Retired Policeman Faces Trial For Killing Man Eight Years Ago Who Was Texting In Cinema

A 79-year-old retired policeman is set to face trial for fatally shooting a man following a dispute in a cinema, eight years after the incident.

Curtis Reeves has pleaded not guilty to the second-degree murder and aggravated battery of Chad Oulson, a Navy veteran who died after the pair got into an argument during a screening of Lone Survivor in Tampa, Florida, in January 2014.

Curtis Reeves (Alamy)

Reeves had confronted Oulson after becoming annoyed with him for texting during the trailers before the film, CNN reports. According to a criminal complaint, Oulson threw a bag of popcorn at Reeves, who then took out his handgun and shot Oulson, who later died in hospital.

Reeves had initially claimed that he shot Oulson in self-defence under Florida's controversial 'stand your ground' laws, alleging that Oulson had thrown his phone and was 'aggressively' leaning over his chair towards him, but was ordered to stand trial in 2017.

Judge Susan Barthle rejected Reeves' attempt to use the stand your ground defence, which carries immunity from prosecution, saying that she did not believe the 'circumstances' of the shooting were 'those envisioned by the Legislature when the 'stand your ground' law was enacted'.

During a pre-trial hearing, Reeves had said he'd thought Oulson was about to punch him, with an audio recording of a conversation between Reeves and police detectives revealing the retired police captain said shortly after the incident, 'If I had to do it over again, it would have never happened. I wouldn't have moved. But you don't get do-overs.'

Nicole and Chad Oulton (Nicole Oulton/Facebook)

Local news station WFTS reports the four-year delay has been attributed to a number of factors, including motions, pre-trial hearings and the Covid-19 pandemic.

A lawyer for Oulson's wife, Nicole, who was also injured in the shooting, called the eight-year delay 'embarrassing', saying it had 'only benefited Curtis Reeves as it allowed him to contribute to be at home with his loved ones and spend time with his family, all while Ms. Oulson was stuck waiting for delay after delay to be resolved'.

'While going through a trial forces her to relive this situation, that she would rather forget, she can't wait for the day that justice is served, Curtis Reeves is found guilty and spends the rest of his natural life in prison paying for his crimes,' attorney TJ Grimaldi said.

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