An Aurora police detective “fanned” through the pages of a notebook theater shooting suspect James Holmes mailed to his psychiatrist, according to a new court document unsealed in Holmes’ case.

The document, filed by the prosecution on July 27, describes how investigators handled the notebook when they seized it from a mailroom at the University of Colorado four days earlier. According to the filing, police first looked at the package contained the notebook through an X-ray machine, then a bomb squad technician wearing a special suit removed the notebook from its package.

On the outside of the notebook was a Post-It note, according to the filing, which does not specify what the note said. The filing is heavily redacted but makes it appear that at least one police officer saw at least some of the notebooks’ contents. The filing states that, after an Aurora detective “fanned” the notebook, “The CU police chief reports seeing (redacted).”

The notebook was then sealed. Prosecutors have said in court filings they have not seen its contents.

The revelation Friday came as the court file in the murder case against Holmes was opened to the public.

Last week, the judge in the case ordered that the file — except for a handful of crucial documents — be unsealed. The documents are available on the court’s website.

Among other details contained in the unsealed documents is the revelation that attorneys representing Holmes intend to call a psychiatric expert to testify on Holmes’ behalf.

Holmes’ attorneys said the expert, whose name is redacted in the documents, is an advisory witness. The defense plans “to call him (at trial) as an expert in the field of psychiatry,” according to a case filing.

One document shows prosecutors have obtained text messages that Holmes allegedly sent to a classmate at the University of Colorado. Another document reports that the majority of the DNA analysis being performed in the case is being done by the Federal Bureau of Investigation at a lab in Virginia, not by local authorities.

Most of the documents released Friday are expected to be technical in nature and deal with legal procedure rather than evidence. The documents that will remain sealed — search warrant and arrest affidavits, as well as some motions — contain evidentiary or privileged information both sides in the case say should not be made public at this time.

Nonetheless, the unsealed court documents are expected to provide new insight and understanding of the proceedings against Holmes.

The debate over Holmes’ notebook — which defense attorneys say is protected by doctor-patient privilege — has been particularly protracted. Holmes’ attorneys say Holmes’ privilege was violated when police officers looked at the notebook.

Prosecutors say they should be able to use the notebook as evidence, but, after one lengthy hearing on the matter, suspended their fight for the notebook earlier this month.

John Ingold: 303-954-1068, jingold@denverpost.com or twitter.com/john_ingold