Defense attorneys for accused Aurora theater shooter James Holmes have asked a judge to postpone an Oct. 25 court hearing, saying they do not have enough time to prepare.

Public defender Daniel King wrote in a motion filed this afternoon that fending off requests that the names of witnesses and victims be made public has added more work to his team’s already busy schedule.

Arapahoe County District Court Judge William Sylvester has asked both prosecutors and the defense to provide by Monday concrete examples backing up their assertions that releasing the names would either endanger the safety of witnesses and victims or stymie further investigation.

“Counsel is simultaneously in the process of conducting important investigation, attempting to read and digest over 18,000 pages of discovery, researching and preparing to litigate upcoming legal issues, and responding to pleadings filed by additional third parties outside of this case due next week,” King wrote in his motion.

The Oct. 25 hearing was set to consider the defense’s claim that prosecutors went against judge’s orders and improperly leaked to the media that that Holmes mailed a notebook to his former psychiatrist.

The hearing is also set to address media requests for information from University of Colorado, where Holmes was a neuroscience graduate student.

The school has been under a gag order since shortly after the July 20 shooting where 12 people were killed and at least 58 others were injured.

Jessica Fender: 303-954-1244 , jfender@denverpost.com or twitter.com/oh_fender