patrick.net

SoftShell says

Retired fragile 71 year old cop repeatedly asks a strong 30 something ignoramus

A married former US Navy Petty Officer, Finance Manager at a Dealership, Doting Father, and 43 years old:
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/14/justice/florida-movie-theater-shooting/

DA Claims it's not the first time this retired, fragile cop picked a fight at the movie theater:

At one point, prosecutor Manny Garcia told the judge that after Monday's shooting, a woman had come forward to describe an incident at the same movie house in the town of Wesley Chapel last month.

“She was at the Cobb movie theater when she was confronted by the defendant for texting,” Garcia reported.

Garcia said that the 6-foot-1, 275 pound Reeves had even trailed the woman when she went to the ladies room in the midst of the movie.

“He was glaring at her the entire time,” Garcia reported to the judge.

SoftShell says

After failing to secure the attention of movie personel to handle the situation, he then pleads with the perp to please shut the phone down, whereas the perp in a typical bully move stands up tall and hurls multiple objects at the old man in the dark.

Nope. Victim explained to Perpetrator that he was communicating with his daughter (turns out this was via the babysitter). It was the first time the parents had gone out together without their toddler in a long time, as their kid had been attacked by a dog in recent weeks.

The two men started arguing again and the cell phone user told the other man he was just texting his daughter, Cummings said. A few silent seconds elapsed and the argument started again.

After failing to secure the attention of movie personel to handle the situation, he then pleads with the perp to please shut the phone down, whereas the perp in a typical bully move stands up tall and hurls multiple objects at the old man in the dark.

Charles Cummings, who was sitting close to both men, and on whom the victim fell, doesn't know who threw the popcorn.

“Their voices started going up. There seemed to almost be a confrontation,” Cummings said. “Somebody throws popcorn; I’m not sure who threw it. And then bang, he was shot.”

finehoe says

Can a 3-year-old read a text?

According to Police:

When Reeves returned, witnesses and authorities said that Oulson asked him if he had gone to tell on him for texting. Oulson reportedly said, in effect: I was just sending a message to my young daughter.

Police said Tuesday that Oulson was texting the daughter's babysitter.

Just a nice middle class white couple trying to make their different schedules work to have lunch and a movie together, and concerned because it's the first time they left their 3-year old with a sitter since the kid was attacked by a dog.

Unfortunately, a retired overseer was on a holy mission to stamp out runaway pre-movie texting with extreme prejudice, by any means necessary.

lostand confused says

SoftShell says

So a healthy 30 something male throwing shit at a 71 year old in the dark

theater while screaming at him for a 'texting offense', with his wife next to

him, in your opinion, is not a dipshit?

So an ex-cop who has dealt with much worse situations, carries a loaded gun into a theater and gets into a fight with a guy who is texting-not speaking on a cell phone- then shoots him dead in cold blood -is a victim now..

Yep, It says a lot about America that people are even trying to defend this.

Even if he had not been a successful, married father and veteran, and was Charlie Sheen's character from two and a half men calling up an escort service or his dealer for some blow, talking during movie previews is about 1 on a scale of 10. Shooting somebody for talking on a cell phone is about a 9.99 out of 10 on the fucked up scale.

If shooting somebody for throwing popcorn was acceptable behavior, there would be very few native born American males that survived to 21.

I guess the moral of the story is, in Florida, don't eat skittles or popcorn or Arizona Iced Tea.

You left out some convenient facts.
1- The ex-cop was 71 years old.

2- ex-cops can carry weapons anywhere, as HR218 spells out
http://www.fop.net/legislative/issues/hr218/hr218faq.pdf
They need self protection from perps they put away during their career, that might come back to exact revenge.

3- texting somebody turns on the phone screen, and acts as a light source in the darkness, which is a distraction to other viewers. That is why all movie theaters prohibit usage of cell phones in theaters.

4- He shot him after having stuff thrown at him in the dark.

