James Holmes enters an insanity plea as defense attorneys still work to exclude evidence from his phone, wallet and a dating site

A Colorado judge has accepted a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity for alleged theater shooter James Holmes on Tuesday.

Attorneys for accused Aurora theater shooter James Holmes say mental health experts have now examined and diagnosed their client, prompting them to ask a judge today to change Holmes’ plea to not guilty by reason of insanity.

“We now have a diagnosis that is complete,” defense attorney Daniel King told the judge.

“I don’t think any of the families were surprised,” said Sandy Phillips, mother of Jessica Ghawi, who was one of 12 people killed in an Aurora movie theater while attending a midnight Batman screening last summer.

“Do any of us think he’s insane? No, absolutely not. He was way too meticulous to be insane. He’s mean. He’s evil. But he’s not insane.”

Before doctors interview Holmes, they will review a mountain of evidence in the case. Prosecutors have up to 3,000 potential witnesses, 2,000 pieces of physical evidence and 40,000 pages of paperwork.

In other motions, the defense is trying to get expert testimony and Holmes’ statements to investigators excluded from the trial. It also doesn’t want the jury to see a evidence seized from Holmes’ phone, wallet and a dating-site profile that asked, “Will you visit me in prison?”

One defense motion asked that authorities also turn over an email sent to the Century 16 theater four days after the massacre that said, “I am coming over to finish his job. The master demands it.”

Holmes is accused of killing 12 moviegoers during a shooting spree last summer at a Cinemark theater midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises. He is charged with 166 counts of murder, attempted murder and other crimes.