Your trusted source

Alleged Colorado cinema gunman James Holmes has been formally charged with 142 criminal counts in one of America's worst mass shootings, BBC reported.

He faces 24 counts of murder, two for each of the 12 people killed, and 116 counts of attempted murder, two each for the 58 injured.

For each person killed he faces a count of murder with deliberation and one of murder with extreme indifference.

If convicted, the 24-year-old could face the death penalty.

He opened fire at random in a crowded movie theatre showing Batman film The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora near Denver on 20 July, according to the authorities.

The judge had banned cameras from Monday's hearing, so there were no pictures of the defendant, who appeared dazed during his first court appearance last week.

Mr Holmes was reportedly quiet and unemotional during the hearing. At times, he appeared to be trying to focus his eyes.

Denver Post reporter John Ingold tweeted that the accused appeared "not quite engaged, but listening."

When asked if he approved a delay in his bail hearing, the defendant leaned towards his lawyer and appeared to say "okay", and then said "yes" quietly to the judge.

Survivors of the shooting and family members of those killed attended the hearing.

Several wore Batman shirts, including Don Lader, who was in the eighth row of the theatre when the shooting began. He told CNN he had seen the movie twice since that day.