Prof. praised Colorado shooter for 'emotional maturity' despite pic with lama in application

Washington, Aug. 12 (ANI): Colorado theater shooting suspect James Holmes submitted a bizarre picture of himself with a lama as part of his application to the University of Illinois Neuroscience program.

Professors praised his 'intellectual and emotional maturity' in the recommendation letter, but did not see he photograph Holmes attached which showed him wearing wrap-around sunglasses pointing at a lama which seems to be in the same room.

Holmes, however, declined to attend the highly selective program, and instead attended the University of Colorado, Denver, to study neuroscience until he dropped out in June.

He gave no reason for declining the offer of admission in Illinois , and no reason for dropping out in Colorado, the Daily Mail reports.

'Researching learning and memory interests me because these are the very cognitive processes which enable us to acquire information and retain it,' he wrote in his personal statement. 'They are at the core of what distinguishes us as people.'

In recommendation letters, Holmes is described as being in the top 1 percent of his honors classes with a cumulative grade point average of 3.949, making honors list.

'He takes an active role in his education, and brings a great amount of intellectual and emotional maturity into the classroom,' one recommendation letter reads.

Another letter describes him as 'a very effective group leader' on assignments.

At least two researchers were vying for Holmes to join their laboratories, and the school offered him a stipend 22,600dollars per year and free tuition.

Holmes sent an email to the school declining their offer.

Holmes is accused of killing 12 people and wounding 58 in the attack during a midnight showing of the new Batman movie. (ANI)