Holmes' lawyers dispute that victims were misled

DENVER (AP) - Lawyers for the man charged with the Colorado theater shootings are disputing prosecutors' allegations that a representative of the defense team acted improperly.

Prosecutors had accused a victim liaison who is working for the defense of misleading victims about her role, offering to leak sensitive information to them and trying to muster opposition to the death penalty.

In a court filing Thursday, defense lawyers didn't address the specific accusations but said neither they nor the liaison did anything wrong.

At the center of the dispute is a defense claim that prosecutors improperly discouraged victims from speaking with the defense team. Prosecutors responded that they were only telling the victims that the liaison's real aim was to help defendant James Holmes, not to assist victims.

Holmes is charged with murder and attempted murder in the July 20, 2012, attack, which killed 12 people and injured 70. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

His trial is scheduled to start in October.

Separately, defense lawyers said Thursday that the prosecution had not given them enough information about likely witnesses.

Prosecutors also said Thursday that one potential witness they had identified as Denver police Detective Michael Ryan is actually a Colorado state trooper with the same name.