,416 posts)Yes. But this whole thing is a tragedy, anyway you look at it. I don't think I'd be saying, "Just the facts, Ma'am," to this woman. That would be a bit insensitive and crass.
slackmaster
(60,567 posts)...in exploiting the new dimension of chroma.
Here is Blue Boy from an early color Dragnet anti-drug episode:
TouchOfGray
(82 posts)Last edited Mon Jul 23, 2012, 08:34 PM - Edit history (1)
and was in the court room today.
Edit update: Now they say it was the father of one of the victims not the Joker's.