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James Holmes, the man suspected of carrying out last week's deadly shooting spree at a screening of the latest Batman movie in Aurora, Colo., appeared in court Monday for a procedural hearing.

Holmes, 24, was advised of his legal rights by the court in Centennial, Colorado, where he is expected to be charged with multiple counts of murder on July 30.

Araphoe County District Court judge William Sylvester also found that there was probable cause for first degree murder charges to be filed.

Prosecutors are widely expected to seek the death penalty for Friday's attack, in which 12 people died and 58 were wounded. But Araphoe County district attorney Carol Chambers said a final decision would be made only after consulting with the families of the victims.

"We will want to get their input on that," she said. Chambers confirmed reports that Holmes was being held in isolation at the Araphoe county jail.

Holmes appeared in prison overalls and with his hair still dyed bright orange, after he allegedly carried out the attack disguised as Batman's nemesis The Joker. He was wearing manacles around his ankles and appeared to be fitted with a bulletproof vest under his prison clothes.

Holmes, a graduate student in neuroscience, is the only suspect in the shooting at a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises. He was arrested in the cinema's parking lot minutes after the attack in Aurora, Colorado.

Holmes appeared sleepy and lethargic in his first public appearance since Friday, with his gaze cast downwards throughout the brief hearing. He did not speak at all in court, not even to ask his court-appointed lawyer about the proceedings.

Numerous family members of the victims were in the courtroom for the hearing, a day after US President Barack Obama visited Aurora to comfort the victims' families.