Cinema massacre accused likely to plead insanity

Prosecutors were expected to finish presenting their case to a Colorado judge last night in the preliminary hearing of a former graduate student who is charged with shooting 12 people to death and wounding 58 others in a movie theatre last summer.

The proceedings will now be turned over to lawyers for accused gunman James Holmes, who went out of their way this week in cross- examination of witnesses to highlight strange behaviour exhibited by their client before and after his arrest.

Should Arapahoe County District Judge William Sylvester order the case to proceed to trial, legal experts believe Holmes will plead not guilty by reason of insanity.