James Holmes has only been an inmate at the Colorado State Penitentiary in Canon City for about a month and he’s already bumping heads with fellow inmates. According to the Daily Mail , the Aurora, Colorado, theater shooter — who is responsible for killing 12 movie goers and leaving 170 others injured — was reportedly assaulted in prison . Although the story has gone viral with social media users rejoicing about the presumed karma Holmes has suffered, prison officials recently offered some clarity about the incident.
According to CNN, the alleged “assault” incident isn’t exactly what it seems. Apparently, the incident has been blown out of proportion and fabricated by the media, but some of the details have left many readers scratching their heads. It has been reported that although the physical altercation has been categorized as “minor,” it was serious enough to warrant charges against the alleged suspects. Adrienne Jacobson, a spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Corrections, briefly described the series of events that led to the additional charges for the other inmate.
Theater shooter James Holmes assaulted by fellow inmate in prison https://t.co/Dl9ySgEtmC
— 9NEWS Denver (@9NEWS) October 24, 2015
Jacobson revealed Holmes was not injured during the attack, but the inmate — identified as 27-year-old Mark Daniels — will face assault charges. At some point while passing in the hallway, Daniels came in contact with both Holmes and a correctional officer.
“It was not an attack, it was a very minor incident in passing in a hallway,” Jacobson explained to CNN.
Theater shooter James Holmes assaulted by fellow inmate in prison https://t.co/Dl9ySgEtmC
— 9NEWS Denver (@9NEWS) October 24, 2015
During that time, he allegedly assaulted them both. Prior to the incident, Daniels was eligible for parole on February 25, 2017, but the additional charges will most likely hinder his chances of being released.
Aurora theater shooter James Holmes allegedly assaulted by fellow inmate, official says. https://t.co/0Hd8vdwJlg pic.twitter.com/6elapviwIB
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) October 24, 2015
On Friday, Oct. 23, the incident was made public when the Denver Post received a letter purportedly written by Daniels. The letter reportedly detailed the Oct. 8 incident, but Colorado State Penitentiary officials were unable to confirm whether or not the letter had indeed been written by Daniels. But, regardless of whether Daniels is to blame or not, many social media users have commended him for the assault, insisting it is only a small portion of what Holmes should endure for the lives he claimed. An overwhelming number of social media users took to Twitter with offensive tweets, taunting Holmes about the assault. In addition to the tweets, Holmes is also being trolled on Instagram and is now the face of the latest memes, which mock his recent assault.
Here are some of the tweets:
The assault report comes just weeks after Holmes’ staggering prison sentence was announced. Holmes, who faced 24 counts of murder and 140 counts of attempted murder, was sentenced to 12 consecutive life sentences, with an additional 3,318 years behind bars . Although Holmes’ defense initially argued insanity, the jury refused to accept the claim.
“It is the court’s intention that the defendant never set foot in free society again,” Judge Carlos A. Samour Jr. said. “If there was ever a case that warranted a maximum sentence, this is the case. The defendant does not deserve any sympathy. Sheriff, get the defendant out of my courtroom please.”
Do you think James Holmes’ assault is a form of justice being served? Share your thoughts.
[Photo by Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office via Getty Images]