Accused Colorado Theater Shooter’s Arraignment Pushed Back To March

The accused gunman in the Aurora, Colorado movie theater shooting will now not be arraigned until March 12, a judge ruled today. James Holmes was scheduled for arraignment Friday but Judge William Sylvester delayed the hearing at the request of the suspect’s public defenders. Twelve people were killed and 58 were wounded when Holmes allegedly opened fire July 20th during a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises at the Cinemark-owned Aurora Century 16 multiplex. The decision sparked outrage from family members of the deceased and victims as the Colorado-based District Court judge explained that defense lawyers said that they needed more time to figure out the correct plea for their client. On Thursday, the judge had decided that prosecutors had presented evidence of probable cause that Holmes committed the shooting. He is accused of 166 counts, including murder and attempted murder and could face the death penalty if found guilty.

Related: Colorado Theater Shooting Lawsuits Get May 2014 Trial Date

Get more from Deadline.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter