@Craig...One of the reasons that I felt compelled to write this blog was to state the fact that this is such an isolated incident and it was most likely due to a significant psychosis. This is definitely different than a serial killer who are psychotic but also anti-social. Those are the people that I would call evil.

@Sherman Hemsley...Thanks for pointing out my mistake. It's funny because I used to have a John Holmes that worked for me. I don't think he would be too amused. The John Holmes you are probably referring to is the porn star?

The text has been corrected to James Holmes.

@Sherman Hemsley...There is a much higher probability of having a house fire than being killed or injured in an incident like the disaster in Aurora.

@ Lyle, and yet, the number of crimes stopped or prevented every year by defensive use of a gun drastically outweighs accidental gun deaths or injuries in public. CCW is about the odds. There is more crime that occurs than just mass shootings. There is plenty of violent crime, and while some places are higher than others, no place is immune to such things. So to tell people to "leave the gun in the car" is telling people not to change the odds, but instead continue to allow the odds to be stacked heavily in the bad guys' favor.

Schizophrenia isn't the only mental illness that alienates family and friends. I had a relative who was bi-polar, and the behavior (stealing, drinking, sexual promiscuity and general bad decisions) made us not wish to be around her. There was also a great deal of denial on the part of family members and the person herself.

And once there was a diagnosis and general acceptance of the condition, effective treatment became an issue. Especially since individuals who exhibit bizarre behavior often have a hard time keeping a job with health insurance.

That has always been the problem, I'm afraid. Time was, you could be locked up in an institution for a harmless delusion like believing aliens had fathered your child and the CIA was talking through your fillings. We've gone too far in the other direction, putting confused people out on the streets to fend for themselves and making it very difficult to get help and spot the ones who are actually dangerous.

Definitions of sanity will vary. It's all well and good to say we want to keep guns out of the hands of the 'crazies', but do you want to lose a civil right because you believe a dead carpenter listens to your troubles and grants your prayers?

The Fifth Floor (1978)

The Nightmare Is Knowing You're Sane.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Abum4viDlaI

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080732/

@Jane....I agree with you completely. Psychological dysfunction is the on low end of the totem pole when it comes to affordable treatment options. I am afraid that it would be very difficult to identify James Holmes psychotic break. It takes so long to accurately diagnose such a malady and by then it may be too late. I left the field over three decades ago because I couldn't even make a living as a psychotherapist. Fortunately, we do have medications that work pretty well with a large number of affected people.

I don't know what the ACA will do to mental health treatment. We have a continuing perception problem with people who seek mental health treatment and healthcare insurance is laughable. We mix people with chronic mental health problems with normal criminal populations. Talk about an upside down world.

Amen Jane. Lower cost access to quality care is needed.

Bring back the Kirkbride Plan!

I suggest high doses of shock therapy ... psychologists?? psycologist are like witch doctors .. that isn't science .. take a freakin Prozac and call me min the morning

@J.B. Schmidt...Thanks, I agree that it would be fruitless to rush into new gun regulation since it wouldn't change these types of incidences.

It was mentioned that this guy failed some sort of exam and that possibly his schizophrenia came out after that. It was probably always percolating inside him. His genius status should also be a clue. I am not saying all people that are geniuses are capable of this but they are wired differently and can be socially constipated. Unfortunately he was born with this. If his mother knew right away it was him I wish she had done something sooner. Mental illness in any form is nothing to be ashamed of yet it is.

Yes why don't we talk about the "Nobel Peace Prize" winner assassinating 16 yr American citizens in Yemen with a drone strike ... Now drones will be flying over our heads .. and yet the Democrats are for civil libertys .. when will you people break out of the left/right paradigm .. they are both the SAME .. two pyschopath mob families

Robocop (Peter Weller) instead of Judge Dredd (Sylvester Stallone)?!?!

@joe....The term 'crazies' was used as an introduction to indicate those who are living in a deluded condition without others knowing. I was not claiming to make a clinical diagnosis, which if I did, would be unethical and inappropriate.

This is a conversation OCR.... If there were rules I violated, I am sure the originating blogger would tell me to back off. Disorder? Maybe... But I definitely have many shortcomings. I didn't relize that prevents me from replying with my thoughts.

