James Holmes: Read e-mails written by him before shooting, e-mails sent to him after

The University of Colorado has released 1,500 e-mails from accused Aurora theater shooter and former student James Holmes's e-mail accounts. (They didn't release 1,200 others, deeming them privileged.) Most of the released e-mails are mass messages, though there are a few notes authored by Holmes. CU also released e-mails sent...

By Melanie Asmar

December 10, 2012

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The University of Colorado has released 1,500 e-mails from accused Aurora theater shooter and former student James Holmes's e-mail accounts. (They didn't release 1,200 others, deeming them privileged.) Most of the released e-mails are mass messages, though there are a few notes authored by Holmes. CU also released e-mails sent to Holmes on July 20, the day authorities say he opened fire at a midnight movie premiere. Read them below.

Holmes wrote the four e-mails below in 2011 and 2012.

E-mail from Holmes September 18, 2011

E-mail from Holmes November 2, 2011.

E-mail from Holmes December 17, 2011

E-mail from Holmes February 1, 2012

Continue reading for e-mails sent to Holmes on July 20. Holmes is charged with opening fire at a sold-out midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises. Our timeline of e-mails sent by CU faculty and staff on July 20 shows the university realized early that morning that the alleged shooter had been a graduate student there. Holmes was studying neuroscience, but he had begun the process of withdrawing from CU; prosecutors have said he wasn't doing well academically.

CU soon sent e-mails to all students, informing them of the situation. Holmes was included in those mailings -- and the messages were found in his inbox.

E-mail to Holmes July 20 8:04 a.m.

E-mail to Holmes July 20 11:33 a.m.

E-mail to Holmes July 20 3 p.m.

Continue reading for more e-mails sent to Holmes. The media soon figured out Holmes had been a CU student. Some reporters sent him e-mails, including an editor from Yahoo! News who asked for an interview.

E-mail to Holmes July 20 8:42 a.m.

E-mail to Holmes July 20 10:32 a.m.

In the days following the shooting, the CU Graduate Student Council hosted a coming-together event for students affected by the tragedy -- and canceled another event called "Fun in the Sun," partly to avoid media coverage.

E-mail to Holmes July 23 5:09 p.m.

E-mail to Holmes July 23 9:13 p.m.

Follow me on Twitter @MelanieAsmar or e-mail me at [email protected]

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Melanie Asmar is a staff writer for Westword. She joined the paper in 2009 and has won awards for her stories about education, immigration and epic legal battles. Got a tip? She'd love to hear it.

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