Judge denies 'stand your ground' defense in movie theater shooting

CNN ^ | 5:24 AM ET, Sat March 11, 2017 | Eric Levenson, Tina Burnside

[BenLurkin]

The case dates to January 2014 when Reeves, then 71, confronted a man in a suburban Tampa movie theater about texting during the previews before a showing of "Lone Survivor." The two argued, and then Reeves walked out of the theater to complain to an employee. When Reeves returned, he and the man, Chad Oulson, began arguing again.

Oulson threw a bag of popcorn at Reeves, according to a criminal complaint, and Reeves then took out his handgun and fired at Oulson, killing him.

Defense attorneys asked the judge to dismiss the murder charge under the "stand your ground" law that allows residents to use deadly force when they fear death or great bodily harm.

[Texas Eagle]

Probably more to this story than meets the eye. I don’t trust CNN’s version of the details.

[BipolarBob]

law that allows residents to use deadly force when they fear death or great bodily harm.

I don't think popcorn can cause great bodily harm but it will lodge in between your teeth. The man clearly overreacted.

[ifinnegan]

How can you be sure?

[UCANSEE2]

Reeves Goal was to watch the movie in peace and quiet.
He was arrested, and did not get to see the movie at all.

I would say Reeves made the wrong choices.

[UCANSEE2]

As far as the ‘stand your ground’ concept goes, Reeves had the right to have the man arrested/thrown out of the movie theatre, filing assault charges if necessary. He did not have the right to kill him, unless popcorn is all that dangerous.

Where was the Theater ‘staff’ all this time ?

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

allows residents to use deadly force when they fear death or great bodily harm.

Death or bodily harm from a bag of popcorn? Please. Guilty as charged. Reeves is unfit to own firearms.

[InABunkerUnderSF]

Do you have any idea what that stuff can do to your arteries?

Let a jury of "reasonable persons" sort it out.

[KrisKrinkle]

1. The article says the decedent threw a phone at the shooter before throwing he popcorn, but the judge didn’t believe that based on video. I would think a proper investigation would have found the thrown phone and cast more light on that.

2. A bag of popcorn may not be a deadly weapon, but it can be thrown as a distraction before a deadly attack.

[SecAmndmt]

Really bad reason to use deadly force. I can understand folks getting irritated about talking during a movie, but texting?? This has the potential to give lawful CC a bad name.

I am for constitutional Carry, and would actually update the state DL database with those who are prohibited persons (everyone else is permitted), but I would also encourage everyone to take an annual class (1 day legal, 1 day training) and do it at state expense. There is a massive public safety benefit to having a well-trained and knowledgeable population.

[Robert DeLong]

If the following is true, it wasn't about the popcorn:

Reeves and his attorneys have argued that Oulson threw a cell phone at Reeves' head and was aggressively leaning over a chair toward him at the time of the shooting. On the stand, Reeves testified he "perceived" that Oulson was getting ready to punch him, according to WFTS.

"A 6-foot-4 individual standing, trying to come over that chair is terrifying," defense attorney Richard Escobar said at the hearing, WFTS reports.

Chad Oulson and his wife Nicole are seen together in this photo taken from Facebook.

However, I still think Curtis Reeves is culpable, because he allowed a simple incident, while perhaps annoying, get him aggravated to the point of possible escalation. If he had asked the person texting to please refrain from doing it in the theater a much different outcome would have transpired most likely.

[MosesKnows]

This case begs the question, what are the progressives doing about this pending "popcorn" threat?

[Lazamataz]

If the kernals were unpopped, and going at Mach 1, they could be deadly!

Kidding aside, if we have not learned yet: CNN lies outright. I trust nothing they print.

[kiryandil]

Probably more to this story than meets the eye. I don’t trust CNN’s version of the details

This was debated on FR at the time it happened.

Analyzing the CNN "story", it appears to be a hit piece on Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law.

The "retired Tampa police captain" is ACTUALLY the retired Tampa police SWAT captain - the guy who organized Tampa's first SWAT team.

You know, SWAT - those laid-back guys who believe in talk and negotiation, not confrontation? /laughter

Reeves is most likely a confrontational individual by nature.

Little or nothing to do with "Stand Your Ground", but everything to do with "Armed When You Shouldn't Be" police-state actors.

[\/\/ayne]

Because of things like this that happen it's better to just tell the theater employees and not interact with the annoying people.

If the texter later whines "why didn't someone just tell me" perhaps the theater employee will explain "because in the past people got angry and threw their phone."

[Bob434]

[[I don’t think popcorn can cause great bodily harm]]

I once saw a man eating popcorn while crossing a street- He was throwing it in the air and catching it in his mouth- He missed- hit him in the eye, he was reeling from the salt in his eye, and got runned over

Stay away from popcorn

(J/K)

[Valpal1]

I remember when this happened, several threads on FR over it.

CNN’s details are correct, but the story is twisted so as to blame the SYG law as a cause of this type of incident which is poppycock.

The defendant provoked a petty quarrel and then ramped it up to 11. The victim was also a jerk. Two men behaved badly, played stupid games and won stupid prizes.

That the defendant tried the self-defense SYG card is unremarkable. Even if there was no SYG law, they would still mount a defense based on self defense to the jury which is what they get to do now that the judge has shot down their SYG motion.

[kiryandil]

See my post #14.

It's amusing that the beefy CCW ex-SWAT captain was all "terrified" of a 6'4" guy "leaning in".

I'd spit in that lying, murdering pr*ck's face if I was kin to the dead man.

Heck, I'd do it anyway...

[Artemis Webb]

"How can you be sure?"

It's not BipolarBob's job to be "sure". All we spout on FR is opinion based on the information we have. If we're going to question every article we read on every detail it would be pretty easy to quickly descend into the absurd. In this case the information from the article combined with the ruling from the judge justifies BipolarBob's OPINION.

[NFHale]

Unless the other guy had a weapon in his hand, was physically attacking him, etc., Reeves did not have the justification to kill him.

He needs tobe in jail.