<p>Well hopefully there will be a few that are similar. He’s in a lot of hot water.</p>
<p>The 24 probably have 24 different versions of what “really” happened.</p>
<p>Well, of course. Since some may not have been there from the beginning. Some were sitting further away and may not have heard/seen everything. </p>
<p>I think the most believable witness will be the off-duty cop that was a few seats away…but that’s only if he saw and heard what led up to the shooting.</p>
<p>From The Daily Mail:</p>
<p>“Chad and Nicole Oulson left little Lexy, two, with a childminder while they went on a lunch time date to the movies, but they were worried that they might have to skip the film because she was feeling sick. Dedicated father Chad, was constantly monitoring his phone for an update and did not want to put it away when the person sitting behind him, retired cop Curtis Reeves, asked him to.”</p>
<p>Also from the article: “Lawyers representing the Oulson family have confirmed that little Lexy was unwell and that Chad was keeping a close eye on his phone in case he and Nicole had to leave early and go to pick her up.” And further, “Witnesses have reported that Oulson actually told Reeves that he was texting his daughter during their heated argument.”</p>
<p>Witnesses also say Reeves shot after popcorn was tossed at him, backing up the Sheriff Nocco’s statement that nothing other than popcorn was thrown, that Reeves wasn’t threatened with anything else, but that he simple drew his weapon and fired. </p>
<p>In another statement referred to but not quoted, the Sheriff’s office believes this is an open and shut case, meaning no defense. </p>
<p>As a note, if people took as long to look things up as they take to post, a lot of confusion would be avoided.</p>
<p>*the Sheriff’s office believes this is an open and shut case, meaning no defense. *</p>
<p>They may think that there isn’t a good defense to put forward, but I doubt that Reeves’ atty won’t present some kind of defense. </p>
<p>Are they suggesting that there will be some kind of plea deal? At his age, that seems rather worthless. By the time he got out, his quality of life would likely be not-so-hot.</p>
<p>The sheriff has no business deciding this case…he’s not the judge and jury too.</p>
<p>but there was no gun, so even if he believed there was, he was wrong.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>If someone robs a bank using only their pointer finger in their pocket as a gun, it’s still armed robbery, as the teller will reasonably fear there is a gun.</p>
<p>However, in this case, I don’t believe the guy thought the victim had a gun. I think he was incensed that the man didn’t obey him to begin with; when he threw the popcorn, that was it. Boom.</p>
<p>The Daily Mail is a British tabloid, and often seems to put things in their articles that aren’t seen in the US papers. Seemed to have been true in the Jahi McMath case too. If its not in the US papers, best to reserve judgement on its accuracy.</p>
<p>However, in this case, I don’t believe the guy thought the victim had a gun. I think he was incensed that the man didn’t obey him to begin with; when he threw the popcorn, that was it. Boom.</p>
<p>That may be so…but don’t you think that will be the defense’s claim? If the defense can suggest that there may be some reasonable confusion, that might weaken the case enough that the prosecution may agree to a plea bargain.</p>
<p>^^^^Well, you’re right about that. But then, nothing an attorney brings into a court case surprises me. </p>
<p>Of course, they are just trying to do right by their client…</p>
<p>in the case of a bank robbery where the the robber is presenting a fake gun or even his finger, that makes sense to assume there’s a gun, after all, it’s a BANK ROBBER</p>
<p>in this case what, the victim threw the popcorn AND pulled a gun simultaneously??</p>
<p>Florida likes doing plea deals, saves them a lot of money not having to go to trial. 5 or 10 year plea deal sentence in a state prison might as well be a death sentence for the former cop. Reeves would probably take his chances with an all or nothing trial rather than have state jam a plea deal down his throat. This thing as a long ways to go yet and could be full of surprises. Tragic event all the way around for everyone, but anything could happen yet and it might not be a slam dunk for state prosecutors.</p>
<p>Two hands…one could hold popcorn, other hand could hold cell phone that Reeves might have mistook for a handgun being drawn on him.</p>
