Colo. judge bars cameras at shooting suspect's next hearing

No cameras or recording equipment will be allowed in court Monday when formal charges will be filed against James Eagan Holmes for the mass shooting at a Denver-area theater showing the new Batman movie, the judge has ruled.

Arapahoe County District Judge William Sylvester denied the request by KUSA-TV, The Denver Post and Colorado Public Radio for expanded coverage. KUSA is owned by Gannett, the publisher of USA TODAY.

Sylvester said he considered objections by Holmes' court-appointed attorneys but did not specifically state why he would not allow cameras in the courtroom next week, the Post notes. One still camera and one video camera were allowed Monday during his initial court appearance, giving the public its first pictures of the 24-year-old San Diego native and former graduate student accused of killing 12 and wounding 58 early Friday at an Aurora multiplex.

Holmes' defense team had also objected to having cameras in the court Monday.

Sylvester said he weighed Colorado court rules that consider whether "there is a reasonable likelihood that expanded media coverage would interfere with the rights of the parties to a fair trial; whether there is a reasonable likelihood that expanded media coverage would unduly detract from the solemnity, decorum and dignity of the court; and whether expanded media coverage would create adverse effects which would be greater than those caused by traditional media coverage."

Beyond the courtroom today, some of those wounded while watching The Dark Knight Rises got a surprise visit from another VIP: Christian Bale.

The Batman star spent 2½ hours with seven patients at the Medical Center of Aurora, including two who came from the affiliated Swedish Medical Center, the Post writes. He and his wife also met with doctors, Aurora police officers and emergency medical technicians who responded to the shootings.

"It was good for the patients," said Bill Voloch, the medical center's interim president. "We hope it was therapeutic for them, and all the staff really appreciated him coming."

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