In the second phase of jury selection for the Aurora, Co., theater shooting trial, they asked about punishment, they asked about mercy, but mostly what they asked about was this: Can you weigh the life of one against the deaths of 12? The Denver Post says the questions delved into the jurors’ views on morality and justice. There was discussion about the death penalty and mental illness. There was a Star Trek reference.
When it had finished for the day, the judge and attorneys on both sides had found seven jurors of the 12 questioned who met the standard for moving onto the next phase of jury selection — a far higher rate than had been anticipated. “If we continue to do this,” said Judge Carlos Samour, “we’re going to be way ahead of schedule.” During interrogations lasting as long as an hour, attorneys on both sides focused on the punishment that James Holmes could receive for the 2012 attack that killed 12 and wounded 70 others. Comparatively little attention was focused on the not-guilty-by-reason-of-insanity plea that Holmes has lodged. Questions from defense attorneys focused almost exclusively on capital punishment.