Theater shooting jury decides that Holmes eligible for death penalty

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (AP) — Jurors in the Colorado theater shooting trial decided to keep the death penalty as an option for gunman James Holmes.

The jury deliberated for less than three hours, starting Thursday after Holmes’ parents made an emotional plea to spare their son’s life because he is mentally ill.

The nine women and three men were asked to decide whether circumstances such as Holmes’ mental illness, trouble-free childhood and lack of a prior criminal history reduce his “moral culpability” enough to justify sentencing him to life in prison without parole instead of death.