James Holmes and “Dark Knight” Shooting Case: Defense Asks for More Time to Prepare Case

The defense team for the man responsible for killing 12 people and wounding 58 others in July inside a Colorado movie theater asked a judge Thursday for more time to prepare their case.

The attorneys for James Holmes told Arapahoe County District Court Judge William Sylvester that the defense must review thousands of pages of evidence before a preliminary hearing-currently set for November-on the case can get started.

Holmes, 24, drew nationwide attention when he walked into a movie theater in Aurora, a suburb of Denver wearing a gas mask and body armor, then threw tear gas and opened fire into the crowd waiting to see the premier of the blockbuster Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises. A six-year old girl was among the 12 victims who died during James's rampage.

Holmes was apprehended by bystanders as he walked out of the theater.

Prosecutors also added 14 counts of attempted murder to the current charges facing Holmes, Fort Collins, Col. news outfit The Coloradoan reported. Holmes is now facing more than 150 charges for the July 20 shooting.

Defense attorney Dan King said the defense needed more time because there was so much preliminary investigating still remaining that "we cannot begin to examine the nature and depth of Mr. Holmes' mental illness.

In addition, King criticized the media's efforts to learn more details about the case against Holmes.

"Many of the witnesses are in hiding because of the conduct of the media in this case," King said.

Prosecutors recently dropped their fight to see a notebook drawn by Holmes containing drawings of stick figures shooting other stick figures, the Business Insider reported.

The defense argued that the book-which Holmes shared with Dr. Lynne Fenton, a University of Colorado psychiatrist who was treating Holmes prior to the shooting-was protected under doctor-patient confidentiality; the prosecution questioned whether that confidentiality was ended due to Holmes ceasing his treatment with Fenton before the July 20 shooting.

Prior to the shooting, Fenton went to a campus security officer voicing her concerns over Holmes, The Denver Post reported in August.

ABC news reported via the Associated Press Thursday that Holmes appeared in court in leg shackles and a red jumpsuit, saying nothing and looking straight ahead.