Retired Police Capt. Curtis Reeves Begins Trial For Killing Man In Movie Theater Over Texting

A retired captain for the Tampa police department began his murder trial Monday, after an eight-year delay since the 2014 incident where he shot a moviegoer after they argued about texting in the theater.

The man, Curtis Reeves, who is now 79, allegedly got into an argument with 43-year-old Chad Oulson while Oulson was texting his babysitter during the previews for a showing of Lone Survivor on Jan 13, 2014. According to investigators, the argument escalated after Reeves left to complain to theater management, and Reeves shot Oulson fatally with a .380-caliber handgun after Oulson threw popcorn at him when he returned. The bullet also struck Oulson’s now-widow, Nicole Oulson, in the hand.

Reeves has been living under house arrest since he made bond in July 2014. He delayed the trial by attempting to use Florida’s “stand your ground” law, claiming he feared for his life after Oulson tossed his bag of popcorn at him. Even after a judge ruled that the law didn’t apply in 2017, there was more legal stalling and pauses caused by the Covid-19 pandemic that led to this huge lead-up to the actual trial.

Opening statements unfolded on Monday before a six-person jury. Prosecutors are attempting to use evidence of prior phone-related disagreements against Reeves, while the defense is trying to paint Oulson as more of an aggressor that threatened their client.

Assistant State Attorney Scott Rosenwasser said in part of his opening statement, “Chad Oulson was shot and killed over tossing popcorn. That’s no reason to kill another person.” Reeves’ attorney, Dino Michaels countered by telling the jury, “This isn’t about popcorn. You’re going to see there was an attack before the popcorn was thrown.”

Nicole Oulson provided testimony on the first day of the trial as well. She quoted her late husband as saying, “What’s your problem? The movie hasn’t even started yet,” when Reeves first confronted the couple, and when she was hit by the bullet that killed Oulson, it “felt like my hand was blown off.”

If convicted of both the second-degree murder and assault with deadly weapon charges he faces, Reeves could receive a life sentence all for this argument. The trial is expected to last about three weeks.