Colorado Gunman Holmes Gets 12 Life Sentences And 3,318 Years In Prison

At last, James Holmes, the man who had murdered 12 and hurt 70 in a Colorado movie theater in 2012, was given 12 life sentences and 3,318 years in prison.

While the defense had argued that his act was prompted by mental illness, Arapahoe County District Court Judge Carlos Samour argued Wednesday that "evil and mental illness weren't mutually exclusive", according to Reuters.

Even if he was under mental illness, it was clear that his actions were driven by "moral obliquity, mental depravity, ... anger, hatred, revenge, or similar evil conditions."

On July 20, 2012, he had attacked and later pleaded that he was not guilty due to his insanity. Last month, the jury rejected the plea, "finding Holmes knew right from wrong when he slipped into the theater dressed head-to-toe in body armor and started shooting," according to The Seattle Times.

As the jury did not come to a unanimous conclusion on whether he should be executed or not, he was given life sentences for every person he killed, reported NBC News.

Another 3,318 years were added with 70 convictions of "attempted murder and the single explosives charge."

Samour came to his judgement after he had fully heard out the testimonies of "first responders, survivors and relatives of the deceased."

"It is the court's intention that the defendant never set foot in free society again ... If there was ever a case that warranted the maximum sentences, this is the case. The defendant does not deserve any sympathy," he said, according to hngn.

The audience in the gallery actually cheered after hearing the sentence. Samour ordered that he should be taken away.