# Florida Movie Theater Shooting Leaves One Dead In Altercation Over Texting **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 13, 2014, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717 "2014-01-13T22:44:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717/181 "2014-01-18T03:46:50Z")
I’m 5’ 3" and dress out at 112. A middle school kid could beat the shit out of me. What do I do if threatened with a knife? I can’t beat him up or run faster than he. I hope I’d get the chance to shoot him. ---
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717/182 "2014-01-18T04:24:34Z")
A knife? Yeah, you can shoot him, **carnivorousplant**. But even in Florida it’s going to be hard to claim that a box of popcorn is a dangerous weapon meriting a deadly force response. I suspect the only hope for leniency the shooter has is if he can be shown to be suffering from early dementia. But as his behavior has shown, he clearly represents a danger to others even if his actions are a result of cognitive decline. I suspect the only thing that dementia might change is the venue he gets locked up in. But this is Florida, so who knows what will happen? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717/183 "2014-01-20T04:38:18Z")
More is coming out about Reeves. I agree with Tom DePolis that there has to be some illness with Reeves. Maybe early stage dementia or something. A guy with this level of training and experience shouldn’t just snap like this. Theres a lady that claims she had a run in with Reeves a few weeks earlier in the same theater. Same issue with using a phone during the movies. Reeves got an usher and the phone was turned off. But he was still visibly angry and glaring at her. If her story is true than obviously Reeves was having trouble controlling his emotions. That doesn’t sound like a guy with a 40 year long and successful career. Someone with a temper like that would have said or done something to wreck his career. It’s a shame the problem wasn’t noticed before he killed someone. I can’t imagine any jury voting anything but guilty. > **[What drove retired police captain to gun down man over a text message?](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2542147/What-drove-retired-police-captain-spent-life-protecting-public-gun-father-movie-theater-text-message.html)** > > Curtis Reeves spent his career protecting people and MailOnline has delved into his life in Florida to reveal the former officer's personal history. > [@](#): > > Former Deputy Chief Tom DePolis worked with Reeves for 23 years at Tampa Police Department, helping him set up the Tactical Response Team. He then recommended him for his job as Director of Security at Busch Gardens. > > He cannot explain Monday’s events, but fears some kind of illness may have made his former friend and colleague snap. > > In an email to MailOnline, he wrote: ‘I haven’t stayed in contact with him since he left Busch Gardens, except to see him at a funeral for a mutual friend last year. > > ‘He seemed content in retirement, and spent most of his time during the funeral occupied with his toddler granddaughter at the back of the church. > > ‘But, I worry that some on setting medical problem, or a medication side effect, may have influenced him and contributed to this tragic action. > > ‘The man I stood shoulder to shoulder with on those dangerous SWAT callouts on nights, weekends and holidays, while others were home with their families, was not a monster.’ > > DePolis, who is now retired, did say Reeves could come across as inflexible at times and demanded excellence from his officers. He was also a man of action. > > He said: ‘…I keep searching for more of an explanation of what happened in that movie theater. Certainly, his training and knowledge had prepared him for when to use restraint, and when to use deadly force. > > ‘Yes, he could come across as inflexible. But that was because he demanded the same excellence from others that he demanded from himself. He liked the slogan from that old > Nike commercial that said “just do it now”, and even had the Nike trademark check mark on his wall to remind him.’ > > The incident has left DePolis completely baffled. He said: ‘Curtis was a professional police officer, who dedicated his career to help improve the police department. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717/184 "2014-01-20T04:56:29Z")
Google elderly anger - there are quite a few articles. It’s quite a big problem. Thank goodness most cranky old farts don’t shoot anyone. 😉 > **[Is Dad Just Angry or Downright Depressed?](https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/articles/200709/is-dad-just-angry-or-downright-depressed)** > > There is often a good explanation for elderly anger; you just need to get to the source. > [@](#): > > Anger developed at any age is anger. It could be a sign of many things, from frustration with age-related decline to longstanding lack of impulse control to a kind of general irritability that is associated with both depression and mild forms of mania. Sometimes anger results from brain damage such as might occur from a stroke. The irascibility that is sometimes seen in older people probably has many contributing factors—losing powers or becoming dependent on others could do it for some. An important one may be general decline in energy level; it takes a certain amount of psychic energy to keep one’s emotions in check, and who better to let loose with than family members. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717/185 "2014-01-20T08:17:17Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Google elderly anger - there are quite a few articles. It’s quite a big problem. Thank goodness most cranky old farts don’t shoot anyone. 😉 > > [Is Dad Just Angry or Downright Depressed? | Psychology Today](http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200709/is-dad-just-angry-or-downright-depressed) This is why the Eskimoes shove their elderly out onto ice floes. ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717/186 "2014-01-20T13:27:01Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Ah. > > Never been there, all I know about it is from John D. MacDonald novels, and that they wore funny looking uniforms in the Civil War. You should read a few books by [Carl Hiaasen.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Hiaasen) I am not from Florida but Mr. Hiaasen was recommended to me and the books are quite funny. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717/187 "2014-01-20T14:16:09Z")
