Judge puts James Holmes’ 2nd mental exam on hold

The judge in the Colorado theater shooting case has put a new sanity evaluation for defendant James Holmes on hold because defense lawyers have objected to it.

Judge Carlos A. Samour Jr. issued a stay Tuesday until the defense objections are resolved. It wasn’t immediately known how long that will take.

Details of the objections haven’t been made public.

Samour ordered the new evaluation last month at prosecutors’ request, saying the first was inadequate.

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

Holmes’ second evaluation was to be finished in July and his trial was to start in October. It’s not yet clear how Tuesday’s stay will affect that schedule.