Updated

Attorneys for the Colorado theater shooting suspect suggest in a court filing that they might be considering a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity over their client's objections.

The lawyers dropped that hint in papers filed on Monday.

Legal experts think James Holmes' best chance of avoiding execution would be through an insanity defense. But defense lawyers said they can't advise Holmes to enter that plea because of unresolved legal issues that need to be settled by the judge.

They did note that state law allows an insanity plea to be entered over a defendant's objection but did not say they would go that route.

Holmes is charged with killing 12 people and injuring 70 in the attack on a midnight screening of the latest Batman movie.