Movie Popcorn Murder Trial: testimony begins after 8 years of delays

By Katie McLaughlin

DADE CITY, Fla. (Court Television)– After 8 years of hold-ups topped by 4 lengthy days of court option, statement is ultimately readied to start Monday, February 14 in the test of Curtis Reeves, the retired Florida cops captain implicated of capturing and also eliminating a guy in a theater throughout a conflict over mobile phone usage and also snacks.

The capturing took place January 13, 2014 at a theater in Wesley Church, near Tampa fl. Prior to the 1:20 pm proving of “Lone Survivor” started, sufferer Chad Oulson was texting his two-year-old little girl’s sitter when Reeves challenged him concerning utilizing his phone.

Both guys started saying. Security video footage from the movie theater reveals Oulson order 71-year-old Reeves’ snacks and also toss it at him. Reeves after that discharges a weapon, striking Oulson in the breast, fatally injuring the 43-year-old male.

Nicole and also Chad Oulson

Reeves, a retired Tampa fl law enforcement officer, was billed with second-degree murder. He begged innocent, asserting protection.

At First, he wasdenied bond Nevertheless, after investing just 6 months in a Pasco Region Prison, according to the Tampa Bay Times, Reeves was launched in July 2014 after uploading $150,000 bond. He’s gotten on home apprehension since.

Reeves, currently 79-years-old, keeps he was afraid for his life as soon as Oulson tossed snacks at him. Reeves’ protection group has actually specified their customer, a senior male, had no other way of recognizing what was going to happen next, which’s why he discharged his tool.

It took control of 8 years to head to test as a result of a collection of hold-ups, starting with a slew of motions and afterwards, most just recently, COVID-19-related hold-ups. An additional adding variable is the variety of witnesses associated with the situation. Greater than 100 witnesses existed throughout the capturing, which occurred inside a jam-packed movie theater.

Previous Tampa Florida Cops Captain Curtis Reeves grins at participants of the gallery while participating in the initial day of court option for his second-degree murder test on Monday, Feb 7, 2022, at the Robert D. Sumner Judicial Facility in Dade City. Reeves is implicated of capturing and also eliminating Chad Oulson at a Wesley Church cinema in January 2014. (Swimming Pool, Court Television)

Reeves and also Oulson’s better halves were both existing, and also can be contacted us to affirm. Oulson’s partner, Nicole Oulson, was injured when a bullet foraged her hand throughout the disagreement.

After a 10-day hearing to figure out whether Reeves’ self-defense insurance claim satisfied the standards of Florida’s questionable Stand Your Ground regulation, the judge ruled against Reeves’ request for immunity under Stand Your Ground.

In choosing whether Reeves devoted murder, the court will certainly currently need to grapple whether he discharged his weapon out of worry or rage; and also whether tossed snacks benefits making use of dangerous pressure.

Court television video cameras will certainly be inside the court, offering LIVE gavel-to-gavel insurance coverage of the procedures.