Judge in Cinema Murder Trial Rejects Request for Mistrial

The judge presiding over the murder trial of Colorado theater gunman James Holmes denied a motion by defense lawyers for a mistrial on Wednesday over videos shown to jurors of a psychiatrist’s interviews with the admitted shooter. Public defender Kristen Nelson argued that a video played in court, in which Holmes described details of the crime to court-appointed psychiatrist William Reid, violated his constitutional right against self-incrimination. It was the second time Arapahoe County District Court Judge Carlos Samour has denied a defense motion for a mistrial since Reid took the stand late last week. The 27-year-old Holmes has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to multiple counts of first-degree murder and attempted murder stemming from the July 2012 rampage. His lawyers have said that the former neuroscience graduate student is schizophrenic and heard voices that told him to kill.