I think Reeves illness is commonly known as “being an asshole.” The man is earnestly standing before the court and claiming self-defense. This whole, “oh, he must have suffered some sort of unforeseen mental condition,” is bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717/188 "2014-01-20T14:20:56Z")
> [@DrumBum](#): > > You should read a few books by [Carl Hiaasen.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Hiaasen) I am not from Florida but Mr. Hiaasen was recommended to me and the books are quite funny. I have. “That dog needs a big place to run around…like Africa.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717/189 "2014-01-20T16:52:27Z")
I’ve said all along that Reeves will be found guilty of murder. If medical tests show early dementia then that still doesn’t change anything. It might be considered at sentencing. But he’ll still die in prison. I’ve watched my older relatives personalities change as they entered their seventies and eighties. I find it interesting and I’ve read about it. My grandmother dipped snuff since she was eight. She had a couple TIA strokes and lost all interest in snuff. A seventy year tobacco habit stopped overnight. She had other personality changes too. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717/190 "2014-01-20T18:54:10Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Google elderly anger - there are quite a few articles. It’s quite a big problem. Thank goodness most cranky old farts don’t shoot anyone. 😉 > > [Is Dad Just Angry or Downright Depressed? | Psychology Today](http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200709/is-dad-just-angry-or-downright-depressed) So the same generation that sparked a moral panic 60 years ago as juvenile delinquents will return to menace society as violently demented seniors. (And, being Baby Boomers, they’ll make it look cool, and be marketed to as a desirable demographic with ample disposable income.) ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2014, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717/191 "2014-01-23T03:05:13Z")
[Nicole Oulsen spoke at a news conference today. > [@](#): > > “In the blink of an eye, my life got shattered into a million pieces and now I’m left trying to pick them up and put them back together,” said Nicole Oulson, who was with her husband Chad when he was killed Jan. 14 at the Cobb Grove 16 cinema in Wesley Chapel, Fla. > > “It’s so hard and it’s so unbearable,” she added. > > “Right now, I’m just still trying to recover from the shock,” she told reporters, flanked by two attorneys. “It’s just unimaginable.” ]([U.S. News: Latest Breaking Stories, Video, and Photos on American Politics, Economy, and Society | NBC News](http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/22/22399107-wife-of-movie-theater-shooting-victim-my-life-got-shattered))Somehow I doubt that this Florida self-defense trial will have anywhere near the same number of people supporting the actions of the accused. Still, it is Florida, and very little surprises me anymore about the state. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2014, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717/192 "2014-01-25T18:46:16Z")
Indeed. It is Florida. The murderer will not only be released but his weapon will be returned along with an apology from the local P.D. Welcome to Stand Your Ground laws. :dubious: Mrs. Oulsen should parse her words in press conferences like this extremely carefully. That same local P.D. would love nothing better than to arrest her for … well, for anything really but in truth for attacking the very concept of the Stand Your Ground laws. She should do two things. Get out of the state of Florida quickly, and not speak except through an attorney. This will perhaps keep her from, er, falling astray of the Florida Police. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2014, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717/193 "2014-01-25T21:12:00Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Indeed. It is Florida. The murderer will not only be released but his weapon will be returned along with an apology from the local P.D. > > Welcome to Stand Your Ground laws. :dubious: > > Mrs. Oulsen should parse her words in press conferences like this extremely carefully. That same local P.D. would love nothing better than to arrest her for … well, for anything really but in truth for attacking the very concept of the Stand Your Ground laws. > > She should do two things. Get out of the state of Florida quickly, and not speak except through an attorney. This will perhaps keep her from, er, falling astray of the Florida Police. Will you stop with this? You sound like a zealot. Zealotry is unpleasant on any side of an issue. I mean, I am kind of on your side of this from a political standpoint (I think SYG laws are insanely stupid and would support some gun restrictions) but suggesting that the police would “love to arrest” a grieving widow? Believing that the widow has to flee the state in order to escape the evil, conniving state police? Come on. That is crazy talk. You are letting hatred and prejudice color your opinions. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717/194 "2014-02-07T19:19:06Z")