As someone who grew up with a paranoid schizophrenic in the neighborhood, the craftiness of this individual was formidable. Weekend visits home were carefully planned, including holding medication administered at the facility under the tongue and concealed so the system was clearing upon arrival. The meds would be concealed in a chest in the attic. The next step was to invite neighborhood children (us) out for vigorous physical games (badminton, etc.) to further help the meds wear off. When this occurred the individual would drop the racket mid-game and leave. We were well used to the routine, as my friend would usually stay at our's overnight to avoid him or we would stay over there as a show of force. The adults didn't have a clue, and never listened to our warnings. Sometimes he would become loud and even violent toward the spouse, then would be returned to the facility early but these were always treated as an isolated incident, back next weekend. It wasn't until several years later that they figured out that he was taking about a third of the meds prescribed. When they searched the attic the chest had more than a thousand pills. We kids figured it was better to keep playing with this individual, visiting their house, staying overnight, etc. because it kept things calm (usually). It was creepy because of the nocturnal visits, etc., but we did what we could. No one got hurt, fortunately.

One of Hoffa's uncles on his mother's side is a confirmed paranoid schizophrenic. Because of that, my family was concerned that Hoffa may start exhibiting symptoms of schizophrenia, but Hoffa turned out just fine, as the Patch community is well aware!

@Bren -

Where are the citations you said you'd provide?

I understand that symptoms of schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder can begin to exhibit in the early '30s. So it was with the neighbor, and also a former colleague's brother, children of a schizophrenic. The parent was in a facility, the brother, last I heard, was in an assisted living facility.

Again Mr. Hoffa, why waste my time doing research for a "skimmer" when there are other, more important things I need to do right now? You lowered your own bar on this one.

@Bren -

You usually cite your sources, but not anymore - how come?

And how exactly did Hoffa 'lower the bar on this one?'

While you may claim that your assertions about Ryan's budget are simply opinion, asserting that either the P2P or the budget bill itself 1) expressly exempts members of Congress; and 2) gives $43B in tax breaks to oil companies, are not subjective stances. They either exist in the primary source documents or they don't - objective fact! Same goes for your allegations about the Walker administration awarding Georgia Pacific and Diane Hendricks tax breaks outside the job creation program.

Again, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but not their own facts. Are you honestly trying to claim objective assertions as merely representing an opinion?

If that's the case, then I have to ask how exactly Ryan would accomplish such directives without them being included in the actual bill that he drafted? Does Ryan have some kind of Jedi mind control over everyone else on the planet? And you don't see how you're perpetuating a conspiracy theory - come on Bren, you're smarter than that! Or at least I thought you were.

You have both the P2P and the budget bill. And I have no idea where you came up with the crap about Walker and the tax breaks for GP/Hendricks. You stated "I said I would mark through the P2P plan over the weekend and I will."

So, where are the citations?

Just admit that you were wrong and gain some integrity.

A bit off topic, aren't we? And enough about my "integrity." Your misplaced attacks on me due to your "skimming" have left you standing nekkid in the proverbial barrel, integrity-wise. I'm not wasting good research time on a "skimmer." Go put some pants on, you look ridiculous.

@Bren -

You attack Hoffa's credibility, calling him a "skimmer," while providing no foundation or proof to support such an assertion. I rejected outright your claim of such assertions representing an opinion before you even started going that route when you realized that you were wrong.

"I'm not wasting good research time on a "skimmer.""

So then, when you posted this last week, I guess it was little more than a lie, correct?

"I said I would mark through the P2P plan over the weekend and I will."

Hoffa comes through on his promises. Bren does not.

And Bren says that this isn't about integrity???

Come on! Last chance Bren - you can either take the high road or go all in on a losing hand. What's it going to be?

@Randy1949...Schizophrenics can manifest very rational behavior as long as it supports the delusion. For example: James Holmes was able to rationally approach arming himself without drawing attention to himself. His supposition was a break with reality, but his application was characteristic of his intelligence. However, as his condition digresses, his capability to rational function becomes more degraded over time.

Psychologists and neurologists are just beginning to understand the condition we commonly refer to as schizophrenia. Hopefully as research information increases, we will gain the understanding of brain function and chemistry that will begin to create meaningful and effective interventions. There are two main problems with schizophrenics; 1) Not all medication works for all schizophrenia and 2) Some schizophrenics don't like to take their medication because of the side effects. In many ways we haven't gone far in our humane treatment of people suffering from this condition.

@Lyle -

Bring back the Kirkbride Plan!

Mr. Hoffa, your histrionics are just reinforcing my skepticism. Skim my posts, call me names, then expect me to take time out to research something for you. Right.

@Bren -

What "histrionics" exactly? Could you be precise?

Why did you say that you were going to "mark through the P2P plan over the weekend," if you never had any intention of doing so? When one says they will do something, and then doesn't, well, that's a LIE in Hoffa's book.

