Colorado Shooting Case: Media Seek to Unseal Documents, End Secrecy

Colorado Shooting Case: Media Seek to Unseal Documents, End Secrecy

www.huffingtonpost.com

A group of 21 news organizations is asking a judge to reverse his order sealing court records in the case against James Holmes, the man accused of killing 12 people and injuring 58 in a Colorado movie theater.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I think that this is a good move, the judge could have sealed the court records in order to protect information that would be controversial and possibly needing to be covered up. If this goes through, we might finally get to have a clearer idea about what was going on in Aurora that night.

What was the reason the judge sealed the records? No one knows.

www.huffingtonpost.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Secrecy is the institutions most valuable tool, they will not give it up easily. Why is the details of this secret anyway? It all just implies that stuff is being hidden, which it probably is

Yay!

The media finally doing something worthwhile, for a change....

I have no doubt that We, the people, and other responsible journalists have the ability to get the details of this debacle made public.
However, the caveat is the determination of those involved in the process.

We shall see if true journalism is really dead, as it has seemed for so long now.

Good move! This will help the media's case. They've been criticized with such sloppy journalism that it probably ticked them off.

I dearly want to see the gag order lifted so we may learn the truth of at least the basic events. The placement of a total, blanket gag order MADE conspiracy theory where it didn't necessarily fit. Who knows now though? The truth may be out there, but it's gagged like a prisoner.

On the other hand....and lets me honest on one thing. Who saw that simulation of events inside the theater in 3D that some "expert" talking head was going over? A thread here had it. I can't help but thing THAT is why the media wants it lifted. Not the truth. Since when did MSM care about that? They're pissed that this ripped them off for news cycle material as as many have noted, the Media is almost down to interviewing each other now. A sure sign that they are bankrupt for material but will NOT let the story go until more is known. Beating a dead horse is so much better for them, it seems.

What a mess.. there has to be a way to remove the gag order without totally destroying the integrity of some of that evidence the media is dying to plaster everywhere for it's pure tabloid value. I just want the truth.

the lifting of the gagging order could be a poison chalice! Everyone wants to know the truth and the families of the victims deserve that much at least. In all probability the media will turn it into a circus and somewhere along the line the media will leak somthing or other and the judge will be forced to go to a re-trial or throw out the case completely. Im all for the truth but the media must be policed in some form if it is lifted.

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Originally posted by darkbake


I think that this is a good move, the judge could have sealed the court records in order to protect information that would be controversial and possibly needing to be covered up. If this goes through, we might finally get to have a clearer idea about what was going on in Aurora that night.

What was the reason the judge sealed the records? No one knows.



www.huffingtonpost.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I ignorantly thought this too at first. I was surprised there was a gag order. Imagine my surprise when I calmed down for a second.

Chambers also said media outlets may have made up sources and information.
"To put it bluntly, the People are extremely dubious of the media assertions that 'law enforcement sources' exist," she wrote. The media, she said, are getting information from "hoaxers, fraudsters or maybe from nobody at all."


Read more: Aurora theater shooting suspect was being treated by psychiatrist - The Denver Post www.denverpost.com...
Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: www.denverpost.com...

Essentially, the gag order is being used to protect the integrity of the case. There will be a jurry (if he goes to trial) and it makes sense to keep this out of the public and lower the odds of mistrial or appeal because of something the media said or did.

However, I concede if the details of the trial and the case are not released afterward something is up...

reply to post by darkbake


I an see the argument for keeping them sealed for a while longer. The media isnt interested in truth, they want sensation. Release them after the media snipstorm dies down a bit.

Originally posted by darkbake

What was the reason the judge sealed the records? No one knows.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Holmes claimed that the package with the documents contains "confidential, medical information". (Remember, it was sent to a psychiatrist).

It has been said that the package contains actually his killing plan outlined which he sent to the doctor in advance, which would prove beyond any reasonable doubt that he is NOT insane. (Since he planned everything and even wrote it down).

The sealing of the documents is basically a dirty trick so he can pledge insanity, without the compromising proof that he is not.

