U of Colo Retains 4 Law Firms to Represent 6 Employees in Aftermath of Movie Theater Shooting Spree
The University of Colorado has retained four defense law firms to advise six employees, in the aftermath of an Aurora movie theater shooting spree in which former graduate student James Holmes is charged. A dozen were killed and another 58 were injured in the attack last month.
But a university spokesman emphasized that its hiring of the lawyers doesn’t mean the employees did anything wrong, reports KUSA.
“When university employees are involved in a legal process, we regularly retain counsel for them even when their actions are entirely appropriate so that they can have independent legal advice,” said Jacque Montgomery.
Among those represented is Dr. Lynn Fenton, a Student Mental Health Services psychiatrist who reportedly treated Holmes and may have warned an internal assessment team at the university that Holmes was a potential threat.
Meanwhile, the Denver Post is reporting prosecutors said in court Thursday that Holmes was banned from campus for making threats in early June, about six weeks before the shooting spree.
The 24-year-old Holmes is charged with 24 counts of murder and 116 counts of attempted murder. He could face the death penalty if convicted, although the government has not yet decided whether to pursue a capital murder case.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Will U of Colorado Face Duty-to-Warn Suits re Off-Campus Movie Theater Shooting Spree?”
ABAJournal.com: “Former US Attorney to Review U of Colo Actions re Ex-Grad Student Charged in Movie Theater Shootings”
