Holmes defense wants sanity hearing held in secret

Attorneys for Colorado theater shooting defendant James Holmes are asking the judge to bar the public and media from hearing pretrial testimony from the psychiatrist who evaluated Holmes’ sanity.

A motion filed Friday says Holmes’ right to an impartial jury would be harmed if the public hears the testimony.

The judge hasn’t ruled on the request.

Holmes pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to charges of killing 12 people and injuring 70 in a suburban Denver movie theater in 2012. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

Holmes underwent a mandatory sanity evaluation last summer. The conclusions haven’t been made public, but prosecutors are asking for further evaluation.

The two sides are scheduled to argue the request at a hearing later this month. The defense wants that hearing held in secret.