Come on Bren - just be honest here! Either you have primary sources that back up your assertions or they're merely conspiracy theories that you've chosen to embrace. Which is it?

If you're right, as you've asserted, then why don't you just put these issues to bed by providing us with the citations to the primary sources?

The only reason you would refuse to do so is if your assertions were in fact FALSE and you don't have the integrity to admit to such - it's the only logical conclusion.

Big Brother watching our every move - no thank you! Only a crazy would even suggest that our society reflect the world presented by Terry Gilliam's 'Brazil' (1985). The Ministry of Information is no one's friend! Neither were the KGB.

A dystopian solution is never a viable answer to any problem!

An extremely horrible idea. Reading an article about the culpability of Holmes's parents, with and aside reference to Dylan Klebold's mother, someone posted a list of 'markers' for potential high-school shooter meltdown, and three-quarters of them applied to me in high school. I even wore a lot of black. While I will confess to a certain dark satisfaction the first time I watched 'Carrie' I have gone on to a life of extreme non-violence. I won't even wash a spider down a bathtub drain.

I wouldn't have wanted the 'authorities' at my door during my adolescence or being unable to purchase a gun right now in the extreme unlikelihood that I would ever need or want to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgG0hbqDAbY

@Jane...You're right, this is a horrible idea. I would rather live with a certain amount of risk and not have the government and who knows who else data mining. Besides, what kind of information would they be looking for? Just as has come out in this post and others, competition shooters go through large quantities of ammo and it's for a legitimate purpose.

@Johnny - James Holmes purchased a ticket to the movie. What I question is why an alarm didn't sound when he propped open an emergency exit (I think I have this detail correct). In nearly every building I've been in, an alarm will ring if the emergency exit door gets opened.

I read he was awarded 25,000+ in scholarship or grant money and that is what he used.

I concur, my 44 magnum would have knocked this clown on his ass. To argue that a gun wouldn't have made a difference is crazy talk.

@jackie -- Please see Lyle's post to me above, where he says, "Schizophrenics can manifest very rational behavior as long as it supports the delusion. For example: James Holmes was able to rationally approach arming himself without drawing attention to himself. His supposition was a break with reality, but his application was characteristic of his intelligence."

From what I have heard, the elaborate way he carried this out would scuttle an insanity defense.

The sad part though, are people who cheer that there is a death penalty in Colorado. A lot of good it did as a deterrent, and a lot of good it did for the people gunned down.

Here's a question for you gang. Why is it when something is misused, people will demand sanctions and urge the government to step in. What makes guns different.

There are certain weapon and ammo purchases that should be viewed as red flags, not normal commerce.

@jackie....From what I understand the insanity defense is extremely difficult to make. His, James Holmes, ability to premeditate this action makes it even less likely that he would be able to successfully make the insanity defense. Colorado has the death penalty and there is an excellent chance that he will be condemned to death.

It is Hoffa's opinion that the worst way to provide justice to the victims of murder and those who grieve for them is with another murder - especially one at the hands of the state.

As a man of faith, but not necessarily religion, I believe that a greater justice lies in being able to forgive and to take pity upon those who are troubled. While justice is required, the so-called 'ultimate justice' merely provides the convicted with an easy way out.

For true believers, if Holmes receives the death penalty, he'll soon be basking in the love of G-d, while the victims' families are condemned to a life without their fallen loved ones. Wherein lies the justice in that?

Amazing -- for once we agree, JRH. The death penalty is one of the worst forms of 'justice'. It brings no one back, and it deters few, as we've just seen. Life in prison is far worse. Just keep them away from society.

And in the case of someone who may have a physiological brain disorder that made him live in a different world than the rest of us (speculation here), just lock him up in an institution for the criminally insane.

@Bren -

"conduct genetic testing on his family"

Under what authority exactly? So in Bren's world, if a relative of yours commits a crime, everyone in the family is subject to government genetic testing??? And you don't find that a bit imposing?

BTW - I'm still waiting for you to either show me how I'm a "skimmer," or to provide the citations that you said you'd provide after spending the weekend going over the P2P. If you'd just admit that you are wrong, I'll let this drop, otherwise, I'm not letting you off the hook on any of your bogus and unsupported conspiracy theories!

And if they find out he's suffering from schizophrenia and his delusion took a fatal form, is it justice to execute him? No one asks to be a schizophrenic. What else would we do? Gently encourage people with schizophrenia in their family background not to reproduce? Lock up schizophrenics, most of whom are completely peaceful and more in danger of being victimized themselves?

