Psychiatrist: Theater shooter never revealed murderous plan

CENTENNIAL, Colo. -- The psychiatrist who treated James Holmes before he opened fire on the audience inside a Colorado movie theater said Tuesday he had complained of homicidal thoughts but never revealed any specific targets, plans or coherent reasons for carrying them out.

Patients sometimes talk about killing people, Dr. Lynne Fenton said. Therapists should determine whether they have a plan: "If they're taking any steps to carry out any action that is related to these thoughts, and if the homicidal ideation is directed at any targets."

He answered "no" to both questions, she said, and this became an ongoing theme during their five sessions after he came in showing what a social worker described as the worst obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms she had seen.

Holmes remained guarded, deflecting most of her efforts to probe his thinking, and she tried not to ask him questions that would drive him away, she said.

"I thought he had social anxiety disorder," she said. "I was hoping to have a working alliance with him so he would keep coming back. ... I was worried that he might drop out of treatment at any time."

At one point, Holmes said he had a "biological problem," and the solution to it was homicide, "but you can't eliminate everybody, so it's not an effective solution," she said.

District Attorney George Brauchler asked whether this eased her mind, and she said yes. But she remained concerned enough about his mental health to increase his dosage of sertraline as well as klonopin and propranolol, she said.

The prosecutor repeatedly quizzed Fenton about whether Holmes revealed anything about the arsenal of weapons he was buying, the gas mask he would use or whether he showed signs of depression, mania or suicidal behavior. She kept answering "no."

But he did show his temper, she said.

When Holmes couldn't refill his prescription at one point because she miswrote his name on the form, Holmes sent her an email with an emoticon he said signified him punching her to vent his anger for the inconvenience.