So the bigger question is why you would leave out those facts in your statement?

lostand confused says

So an ex-cop who has dealt with much worse situations, carries a loaded gun into a theater and gets into a fight with a guy who is texting-not speaking on a cell phone- then shoots him dead in cold blood -is a victim now..

I agree with what you say below.

However, nobody was shot for talking/texting on a cell phone.
Somebody was shot for throwing shit in the dark while screaming at an elderly ex-cop who probably acted reflexively.

thunderlips11 says

Shooting somebody for talking on a cell phone is about a 9.99 out of 10 on the fucked up scale.

Your right, it does.
In America, everybody is entitled to a defense.

Or would you rather have it like Kim Jong's uncle?

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/03/22156917-kim-jong-uns-executed-uncle-was-eaten-alive-by-120-hungry-dogs-report?lite

thunderlips11 says

Yep, It says a lot about America that people are even trying to defend this.

SoftShell says

You left out some convenient facts.
1- The ex-cop was 71 years old.

2- ex-cops can carry weapons anywhere, as HR218 spells out
http://www.fop.net/legislative/issues/hr218/hr218faq.pdf
They
need self protection from perps they put away during their career, that might
come back to exact revenge.

3- texting somebody turns on the phone screen, and acts as a light source in
the darkness, which is a distraction to other viewers. That is why all movie
theaters prohibit usage of cell phones in theaters.

4- He shot him after having stuff thrown at him in the dark.

So the bigger question is why you would leave out those facts in your
statement?

You talk about facts? Plenty of ex cops don't go around killing people they have a disagreement with.

It's not. Nobody has ever stated that it was.

But if you are stupid enough to throw shit at elderly people in the dark, or anyone for that matter, not knowing if they are armed and/or have full mental capacity, you are partially responsible for whatever happens...

The guy could have
* ignored the cop and continued texting
* gone out to the lobby like 99.9% of the population and continued texting
* shut off his phone and watched the movie

But he chose to start a physical altercation not knowing who or what he was dealing with. That was his tragic choice.

thunderlips11 says

If shooting somebody for throwing popcorn was acceptable behavior,

The movie theater ushers should carry Gating guns and mow down anyone who uses a cellphone or texts during a movie.

Agreed.
Those cops probably have full mental capacity, or have not had an incident in their careers that might reflexively trigger them into shooting someone for no good reason.

lostand confused says

You talk about facts? Plenty of ex cops don't go around killing people they have a disagreement with.

SoftShell says

But if you are stupid enough to throw shit at elderly people in the dark

It may not have been dark. Last few times I've went to the movies, they don't turn off the lights until the movie starts, dimming them only slightly during the previews. I suppose because a lot of people arrive late (to miss the previews) and they don't want to be sued if somebody trips.

SoftShell says

The guy could have

* ignored the cop and continued texting

* gone out to the lobby like 99.9% of the population and continued texting

* shut off his phone and watched the movie

True, but I bet you that old man was needling him constantly and didn't listen to any explanation nor drop the subject. Anybody who has dealt with customer service (or medical care) and Seniors know that many of them feel ineffective or ignored and will become quite aggressive from any perceived slight, real or imagined, and often won't drop the subject unless utterly placated (even given a false apology for something that didn't happen is sometimes necessary to get them calm).

I suspect when Oulsen explained he was texting his kid, the old man might have made a nasty remark about his fathering abilities. Since this was Oulsen's first trip out since his kid was attacked by a dog, he may have been feeling guilty over taking his wife out for a date in the first place, and that pissed him off enough to throw popcorn. Usually, married with children USN Vets with good paying steady jobs don't fly off the handle unless pushed hard.

All speculation of course. But we do have the alleged prrior incident of Reeves chasing a woman, mid-movie, out into the lobby over phone usage.

I wouldn't call popcorn throwing a physical altercation. It's probably less offensive than splashing water on somebody.

