CENTENNIAL, Colo. — Below is a word-for-word transcription of one of the 12 verdict forms given to the jury on Aug. 6, preceding the final sentencing deliberations in the Aurora theater shooting trial.
The defendant in the case is James Holmes, the admitted gunman in the July 20, 2012 shooting, which took place at the midnight premiere of “The Dark Knight Rises” at the Century 16 theater in Aurora, leaving 12 dead and 70 others injured.
Holmes was convicted on July 16 of 165 charges, and faces two possible sentences: the death penalty or life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
RELATED: Complete theater trial coverage
Page 1
Count 1: Murder in the 1st degree after deliberation Jonathan Blunk
I* – We the jury are unanimously convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the appropriate sentence for the defendant James Eagan Holmes on this count is a death sentence.
II** – We the jury are not unanimous convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the appropriate sentence for the defendant Jame Eagan Holmes on this count is a death sentence. And we the jury unanimously agree that the defendant should be sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole on this count.
III*** – We the jury do not have a unanimous final sentencing verdict on this count. And we the jury understand that as a result the court will impose a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole on this count.
Page 2
* — If the jury is convinced unanimously convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that a death sentence is the appropriate sentence on this count, the foreperson and other 11 jurors should sign on the designated line in Section I of this verdict form. Sections II and III should then remain unmarked. Only one section may be completed on this verdict form – Section I, Section II or Section III. In the event that the jury completes Section I of this verdict form, the defendant will receive a death sentence on this count and that sentence will be carried out regardless of the final sentencing verdicts on the remaining counts and regardless of the lack of a unanimous final sentencing verdict on any count.
** — If the jury is not unanimously convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that a death sentence is the appropriate sentence on this count, and the jury unanimously agrees that the defendant should be sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole on this count, the foreperson should sign on the designed line in Section II of this verdict form. Sections I and III should then remain unmarked. Only one section may be completed on this verdict form – Section I, Section II or Section III. In the event that the jury completes Section II of this verdict form, the defendant will receive a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole on this count.
*** — If the jury does not reach a unanimous final sentencing verdict on this count because it is neither unanimously convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that death is the appropriate sentence nor in unanimous agreement that the defendant should be sentence to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, the foreperson should sign the foreperson should sign on the designed line in Section III of this verdict form to indicate that the jury does not have a unanimous final sentencing verdict on this count. Sections I and II should then remain unmarked. Only one section may be completed on this verdict form – Section I, Section II or Section III. In the event that the jury completes Section II of this verdict form, the court will be required by law to sentence the defendant to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole on this count.