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James Holmes' Parents: 'He Is Not A Monster'

James Holmes' Parents: 'He Is Not A Monster'

The parents of James Holmes, accused in a deadly shooting at a movie theatre in Aurora, Colorado, are pleading for him to be spared the death penalty.

"He is not a monster," Robert and Arlene Holmes wrote in a letter to The Denver Post .

"He is a human being gripped by a severe mental illness."

Holmes is accused of killing 12 people and injuring 70 in the 2012 attack during a packed midnight screening of the Batman film The Dark Knight Rises at the theatre in Aurora, outside Denver.

He has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

Holmes' parents say they have spent every moment of the two years since the shooting thinking about the victims and their families and friends.

"We are always praying for everyone in Aurora. We wish that July 20, 2012 never happened," they wrote.

The letter is the first public comment by Holmes' parents about the shooting since some brief comments made through a lawyer immediately after the attack.

They said they would like to avoid a traumatic trial.

One option would be a plea deal allowing him to plead guilty to the charges in exchange for life in prison without parole.

"If that happened, our son would be in prison the rest of his life, but no one would have to relive those horrible events at a trial the media has permission to televise," they wrote.

The shooting led to concerns that increasingly violent films were inspiring attacks.

Warner Bros, which distributed the film, cancelled premieres in France, Mexico and Japan and box office figures for the film’s opening weekend were delayed amid fears of copycat attacks.

Jury selection in the trial is scheduled to start on 20 January.