Theater shooter's parents plead for his life

DENVER (AP) — The parents of Colorado theater shooter James Holmes today begged for his life to be spared through a plea bargain — a move that rekindled the long-running, emotional debate about whether the horrific details of the mass killing should be played out at his upcoming trial.

The statement released by Robert and Arlene Holmes emphasized a key legal issue in the tortured history of the case — whether Holmes was sane when 12 people were killed and 70 others were injured, and whether he should die if convicted of the crime.

"He is a human being gripped by a severe mental illness," the parents wrote in just their second public comments since the 2012 attack. "We have always loved him, and we do not want him to be executed."

The statement also thrust the mass shooting into the spotlight once again at a time of heightened concerns over theater safety. The hackers who prompted Sony to withhold the release of "The Interview" had threatened violence against theaters.

Prosecutors previously rejected at least one proposed plea deal made by attorneys for Holmes, criticizing the lawyers for publicizing the offer and calling it a ploy meant to draw the public and the judge into what should be private plea negotiations.