James Holmes was found guilty of first-degree murder for fatally shooting 12 people inside an Aurora, Colorado, movie theater in 2012. The jury will now move to the second phase in his sentencing trial.
Andy Cross / AP
A Colorado jury on Thursday unanimously agreed with prosecutors that James Holmes acted with deliberate and malicious intent when he opened fire inside a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado in 2012, killing 12 people and injuring 70 others.
The aggravating factors move Holmes closer to a possible death sentence as the jury now heads to the second of three penalty phases.
Holmes was convicted earlier in July of first-degree murder for the shooting massacre.
Jurors must still deliberate two more times to determine if they want to sentence Holmes to death, the Denver Post reported.
Among the factors the jury will also consider are his mental health and family life.
His defense team is expected to argue that, due to Holmes mental state, life in prison without the possibility of parole is a more appropriate sentence instead of death.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates and follow BuzzFeed News on Twitter.
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