Three seconds that 6-year-old Veronica Moser-Sullivan’s smiling face shined on courtroom video screens Friday afternoon brought an end to the prosecution’s case in the Aurora, Co., theater shooting trial and gave jurors a final, heartbreaking image of the shooting’s impact, the Denver Post reports. Veronica’s picture, taken a few weeks before the shooting that killed her and 11 others, was the last of thousands of pieces of evidence that prosecutors showed to jurors. Her mother, Ashley Moser, who was paralyzed and suffered a miscarriage, was the last of 222 witnesses.
The case now turns to the defense, which has said it will spend about two weeks beginning Thursday presenting its argument that James Holmes should be found not guilty by reason of insanity. After that, prosecutors, who are seeking the death penalty, will take a few days to offer rebuttal witnesses. Judge Carlos Samour Jr. is hoping the trial can finish in August.