Colorado shootings accused set to plead insane

The man accused of carrying out the Colorado cinema shootings wants to change his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity, his lawyers said, despite their fears that it could severely hamper his ability mount a defence against the death penalty.

James Holmes is charged with more than 160 counts of murder and attempted murder over the July 20 massacre in Aurora, at a packed cinema showing a premiere of the latest Batman film that killed 12 people and injured 70. Prosecutors said last month they would seek the death penalty.