By Dylan Stableford | YahooNews

James Holmes, the 24-year-old charged in last month’s deadly Aurora, Colo., theater shooting, is mentally ill, his lawyers disclosed during a court appearance that featured an unusual outburst on Thursday.

Chief District Judge William Sylvester heard testimony from representatives of more than 20 news organizations asking for search warrants and other records related to the case to be unsealed.

Both the prosecution and defense argued that releasing such information would jeopardize their respective cases.

"We cannot begin to assess the depth of Mr. Holmes’ mental nature until we get the documents," defense attorney Daniel King told the court.

Sylvester, who had issued the gag order, said he would not decide on the matter until next week.


Holmes, the former Ph.D student, was present in court and had "the same dazed demeanor that he has had in previous court appearances," the Associated Press said.

During the hearing, a woman seated in the second-to-last of the courtroom stood up and said she had evidence of judicial misconduct on behalf of the public defender.

"I tried to deliver information vital to the defense of James Holmes to the public defender," the woman--who appeared to be in her 20s--said, her voice shaking.

The woman, who was held by two deputies, said the defense team told her they were not willing to speak to Holmes about that information.

"It will do the victims’ families justice to have this information," the woman, who identified herself as said as she was led out of the courtroom.

Twelve people were killed and 58 others injured in July 20 massacre at a midnight screening of "Dark Knight Rises."


Article from: news.yahoo.com

According to two people wounded when Holmes allegedly opened fire in the Century Aurora 16 theater July 20, the woman was wearing a tight red dress and had shaved her head.

When she stood up in the courtroom and began talking, the judge told her not to interrupt court and then she was escorted out by Arapahoe County sheriff’s deputies.

Chris Townson said the woman’s behavior frightened him.

"I had a little flashback action," he said. "It scared me. It was a bad place to have a sudden outburst. I felt not safe."


[...]


After the woman was removed from the courtroom, she was allowed to retrieve a computer bag she had left near the media holding area and then taken away by deputies.

A TV reporter who had spoken to her before the hearing began said the woman talked to her about a conspiracy dating to 1956 and a blazing light that surrounded Holmes when he allegedly opened the back door of the theater July 20.