Theater shooter’s mother says she still supports him

Colorado theater shooter James Holmes has chosen not to testify in the latest phase of his sentencing hearing.

Holmes gave clear, direct answers when Judge Carlos A. Samour Jr. asked about the decision Wednesday. Prosecutors would have had the opportunity to cross-examine Holmes had he chosen to testify.

Earlier in the day, Holmes’ mother and father took the stand as his attorneys try to persuade jurors to spare his life.Arlene Holmes testified Wednesday that her brother Dex died about a month after the July 2012 attack, but “he definitely wanted Jim to know that he was thinking about him as he was dying … and that he loved him.”

She also testified that James Holmes’ sister Chris is always wondering how he’s doing, despite a relationship that was sometimes contentious when the siblings were growing up.

Arlene Holmes said she has seen her son only three times in jail since the attack because such visits require extra security, but she writes to him about once a week.

She also said she has never known her son to be mean-spirited or selfish.

Holmes was convicted earlier this month of 165 counts of murder, attempted murder and weapons charges for the July 2012 attack that killed 12 people and injured 70 others at a packed movie theater.

His attorneys say he was suffering from a severe psychotic break at the time of the attack.

The jury is considering whether James Holmes should serve life in prison without parole or be executed.