I was in high school when James Holmes opened fire on a packed theater during the midnight premiere of The Dark Knight Rises. But I had never read an account quite like the one in Aurora: The Psychiatrist Who Treated The Movie Theater Killer Tells Her Story. Dr. Lynne Fenton and Kerrie Droban wove an incredulous tale of horror.
For a mere six weeks, Dr. Fenton treated James Holmes. He left her feeling uneasy and overwhelmed. It didn't help that he mentioned homicidal thoughts in their very first session. Something about him just nagged at her very being. But we have to remember, psychiatrists can only treat symptoms if they're patients are sharing them.
James wasn't someone who had a desire to maintain relationships with anyone. He hated all of humanity. It was only a matter of time before he hurt himself or someone else. The only problem was he didn't qualify for a psychiatric hold based on what he was willing to share with Dr. Fenton.
So much of Holmes' story left me reeling.
He omitted things from these sessions specifically to see if he could continue out his "mission" without further interference. Part of me thinks he really did want to be stopped, but part of me believes he wanted to do this for a long time.
This book contains graphic retellings of that fateful night but focuses primarily on Dr. Fenton and what she went through while treating James Holmes. Psychiatrists aren't supposed to be outed in criminal trials, which is why she was fully unprepared for the hate mail, death threats, and security measures she had to implement into her every day life.
It was definitely an interesting perspective.
Looking for other books on James Holmes?
Oh wow, this sounds intense, but very interesting. She's definitely great for sharing her story and how it works as a psychiatrist, because they can't just do what they want when it comes to patients.
ReplyDeleteLauren @ www.shootingstarsmag.net