New Mug Shot of Movie Massacre Suspect Released

Photo showing James Holmes' orange-red hair gone is released after court appearance on two-month anniversary of tragedy.

Accused “Dark Knight” killer James Holmes appears in a new booking photo wide-eyed and with his formerly shaggy, orange-red hair now brown and closely cropped.

Authorities released the mug shot after a court appearance by Holmes on Thursday, the two-month anniversary of the July 20 Colorado movie theater massacre. The photo also shows Holmes' mutton chops gone.

According to reports, Holmes appeared more alert than in previous appearances since being charged with killing 12 people and wounding 58 at an Aurora theater during a midnight screening of "The Dark Knight Rises."

In the days following the shooting, an image of Holmes in court with bright orange hair, looking dazed and disoriented, dominated media coverage.

Holmes appeared in court Thursday as prosecutors said they were giving up their fight for access to a notebook Holmes mailed a university psychiatrist just before the killings.

They told the court they weren't going to pursue the notebook now because they didn't want to delay court proceedings further and because they would probably gain access to it in the future, anyway, since they expect Holmes' lawyers to pursue an insanity defense, NBC News reported. If Holmes pleads guilty, the notebook will no longer be protected by doctor-patient privilege, they said.

The court had earlier blocked prosecutors from accessing the notebook, ruling that they could not prove that Holmes did not have a doctor-patient relationship with the psychiatrist, Dr. Lynne Fenton, to whom he had mailed it.

The package containing that notebook, which reportedly contained descriptions of killings, did not arrive before Holmes' alleged rampage.

Clad in body armor and heavily armed, Holmes is accused of having fired at random on an audience on the opening night of "The Dark Knight Rises." Police said he told them "I'm the Joker" when they apprehended him outside afterward and told them he had booby-trapped his apartment with explosives.

Holmes has been charged with 142 counts stemming from the tragedy and the judge in the case Thursday approved a motion Thursday to add 10 additional attempted murder charges and amend 17 others, The Associated Press reported.

Status hearings were set Thursday for Oct. 11 and for Oct. 25.
 

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