James Holmes recalls his state of mind before Colorado shooting
CENTENNIAL, Colo. --Jurors heard more Friday from James Holmes, the man who opened fire in a Colorado movie theater on July 20, 2012, leaving 12 people dead and 70 wounded.
Holmes has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to murder charges.
The prosecution played video of his interview with a court-appointed psychiatrist last summer. In the interview, Holmes recalled barely holding it together six months before the shooting.
"I became more disorganized," he described. "I guess my mind was kind of falling apart."
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Jurors listened to Holmes talking on camera to Dr. William Reid, who was was evaluating if Holmes was legally sane: Whether he knew the difference between right and wrong when he murdered 12 people. Holmes told Reid he has always been a loner.
"Where on the scale of 'lots of loner' or 'not so much loner' would you be?" Reid asked.
"Eight out of ten I would be on the loner scale," Holmes replied. "When I am around people, I am kinda anxious, fidgety, fearful. I feel the need to escape."
Holmes said having to talk to people often made his mind wander.
"I would have, like, violent images," Holmes told the doctor.
When Reid asked him to elaborate, Holmes said, "Things like, saws going against other people... Like a saw, sawing them. Like, getting their heads cut off. They just pop up randomly."
Holmes talked to Reid in July of 2014, two years after the shootings. By then, he was taking anti-psychotic medication and antidepressants.
He admitted to having a "hatred of mankind," and said that he sometimes saw himself as mentally ill.
"In the social awkwardness, the intrusive thoughts," Holmes explained.
"What intrusive thoughts?" Reid asked.
"The violent ones," Holmes responded.
"What were the intrusive thoughts about the guns?" Reid wanted to know.
"That I should shoot as many people as possible," Holmes answered.
Holmes also admitted he was paranoid. For instance, walking into the movie theater, he thought he was under surveillance by the FBI -- and hoped he was, because then agents would stop him.
