Holmes plea offer called “publicity ploy”

Prosecutors say they are not are ready to accept an offer from Colorado theater shooting suspect James Holmes to plead guilty in exchange for avoiding the death penalty.

In a court filing Thursday, prosecutors criticized defense attorneys for publicizing Holmes’ offer to plead guilty.

They say the defense hasn’t provided key details they need to consider a plea.

Legal experts say the case pivots on whether Holmes was legally insane when he opened fire in a packed theater in Aurora, killing 12 people.

Defense lawyers said Wednesday that Holmes told the district attorney’s office he would plead guilty if prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty.

In their response, prosecutors said the disclosure of the offer by the defense was a publicity ploy that violated the judge’s gag order.