It would be interesting to learn what made his particular delusion turn violent.

@Randy1949 -

See Hoffa's comment just above Bren's pertaining to Hoffa's stance on the death penalty.

Holmes will need to be punished in some way for his actions. What is appropriate will depend upon the facts, as they develop.

"Gently encourage people with schizophrenia in their family background not to reproduce?"

How about not interfere in their lives at all, as the 'genetic link' is so relatively low, less than 6.5%, and there's no guarantee that a subsequent schizo would be violent.

What do you propose - mandatory sterilization of all close family members?

"It would be interesting to learn what made his particular delusion turn violent."

I don't believe we'll ever discover the truth of this situation.

"Science will come up with some reason to put in the books, but in the end it'll be just a theory. I mean, we will fail to acknowledge that there are forces at work beyond our understanding. To be a scientist, you must have a respectful awe for the laws of nature."

- Mark Wahlberg as Elliot Moore in 'The Happening' (2008)

@JRH -- see my answer above to you. I am most certainly not proposing mandatory sterilization of anyone. The question was rhetorical, meant to point out what a bad idea that would be.

I'll confess, I was very curious about the early family life of Jeffrey Dahmer -- are there certain factors in upbringing that create a 'monster' like that? How much is 'Nature' and how much is 'Nurture'?

@Randy1949 -

"How much is 'Nature' and how much is 'Nurture'?"

Given the complexity of human thought processes and emotions, I don't think we'll ever fully realize the answer to that question either.

@Randy1949 -

Bring back the Kirkbride Plan!

I'm not suggesting that anyone be sterilized. Genetic testing would help in the search to determine causal factors. As with other genetically passed-on illnesses (such as hemophilia), individuals with potential can receive early intervention/treatment.

Mr. Hoffa, I invite you to return to your posts in which you self-demonstrated "skimming." Evidence indicates you won't read it and/ingest the information.

@Bren -

Now who's 'skimming?' When did anyone on this thread claim that you were proposing mandatory sterilization?

Hoffa merely asked under what authority could you subject Holmes' family to genetic testing, as such appears to be quite the imposition. What if Holmes' family refuses to voluntarily subject themselves to such testing?

"Mr. Hoffa, I invite you to return to your posts in which you self-demonstrated "skimming.""

Could you point out a specific comment wherein I self-demonstrated such alleged activity? Let's suppose for a moment that Hoffa did in fact 'skim' as alleged, which he actually didn't, why would that necessarily prevent you from posting the requested citations that would act to exonerate and support your prior statements about Ryan/Walker?

You ask others for links to support their claims all the time. Now all of sudden you can't provide anything to Hoffa to support your previously asserted claims?

Come on Bren - just provide the citations or admit that your assertions were nothing more than lefty/liberal conspiracy theories that have no support from primary sources.

@JRH....Something that you have to understand is that a large number of people with psychological disorders regularly use cannabis products to self medicate. It is not isolated strictly to cannabis, but much more use alcohol. Both cannabis and alcohol abuse is very common with people afflicted with bi-polar disorders. It only makes sense that if someone has the latent potential for schizophrenia or other psychosis, an alkaloid like THC would have the affect of creating schizophrenic ideation or increased psychotic behavior. Cannabis is a hallucinogenic compound. However, with the widespread use of cannabis, if it was a direct cause of psychosis and in particular schizophrenia, then we should see a much higher incidence of such maladies, which we don't or at least not at significant statistical difference. Therefore, opposing the legalization of drugs based on the potential for psychosis is insufficient for such opposition.

As far as the Kirkbride Plan, I am not opposed to funding psychiatric facilities instead of mixing the mentally ill with the mainstream prison populations. In fact, I received part of my training from a Kirkbride facility, Napa State Hospital.

Finally, the nature verse nurture argument may not be germane to certain conditions of mental illness. From my own experience, study and observation; it would seem that the most dysfunctional maladies have a much stronger genetic component. (continued)

@JRH...(continued) We tend to see families where bi-polar disorders are very strongly present along with obsessive compulsive disorders. Again, from my own experience; personality disorders, except for anti-social personality disorders, seem to result more from nurturing than from nature. Anti-social (what was previously called psychopathic or sociopathic) appear to have a much stronger genetic propensity and curiously comes down to simply how a person's brain is wired. This can also be manifested within families and over generations of closely related people.

@Lyle -

Thanks for the response!

