James Holmes, the Batman cinema shooting suspect, has been charged with 24 counts of murder and 116 counts of attempted murder.
Holmes will face 24 counts of first degree murder relating to the 12 people who died in the attack on July 20 during a screening of the Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises.
Colorado has two separate definitions of first degree murder – the standard charge and a charge of “murder with extreme indifference” – and Holmes has been charged with both in relation to each victim.
He similarly faces 116 counts of attempted murder, two for each of the 58 people who were injured.
Holmes has also been charged with one count of possessing explosives, and one of use of a deadly weapon.
According to the first 12 murder charges Holmes acted “after deliberation and with intent to cause death”.
The second 12 murder charges said he had shown “extreme indifference to the value of human life generally”.
Holmes, 24, who was making his second appearance at the Arapahoe County courthouse in Colorado, did not enter pleas.
He spoke only one word, answering “Yes” in a quiet voice in response to a procedural question from Judge William Sylvester.
At his initial court hearing a week ago Holmes said nothing and appeared groggy. This time, he appeared slightly more lucid, according to court spectators.
Legal analysts expect the case to be dominated by arguments over Holmes’ sanity. He will next appear in court on August 9.
Victims’ relatives were among those in court to see Holmes charged.
Speaking before the hearing Shirley Wygal, whose 32-year-old Rebecca Wingo was among those killed, said: “I absolutely want to face the suspect in court. He looked my daughter in the eye and shot her and killed her.”
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