Im not sure if this is the case in the US, but the UK, a 'gag' order on the press during an investigation is often to stop potential jurors being swamped with hearsay and rumours from the media so they can make an 'impartial' descision based on the evidence presented at trial- so the defence or the prosecution cannot say afterwards that there was a bias due to information learned from the press. Whether that works or not, particularly on a case as high profile as this, is up for debate. Lets face it, where would you find a juror that hasnt heard of this case?

Mr. Holmes has been assigned a public defender. He did not contest the charges...he hasn't resisted any of this...other than saying he doesn't remember. I don't think he does remember, if he did, he'd be in some sort of emotional uproar whether he was insane, guilty and sane, or whatever.
The evidence that we know of is damning and doesn't require any additions to be completely adequate to remove all possible doubt that he killed 12 people and injured 58 in a theater in Colorado.

With such a scenario, the gag order seems superfluous and suspect.
Public defenders do not get people off on insanity...it would take a crackerjack lawyer of unknown skills of persuasion and knowledge of the law to get Mr. Holmes off on insanity in this case. It doesn't matter if he is insane...he is a murderer in the eyes of everyone and he will be locked up. No one is worried about his fate.

Unless...of course...the evidence we are not being shown is contradictory to the simple cut and dried case that this is supposed to be. Or even...lack of motive...lack of a lot of things...there are certain things we rightfully expect to be revealed in these kinds of cases. So far, there isn't much of THAT kind of evidence...of course, that isn't what the court judges upon...but the public would question strangeness no matter what.

reply to post by queenannie38

With such a scenario, the gag order seems superfluous and suspect.
Public defenders do not get people off on insanity... it would take a crackerjack lawyer of unknown skills of persuasion and knowledge of the law to get Mr. Holmes off on insanity in this case.

No public defenders do not get people off on much of anything. Unfortunately, crackajack lawyers that want to increase their public persona will get them off in appeals after they have been defended by a public defender...

If there was nothing to hide, there would not be such a tight secrecy regarding the facts in this case. You combine this with the multitude of reports that have come out that contradict the OS. When you put these things together, it is only natural to want transparency so that we can know the truth. The only problem with that is with more time that goes by, it only gets easier for fake documents to be produced, and "eye witnesses" to be coaxed into following along with the story they want us to hear.

We need to take all of the actual facts we get and form our own opinions in this situation because I have a feeling when they do start releasing information, it is going to be the standard bs, guy went crazy and killed people end of story kinda stuff. Even though there is tons of recently released information that give this story way more twists and turns than a cut and dry crazy person who wanted to kill people story would have if that was actually true.

I think it's too late for the gag order, as another poster said, all potential jurors have already been blasted with this kids mugshot etc. If it goes to trial, he doesn't have a chance....

Hell, everyone i know is calling for his execution, as soon as possible.. and reading comments on websites, America shares those sentiments..


The only reason they have to seal it at this point is to cover things up and find 'Witnesses' who collaborate their 'official' story

Here are some links for further info on the case

Mental Illness


Holmes' background

Jackie Mitchell, who lives close to Holmes, had a beer with him on Tuesday. Mitchell was stunned at news of Holmes' alleged involvement in the attack. "You would never guess he was a violent guy," Mitchell said, describing Holmes as "nerdish" and "a book-smart type guy."

There was another quote on that page from one of former professors saying he couldn't imagine Holmes doing what he did in a million years, but it was removed

One more


3D recreation of the shooting

Whats chilling about this clip is how the people talk about Holmes like he was already found guilty

reply to post by squirelnutz


Exactly what I am thinking. Look at all the time going by where they are not releasing anything. Plenty of time to manufacture documents, and witness to corroborate the OS.

This is why we need to form our own opinions on things and not let any media source, whether is MS or even on ATS, think for us. We need to use our own minds, because if we let the conclusions of others influence us completely without doing any research on the subject, than we are just as bad as the indoctrinated sitting behind their TV's thinking CNN, FOX, NBC, ABC, are the truthful news outlets out there.

reply to post by cd123456


I agree with you, but i think we need to use all media outlets including MSM

MSM isn't as evil as everyone makes them out to be

As long as you know they have an agenda and are completely biased, you can take it with a pinch of salt



I think a lot of people on here would really benefit from reading news from New York Times or Huff Post, but theyre convinced MSM is this brainwashing tool and everyone's easily manipulated