COMMENTARY, NO BYLINE
There鈥檚 a retired Army ICU nurse, a female explosions expert, and a victim鈥檚 advocate who, if she鈥檇 stayed with Aurora two more years, she鈥檇 have been counseling traumatized movie theater shooting survivors instead of sitting on the jury of one of the country鈥檚 most horrific massacres.
Colorado has suffered more than most when it comes to heinous crimes and that is apparent when you hear the stories. Juror 737 was close to Columbine shooters Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris until 8th grade when their relationship faded. But in an unbelievable dynamic, he ended up taking adorable Rachel Scott to prom. She was the only one at the dance dressed in sleek black. 聽She was the first of the Columbine High School victims to be murdered a week later. 聽Juror 535鈥瞫 niece was in the Columbine cafeteria when the pops sounded above her. Teacher Dave Sanders told her to run. She did. So did he鈥oward the bullets which would eventually kill him. In all, 24 people will spend up to five months of their lives on what DA George Brauchler calls聽鈥渁 roller coaster ride in the most horrific haunted house.鈥�
They will all be in the courtroom unaware of which twelve are alternates and which 12 will actually vote. 聽The final day of jury selection was nine hours long. 聽Defendant James Holmes had to sit there when his lawyer asked the prospective jurors to look at him. 聽鈥淐an you tell he鈥檚 guilty?鈥�
No, said one young female voice. 聽鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what someone looks like when they鈥檙e guilty or when they鈥檙e not guilty.鈥� 聽鈥淲hat about his haircut?鈥� asked public defender Tamara Brady.聽鈥� Probably just a haircut,鈥� answered the woman who would soon be chosen to occupy seat 9.
Holmes does have a new haircut. 聽He鈥檚 shaved his beard, but kept the mustache and he鈥檚 gained weight. 聽鈥淚 have been looking at Mr. Holmes,鈥� said juror #733, a woman. 鈥淗e looks like somebody walking down the street.鈥�
Then juror #29 鈥淚 see a man who鈥檚 on trial. Probably a little scared. 聽I don鈥檛 know if he knows everything that鈥檚 going on.鈥� 733 and 29 were both scratched.
Holmes faces 165 charges. 聽The jurors said they would look at each one individually. It took the judge an hour and a half to read each one of them.聽鈥淚s it just too big?鈥� asked Brady. The retired nurse had a good line. She鈥檚 old and her voice is shaky and she鈥檚 already a favorite of the media in the listening room.聽鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of like eating an elephant. 聽You take one bite at a time.鈥�
Quote of the day:
鈥淪ir, I see that you put some Cheetos in your bag. 聽If you did, you have to share them with the court.鈥� ~ Judge Carlos Samour to Juror #29