I’ve been watching the live bail bond hearing. The attorneys basically did a mini-trial with all the witnesses on the stand and the police detectives testified. I’m quite surprised so much testimony was presented for a simple bond hearing. It was nice hearing the testimony without the news reporting bias getting in the way. A great preview of what will be presented in the trial. A couple issues were raised. The victim’s wife had stood up and was trying to restrain her husband. She had her hand on his chest when the shot when off. This is important because it indicates how much the situation had escalated before the popcorn flew. There is also a defense allegation that the victim struck Reeves with his Iphone. I’d expect that will be argued extensively in the trial. One witness said he had grown concerned enough (after the victim aggressively stood up) that he was about to intervene to calm things down. youtube has day one already posted. Today was day 2 and is supposed to conclude the hearing. I’ve include links to get you started. part 1 is a boring hour long issue about releasing the documents and video to the news organizations. heres Day 1 part 2 with the first defense character witness [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/p4B3YZEwTtI/hqdefault.jpg "Curtis Reeves Hearing. Feb 5. Part 2") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4B3YZEwTtI) Day 1 part 3 begins the prosecution witnesses [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Sha4ADQrYgg/hqdefault.jpg "Curtis Reeves Hearing. Feb 5. Part 3") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sha4ADQrYgg) part 4 [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/XagMrDc2ELQ/hqdefault.jpg "Curtis Reeves Hearing. Feb 5. Part 4") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XagMrDc2ELQ) Day 2 part 1 police detective. Day 2 includes audio of Reeve’s and other witness statements. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_7lIGo8Hmdk/hqdefault.jpg "Curtis Reeves Hearing. Day 2. Part 1") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7lIGo8Hmdk) part 2 [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/dxsl5l3RnoQ/hqdefault.jpg "Curtis Reeves Hearing. Day 2. Part 2") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxsl5l3RnoQ) part 3 [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/tqf1lfsyWKk/hqdefault.jpg "Curtis Reeves Hearing. Day 2. Part 3") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqf1lfsyWKk) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717/195 "2014-02-07T19:45:49Z")
The defense just introduced a game changer. Frame advancing through the video the IPhone’s lit screen is clearly visible as it bounces off Reeve’s head. There’s an arm reaching out trying to strike or grab at Reeves. Naturally the lawyers will spend many hours debating what that light was. But come on, a IPhone’s lit screen panel is very distinctive. btw, earlier the defense questioned the detective about frame advance. He seemed confused saying he could only randomly pause every second or two. A freaking detective doesn’t know about frame advance? VLC upports it. Media Player Classic has frame advance. Hell, I can use power director to create jpegs of any clip over a selected period of time. that’s 30 jpegs for each second. Any 12 year old knows how to do it. Then use a slideshow viewer to go through the jpegs. This was just shown live. It will be on youtube in a few hours. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717/196 "2014-02-07T22:03:15Z")
Bail denied. I’m quite surprised. Prior to his ruling the judge said there xx number of 2nd degree murder cases and x were out on Bail. Most had 100k bonds or slightly higher. I thought then the judge was leaning towards allowing bail. Getting bail for 2nd degree murder is not unusual in Florida. I can’t recall the numbers the judge used but there are people who got bail for the same charge. I don’t see an issue granting bail and an ankle bracelet considering Reeves long career in law enforcement and his clean record. This guy has lived in the same area his entire life. Owns a home and has many family members there. Making a 72 year old man rot in jail pretrial for a year seems unusually cruel. Hearing the witnesses testify has shifted my opinion. I’m thinking now Reeves was overcharged. Manslaughter seems more appropriate. The defense brought that up in their closing arguments. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717/197 "2014-02-07T22:11:07Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Hearing the witnesses testify has shifted my opinion. I’m thinking now Reeves was overcharged. Manslaughter seems more appropriate. The defense brought that up in their closing arguments. What mitigating factors did the defense cite? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717/198 "2014-02-07T22:16:55Z")
The alleged thrown cell phone was a big one. The Senior Citizen law in Florida makes a misdemeanor assault rise to a felony charge. Lethal force is allowed when someone commits a felony against someone. I was impressed by testimony regarding the victim’s anger. He had really lost control. Reached over and grabbed Reeve’s popcorn out of his lap and flung it in his face. He was a big dude 6’ 6" and his wife had even stood up trying to restrain him. It was much more intense than reported. You can save time and download the last part of Day 2. Hear closing arguments. The testimony is summarized and case law cited. It should be posted later today on youtube. TheTawniDilly has been posting them on her channel. > **[TheTawniDilly](https://www.youtube.com/user/TheTawniDilly?feature=watch)** > > Murder, mayhem and more! True crime and more! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717/199 "2014-02-07T22:18:56Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Bail denied. > > I’m quite surprised. As am I. I thought a law enforcement guy would walk. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717/200 "2014-02-07T22:31:32Z")
I’m not sure Reeves will walk. The prosecution needs to downgrade the charge to manslaughter if they want a conviction. imho Heck, even a 10 year sentence for manslaughter will kill this old man. He’s already in poor health. His daughter testified he’s on high blood pressure and cholesterol meds. Arthritis in both hands and shoulder problems. Floaters in both eyes impact his vision. They don’t need a 2nd degree conviction. Get a manslaughter sentence and let him die in prison. Somebody will shank this ex cop within a year anyhow. Ex Cops don’t live long in prisons. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florida-movie-theater-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-altercation-over-texting/678717.md?page=11)