Jurors deciding the fate ofColorado movie theater shooter James Holmes were unable to reach a unanimous decision on the death penalty, which means he will be sentenced to life in prison for killing 12 people and injuring 70 others during a 2012 screening of The Dark Knight Rises.
While many of his victims families were heartbroken at the jurysannouncement late Friday afternooon, a group of Holmes online supporters were both stunned and relieved that a killer theyve never even met was spared.I cant believe it. Not yet, a Holmes supporter told Vocativ after the verdict was read.
The Holmes supporter, a young woman who lives in Colorado but has never actually talked with him, asked not to be identified out of fear for both her safety and privacy. Her support for Holmes, she said, already has cost her one job and ostracized her from her community. Her feelings for Holmes are not just sympathetic but also physical. There was a combination of looks, intelligence, and I dont know what else. Its hard for me to pinpoint it, she said.
The jurys decisioncame as a surprise both tothose who wanted Holmes to be executed and tohis onlinegroupies, who have been obsessively reviewing his case over the past few years and sharing insights on Facebook. The quick decisions made by the jury in the two previous phases of the sentencing deliberations indicated to most observers that the jury would agree on a death sentence. Prior to Fridays verdict, Holmes anonymous supporter said she was expecting a death sentence because the jurors are monsters. Another of Holmes boosters, Misti Hosier, reiterated that point, saying the jurors are set on death. They are delivering their verdict too fast. I really hope Im wrong.
Despite his heinous crimes, Holmes has acquired a followingmade up of men and women from across the country, none of whom has ever met him. The de facto leader of the group is Hosier, who is overjoyed that Holmes will not be executed. We did it! she said after the verdict was read. Oh my G*d, Im crying! Thank G*d!
Hosier, who lives in Georgia, is not sexually or romantically attracted to Holmes. However, she has sympathy for him because she believes he is a victim of mental illness. I feel that as a nation when it comes to his illness we failed James and all the victims in this case in the most horrible way. Despite her sympathy for Holmes, Hosier saysshe also feels for the victims and their families.
Hosiers fascination with Holmes dates back to July 21, 2012, the day after the shooting. While many were calling for Holmes head, Hosier thought to herself he didnt look like a killer.
Ive read every word that has anything to do with this case. Every court document, she said. This case has given me a lot of wonderful friends and even the man Im going to marry. We met on Facebook discussing this case.
During closing arguments in the trial, prosecutor George Brauchler played a recording of a 911 call. In the recording, gunshots and screams could be heard in the background while photos of the victims disappeared one by one from a TV in the courtroom.For James Eagan Holmes, justice is death, he said. Death.
Holmes supporters dont dispute the fact that he murdered 12 innocent people, but they feel his mental illness is what drove him to do itand place much of the blame on his former psychiatrist, Lynne Fenton, who they feel should have done more to help treat Holmes mental conditionprior to the shooting. There are multiple civil suits pending against her, Hosier said.
Being a James Holmes supporter is not a popular position to takeboth women said theyve been the target of harassment and in some cases have been threatened with violence. Very early on in the case I and those who feel like I do learned that it is better to keep within our community and not try to change the minds of those who just wont listen. So Im more or less silent on social media except for our Facebook groups and page.
Source: http://www.vocativ.com/news/217860/we-did-it-james-holmes-groupies-rejoice-over-lighter-sentence/
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