CENTENNIAL — Defense attorneys in the Aurora theater shooting case say they need more time to file motions about the crucial psychiatric evaluation of the gunman.

In a new filing made public Tuesday, defense attorneys write they plan to lodge roughly six motions that deal with issues never before decided by a court in Colorado.

“These motions involve very important and complex legal issues, many of which pertain to the death penalty and mental illness, and have never been filed or litigated before in the state of Colorado,” the defense filing states.

Lawyers for James Holmes have admitted in a previous filing that Holmes is the man who killed 12 and wounded dozens more in an attack on an Aurora movie theater, but they say he was in the midst of a psychotic episode at the time.

Holmes has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, meaning what doctors at the Colorado Mental Health Institute determined in the evaluation about his mental state at the time of the shootings looms large in the case. The results of the evaluation have not been released.

The filing was posted online as attorneys in the case argued over the qualifications of chemical experts prosecutors hope to call at trial.

Three FBI forensic examiners from the bureau’s lab in Virginia testified Tuesday about evidence they analyzed that was taken from Holmes’ apartment, where investigators found multiple bombs. The examiners said they identified substances such as glycerin, black powder, potassium permanganate and polystyrene — a type of plastic that had apparently been melted into a glue.

Another hearing is scheduled in the case for Wednesday.

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