I guess that the difference between cocaine, heroin, alcohol, and nicotine vs cannabis is that cannabis is the only widely used narcotic that has shown to potentially cause psychosis/schizophrenia, as opposed to merely being used as a self-medication for those already possessing such a condition, as the other mentioned narcotics.

Those old Kirkbrides are truly remarkable, aren't they? It's a shame that most were torn down. Were you at Nappa State prior to the tearing down of the Kirkbride in 1949?

Interesting observations. I'm sure that the perception of the individual patient plays a huge factor. Some violent crazies coherently realize that their actions are wrong but feel compelled to commit such acts anyway - like Dahmer. Others, tend to see themselves as being sane, while viewing much of the rest of the world as constituting the insane element. Much like Bill Paxton's character in his self-directed 'Frailty' (2001).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey25dOPIm5s

@JRH...By the time I spent my internship at Napa, the original buildings were gone.

@Lyle -

That's too bad - from the pictures I've been able to find, the original Kirkbride at Napa appeared to be quite the striking facility!

The most famous of the Kirkbrides was probably Danvers State:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danvers_State_Hospital

Many of the old tuberculosis sanatoriums also mirrored the general design of the Kirkbride Plan facilities, the most famous of which is probably Waverly Hills:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waverly_Hills

And to note, you can find hundreds of examples like this, if not thousands.

I was hoping someone would post that. Let's start by looking at the fact that this is nothing more than "people with CCW permits do commit crimes". Well, duh. We know that. The issue is that your link tries to draw the conclusion that CCW holders committed their crimes specifically because they were allowed to carry, when there simply is no data to support that correlation. In addition, how many NON-CCW holders commit these same crimes? Notice the link doesn't provide that? There's a reason. A rough estimate is about 10 times as many. They don't provide that information because it would then allow one to make the argument that CCW causes people to not commit crimes, using their own logic.

Once again, defensive use of a gun prevents an average of 600,000 crimes per year, with about 92% of them never having to fire a shot. I don't see that in your link anywhere? Oh that's right, that's because your link has an agenda. You see, that's the problem with the gun-control crowd. Every statistic they post has been manipulated or presented in a way that fits their agenda. That's because if you look at real statistics directly from the US government and you look at the whole picture, all of the data supports pro-gun and refutes anti-gun.

@Matt Stevens....Where are you getting your numbers from? Some people have claimed that a couple of million violent crimes per year are prevented and you claim 600,000. Please cite your sources.

Source is the US Dept of Justice National Crime Victimization survey. There are other sources that claim as high as 2.5 million can be extrapolated from the NCVS, but I quote the lowest one, since even at 600,000 it's a large number. Gunfacts.info cites a book that extrapolated the data to get 2.5 million, but as I mentioned I think that's on the high end of the actual number. So again I chose the lowest number used from the NCVS data.

Funny how these lily livered liberal eunuchs do not address specific examples of conceal carry citizens saving lives....they would rather look at the aggregate, no matter how much reality dictates common sense.

Source is the US Dept of Justice National Crime Victimization survey. There are other sources that claim as high as 2.5 million can be extrapolated from the NCVS, but I quote the lowest one, since even at 600,000 it's a large number. Gunfacts.info cites a book that extrapolated the data to get 2.5 million, but as I mentioned I think that's on the high end of the actual number. So again I chose the lowest number used from the NCVS data.

I get my statistics from the US Government.

@Matt Stevens....I did a quick search of your citation and didn't come across your number or in fact any numbers for crime prevention because of someone being armed. Please provide the direct citation.

Also a book by John R. Lott, called More Guns, Less Crime, has some citations and in-depth explanations of the data and DGUs.

http://images.wjla.com/crime/neil-trescott-maryland-shooting-suspect-guns_296.jpg

Investigators say a search of Prescott's home turned up more than 20 guns, including assault rifles and handguns, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. He had a Maryland state gun collector's permit. The guns appear to be collected legally, authorities say.

You see restrictions are going to keep guns out of the hands of law abiding citizens like this gun collector....... Why not let people collect black plague samples, Make and collect IED,s, tanks...whatever? Please answer. I would like to know where any of you folks who oppose gun restrictions see a line.

Matt....simple question. Where do we draw the line on limitations? Please answer specifically. Which weapons are over the top?

Firearms.

Chemical and biological weapons are over the top. Conventional weapons are not.

"I say I would much prefer to have someone leap up in a movie theater who had only a knife or a simple pistol than meet the guy with the 100 mag semi auto assault weapon."

Or the 30 illegal hand grenades the killer had made?

"What does the second amendment cover according to you?"

It covers firearms.