The Aurora Massacre Victims Will Have To Pay 700,000 In Legal Fees To Theater

Adding insult to injury, the Aurora massacre survivors have been slapped with $700,000 in legal fees owed to the movie theater.

The shooting took place four years ago, and the survivors have been officially ordered by a judge to pay the large sum. Back in June, attorneys for Cinemark shook down the survivors of the shooting after jurors ruled against the 28 victims and their families.

According to the court documents, Cinemark needed the money in order to cover the cost of evidence, travel, records and other expenses. Cinemark is the third-largest theater chain in the country.

On the July 20, 2012 attack, James Holmes stormed into the theater throwing gas canisters, and opened fire with an assault rifle, shotgun, and pistol on the crowd of 400 people. The crazed shooter killed 12 people, and left more than 70 people injured.

Cinemark argued in court that they could not have predicted the mass shooting. During the trial, the judge urged the survivors to take a settlement deal, but they refused. Survivor Marcus Weaver called the proposal a "slap in the face." However, the judge warned that the survivors would be hit with heavy legal costs in the event that they lose the case. The judge was correct as this is exactly what has now happened.

Weaver told the Times, "Either seek justice and go into debt, or take that pitiful offering of money and the improved public safety."

After the ruling, Weaver feels that years spent pleading his case was all in vain. "Theaters aren't any safer. It's almost like everything was for naught," he stated to reporters.

The Aurora movie theater shooter was sentenced to life in prison in August in addition to another 3,200 years in prison. However, he managed to escape the death penalty in his conviction.

Do you think the survivors of the Aurora massacre should be forced to pay the $700,000 in legal fees?

[H/T NY Daily News]