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Theater Gunman Called Mental Health Hotline 'To See If I Should Turn Back'

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (CBS4)- Shortly before the deadly July 2012 attack, the Aurora theater gunman almost called it off. James Holmes told a court-appointed psychiatrist that he called a mental health hotline.

When asked what led him to make that call, Holmes replied, "Just one last chance to see if I should turn back, you know."

The videotaped conversation with Dr. William Reid was shown to jurors in his murder trial Tuesday. Holmes' phone call to the crisis line was disconnected after 9 seconds, before anyone answered.

Then he moved forward with his so-called mission.

Theater Shooting Trial James Holmes
James Holmes with this defense team in court (credit: CBS)

When asked how it felt to really be doing it, Holmes replied, "It was autopilot."

LIVE VIDEO: Watch The Trial Live At CBS4's Theater Shooting Trial Special Section

Jurors are watching nearly 22 hours of Holmes' videotaped conversations with Reid, who conducted a court-ordered evaluation of Holmes after he pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the July 20, 2012, massacre.

He described entering the theater, throwing a tear gas canister and then opening fire, "I raised the shotgun and saw people rising in the back left corner and so I shot in that direction."

James Holmes video analysis
Videotaped interviews with James Holmes played in court (credit: CBS)

Even though he had techno music blaring through headphones, Holmes said he heard a scream and switched to his semi-automatic rifle but didn't see people hit.

When asked how many people he thought he had hit, Holmes replied, "I think I had hit maybe 20 people and killed only three people."

On the witness stand, Reid remarked about Holmes hoping the FBI would have stopped him.

"There is a strong implication I think, that he believes he wanted to be stopped from doing something wrong," said Reid.

Defense attorneys claim schizophrenia had distorted Holmes' sense of right and wrong and that he should be committed indefinitely to the state mental hospital.

Prosecutors argue Holmes should be convicted and executed because they say he doesn't meet Colorado's definition of insanity: Unable to tell right from wrong or unable to form the intent necessary to commit a crime because of a mental disease or defect.

Reid has told jurors he believes Holmes was mentally ill but was legally sane at the time of the shootings.

Defense lawyers will begin making their case when prosecutors finish, in about three weeks.

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