US theatre shooting survivor to testify

A survivor of a 2012 US theatre shooting has been given permission to testify at the gunman's trial despite defence concerns she will bias the jury.

Aurora theatre shooter James Holmes

A survivor of a 2012 US theatre shooting has been given permission to testify at the gunman's trial. (AAP)

The judge in a deadly theatre shooting trial says the jury can hear emotional details from a woman who was paralysed and suffered a miscarriage in the 2012 attack, and whose young daughter was killed.

James Holmes, a former neuroscience graduate student, is charged with bursting into a movie theatre in Colorado and killing 12 people and injuring 70.

He has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

In a ruling announced on Thursday, the judge in the trial also said prosecutors can briefly show jurors a photo of the six-year-old girl.

Her mother is expected to testify on Friday.

Lawyers for gunman James Holmes wanted to severely limit the woman's testimony. They said it would unfairly bias the jury because the details are so heart-wrenching and emotional.


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Source: AAP



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