By Jason Sickles | The Lookout
 The former grad student charged in last month’s deadly shooting rampage at a Colorado movie theater gave his religion as "agnostic" and his occupation as "laborer" when booked into jail, according to a document released to Yahoo News this week. The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office booking report provides few other details about James Eagan Holmes or his motive for allegedly opening fire during a midnight showing of "Dark Knight Rises." Twelve people were killed and 58 others wounded. The 24-year-old suspected gunman gave jailers his mother’s name as an emergency contact. The redacted two-page report was obtained by Yahoo News under a Colorado public records request. A request for additional records was denied. "In weighing the public interests versus the private interests, the public interest would not be served by disclosing additional records," Arapahoe County Sheriff J. Grayson Robinson wrote in a response to Yahoo News. "Mr. Holmes could potentially be significantly impacted by the release of his records and any corresponding publicity," he continued. Grayson said part of his decision was based on a pretrial gag order issued by Chief District Judge William Sylvester.  The judge’s order to seal all records related to Holmes’ arrest will be debated in court later today. Several media organizations have asked Sylvester to scale back his order barring the release of search warrants, inventories of evidence and other records publicly available in criminal cases.The gag order has prohibited the University of Colorado from releasing public records related to the suspect’s time there as a Ph.D. neuroscience student. The Aurora Police Department has also stopped answering routine questions about the shooting. An editorial by the Denver Post says Sylvester’s order has "imposed an unusual shroud of secrecy on the case" and goes beyond protecting the defendant’s right to a fair trial. "Barriers against secrecy are important in part because of the heightened public read on..interest and the widespread desire for justice," the paper wrote. |
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