Feature: Planned Parenthood shooter charged on 179 counts, calls himself "warrior for the babies"

The alleged Planned Parenthood killer on Wednesday shocked a packed Colorado courtroom with 20 verbal outbursts in the city of Colorado Springs, which is 112 km south of Denver.

On Wednesday, prosecutors announced 179 charges against Robert Dear, 57, including eight counts of murder and 131 counts of attempted murder for his attack two weeks ago on a medical clinic that performs abortions on consenting women.

Dear, who shouted out "pro life" phrases condemning abortion repeatedly during the hour-long hearing, is being held without bond for murdering three people and injuring a dozen using an assault weapon and a shotgun.

Just minutes into Wednesday afternoon's hour-long hearing at the El Paso County Courthouse, Dear suddenly shouted out "I am a warrior for the babies," as members of the national media gasped and his lawyers cringed.

The defendant continued to disrupt the hearing every few minutes, drawing surprise from legal experts.

"I was surprised the judge didn't curtail his outbursts," legal media expert and University of Colorado professor Steven Zansberg told Xinhua, who said Dear could be cited for "contempt of court."

While U.S. law allows charged criminals to defend themselves, they are not allowed to arbitrarily disrupt court proceedings, as Dear did.

On Wednesday, both sides tried to ignore the defendant and move the proceeding along, despite the uncomfortable confrontations.

Legal experts said it is unlikely the defendant will be allowed such levity by the court in the future. On one outburst, a sheriff deputy grabbed Dear by the shoulder and asked him to stop.

Dear, a hulking 6-foot-4 (1.92 meters), 250-pound (112.5 kg) man, appeared in court wearing a turquoise jumpsuit, with his hands and feet chained together.

Chief prosecutor Dan May told Xinhua at a press conference following the hearing that other charges may be pending - such as bomb or incendiary device charges - once the sheriff's investigation is completed.

Witnesses said Dear placed canisters of propane near the Planned Parenthood building that he could have exploded with gunfire.

May also said First Degree Murder charges filed against Dear Wednesday included "extreme indifference," "premeditated murder," and "murder committed during a felony."

El Paso County Judge Gilbert Martinez scheduled the next hearing for Dec. 23, two days before Christmas.

Despite the defense's goal to keep Dear alive as long as possible, Dear himself shouted out, "I want this to go quickly."

The prosecutor's office will not officially announce its quest for the death penalty until around next February, after which a trial may occur.

And it is likely that the defense, one of the top anti-death penalty legal teams in the country, will petition the court for psychiatrists to prove that Dear is insane and his life should be spared.

But Dear seems inclined to refuse psychiatric examinations and waive his right for a trial, as indicated by his initial court outburst on Wednesday when he said "there will be no trial...I am guilty."

If Dear refuses U.S. legal maneuvers meant to prolong and spare his life, he could be sentenced to death as early as the summer of 2016. Endi