<p>5 or 10 year plea deal sentence in a state prison might as well be a death sentence for the former cop. Reeves would probably take his chances with an all or nothing trial rather than have state jam a plea deal down his throat.</p>
<p>True…so maybe Reeves will want the case presented as: Retired cop with super record who OF COURSE would NEVER shoot anyone over popcorn. OF COURSE he thought that the victim had a weapon. He’s dealt with far worse people than the victim and never shot any of those people. </p>
<p>A Plea Deal won’t really be attractive to the defendant unless it’s house arrest.</p>
<p>Lergmom,</p>
<p>If your comment was directed to me, I asked the question because I tried to find a story saying the D was sick and couldn’t find one. </p>
<p>I did find a story that says </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Read more: [Chad</a> Oulson, Victim in Florida Theater Shooting, Remembered as Devoted Dad and Husband (+Photos)](<a href=“http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/453475-chad-oulson-victim-in-florida-theater-shooting-remembered-as-devoted-dad-and-husband-photos/#ixzz2qirjAlNQ]Chad”>http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/453475-chad-oulson-victim-in-florida-theater-shooting-remembered-as-devoted-dad-and-husband-photos/#ixzz2qirjAlNQ)
Follow us: @EpochTimes on Twitter | epochtimes on Facebook</p>
<p>Even with 2 hands (one possibly holding cellphone and one holding the popcorn) the article said, if true, that Reeves pulled a gun and fired after the popcorn bag was thrown at him. Doesn’t sound like he felt threatened by a potential gun. The CNN article says
So did he possibly mistake an unpopped popcorn kernel for a bullet?? That may be their argument. Who knows. But if the wife put her hand up to protect her husband when Reeves pulled the gun, then it couldn’t have been all that dark in there during the previews, as she saw the gun. So he had to have seen the popcorn.<a href=“http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/14/justice/florida-movie-theater-shooting/[/url]”>Bond denied for ex-cop Curtis Reeves who allegedly shot texting dad - CNN;
<p>We’re just guessing and speculating here what actually happened and really why Reeves shot Chad; Reeves has a bond reduction hearing Feb 5th…more facts should surface by then. Chad’s wife might have been simply trying to pull her husband back that day and not even seen gun first. She had surgery done on her hand…she said she will be at Feb 5 hearing.</p>
<p>[Florida</a> theater shooting: Will suspect’s age open door to ?stand your ground?? (+video) - CSMonitor.com](<a href=“http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2014/0114/Florida-theater-shooting-Will-suspect-s-age-open-door-to-stand-your-ground-video]Florida”>Florida theater shooting: Will suspect's age open door to ‘stand your ground’? - CSMonitor.com)</p>
<p>yup. Lots of speculating, but at least its base on some published information, not just accusations of grandiosity, dementia, intermittent explosive disorder or what have you.</p>
<p>It sounds like the whole thing, from start to the sad end was over a period of 10 minutes or more (considering that Reeves left for a bit). </p>
<p>If so, then the dad may not have even had his cell phone in hand anymore…he may have been done with back and forth texting at that point. When Reeves returned, the argument was about “did you tell on me”. So, it’s possible that the texting was no longer going on, the phone may have been back in pocket, with one hand on popcorn and the other one empty (or still holding cell phone). </p>
<p>As for the speculating, I don’t think much/any has been too “out there”. We have an elderly man who has a history of being a law-abiding citizen, a retired police captain no less, who suddenly does the unthinkable. Since the behavior doesn’t seem to fit the man’s history, it’s not too much of a stretch to think that there is something now organically wrong with him that was either not present when younger, or he was able to control back then.</p>
<p>We don’t know what this guy is like “behind closed doors”. As someone said upthread, a person who was portrayed as a salt of the earth great guy was actually an arrogant, awful, mean-spirited person. We don’t know this guy-- so all I am suggesting is that we wait for more info raher than speculating whether he is cognitively impaired, drinks too much, is an arrogant blowhard power monger or whatever. Any could be possible. Lets see.</p>