Heraclitusstudent says

Reeves claimed that he fired because he felt he was "under threat" after the other guy threw a bag of popcorn at him.

Given how often the police shoot and kill innocent people, by this logic, anyone should be allowed to shoot a cop on sight out of fear for one's own life.

SoftShell says

The guy could have

* ignored the cop and continued texting

* gone out to the lobby like 99.9% of the population and continued texting

* shut off his phone and watched the movie

There's no question the texter was an asshole, but that's no excuse for murder.

Nobody is making excuses.

However, I am pointing out mitigating circumstances that come into play during sentencing....just like any competent criminal defense attorney would.

Dan8267 says

SoftShell says

The guy could have

* ignored the cop and continued texting

* gone out to the lobby like 99.9% of the population and continued texting

* shut off his phone and watched the movie

There's no question the texter was an asshole, but that's no excuse for murder.

Yes, I'll concede that.
The interior light setting has not been verified yet.

thunderlips11 says

SoftShell says

But if you are stupid enough to throw shit at elderly people in the dark

It may not have been dark. Last few times I've went to the movies, they don't turn off the lights until the movie starts, dimming them only slightly during the previews.

I think the big lesson here is that you just don't initiate physical abuse towards anyone. You just don't know what you are getting yourself into.

Well, to a cop it is probably a prelude to something much worse.
Think of the hundreds of movies that have violent scenes that start with someone throwing something into someone's face to temporarily blind/distract them while they start the physical stuff...that's a very common practice.
I would not doubt that defending yourself when someone throws shit in your face as a distraction to something else is part of cop training...

thunderlips11 says

I wouldn't call popcorn throwing a physical altercation. It's probably less offensive than splashing water on somebody.

It is FL, so he will get away with it.

SoftShell says

Think of the hundreds of movies that have violent scenes that start with someone throwing something into someone's face to temporarily blind/distract them while they start the physical stuff...that's a very common practice.

Those are movies. Concocted by screenwriters and producers who live in Malibu. You know, people with no grounding in reality whatsoever.

SoftShell says

I am pointing out mitigating circumstances that come into play during sentencing

OK, so the guy using a cell phone during the previews is a mitigating circumstance. We'll give the cop a free pack of playing cards while he wants to be electrocuted. That's how much the mitigation is.

SoftShell says

In America, everybody is entitled to a defense.

This case requires investigation. The press reports say the defendant left briefly and then returned; did he leave to talk with cinema management, or did he go to his car to retrieve the gun? Was either party on medications or otherwise intoxicated? A witness says "somebody" threw popcorn; of the people involved, who had popcorn? Press reports say the gun jammed; was the shooter attempting to fire a second shot?

thunderlips11 says

All speculation of course. But we do have the alleged prrior incident of Reeves chasing a woman, mid-movie, out into the lobby over phone usage.

It is speculation. Is she telling the truth, under oath, or just trying to get famous? Did he really follow her into the lobby, and if so, why?

thunderlips11 says

If shooting somebody for throwing popcorn was acceptable behavior, there would be very few native born American males that survived to 21.

I guess the moral of the story is, in Florida, don't eat skittles or popcorn or Arizona Iced Tea.

I think the moral of the story is, too many people are behaving badly in public and not trying to get along with each other. In the Trayvon Martin case, police failed to investigate promptly; from the moment they saw someone had died, they should have been knocking on every door in the neighborhood and gathering as much information as possible. I hope in this case they will investigate how on earth a dispute over texting ended in someone getting shot to death.

SoftShell says

Somebody was shot for throwing shit in the dark while screaming at an elderly ex-cop who probably acted reflexively.

If you have a trigger happy reflex to shoot a gun... you shouldn't be allowed to carry one. This old man was a grouch and grump... I'm sure the father might have been acting a bit dickish too...

But i wouldn't be surprised in Reeves left to go get his gun.. not talk to theater management... if that's the case.. He should get first degree murder.

It would change the facts and the charges as are known at this moment....

BoomAndBustCycle says

But i wouldn't be surprised in Reeves left to go get his gun.. not talk to theater management... if that's the case.. He should get first degree murder

retired cops do get to carry guns anywhere basically, yet this will be used to make more defense free zones..

person A uses a phone during the previews (previews everyone complains about, people don't go just to see the previews)

old man complains (now he is talking loudly in a theater, which is also against the rules)

old man runs off to be a tadal tale.

yells more because he didn't get his way.

gets something throw at him ... now either its so dark he can't tell what it is (in which case its horrible judgement to fire a weapon into a theater which could contain kids, and obviously contains lots of innocent bystanders)

Or there's enough light that the ex cop can take a safe shot at his target with out putting others into harms way.. but if there's that much light , then he should be able to see that it was pop corn.

did the pop corn even hit him? if it did not hit him you couldn't even legally call it assault. (legally throwing stuff is assault but realistically its not on the same level as punching someone or even pushing them) so if the pop corn did not hit him , then how does he know it was meant for him?

if the pop corn did hit him, ... he should be able to figure out it was popcorn and that his life was not in danger.

either way the ex-cop / murderer was a huge asshole.
he killed someone over popcorn
he got mad over the preview disruption and responds by causing a bigger disruption
did not factor in new father texting baby sitter , during the PREVIEWS..

and yes texting during a movie makes you an asshole.. texting during previews ... just makes people think that you will be an asshole during the movie ...

i've texted a baby sitter (mother-in-law) during a preview. phone was turned off by the movie start. i did not hurt anyone's movie going experience.

maybe a good chunk of the posters on here would want me shot for ruining the previews...

really? wow

finehoe says

Can a 3-year-old read a text?

He was texting the DAYCARE where his 3-year old was kept. What's so unusual about that? I do this myself, I know the phone number of my DD's caregiver and text occasionally stuff like "I'll be there by 4:30" or "I'm running late, can you stay late or take DD home and babysit?" If you don't have small children in a daycare I suppose you just won't understand.

Our texting thug:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/PeMEr_vBzBk

Dan8267 says

There's no question the texter was an asshole, but that's no excuse for murder.

But...really...only just barely not an excuse...

In my opinion, a more elegant tack would have been slashing his Achilles tendons with a linoleum knife from under the seat.

Homeboy says

Hey, Mark - just when I think you couldn't POSSIBLY be any more of a jackass, you go and prove me wrong.

thanks. i always try to outdo myself.

I gots to know!

http://www.youtube.com/embed/ETN9eNOA6vw

What difference does it make now??
The guy's dead because of leftist popcorn popping techniques.
If the stoned lazy bastards had throughly popped the corn as directed, there would not have been any unpopped kernals that wound up pummeling the shootist, causing his violent reaction.

Vicente says

finehoe says

Can a 3-year-old read a text?

He was texting the DAYCARE where his 3-year old was kept.

Doesn't prove a thing.
Everyone has cute baby pictures...

Vicente says

Our texting thug:

He was probably amped on LDS gummy bears or maybe Angel Dust.

Vicente says

Our texting thug:

He was probably amped on LDS gummy bears or maybe Angel Dust.

Look at her arm!

You can't deny that arm!

Two more people who encountered Reeves in the theater in recent days.

The man she identified as Reeves was sitting in the same row and talked with the usher afterward and gesticulated at her and her group, she said. She said she was there with her husband, three of her children and a niece.

Jamira Dixon is sure the man was Reeves because, she said, she made it a point to remember his face in case she went to file a complaint about him with theater management.

CNN repeatedly tried Wednesday to get a comment about the Dixons' claims from Reeves' attorney Richard Escobar. He didn't respond to CNN's requests.

The Dixons spent part of Tuesday night giving their version of the events of the December 28 movie to authorities, they said. They were interviewed separately, each for an hour, they said. CNN was unable to confirm Wednesday night that those interviews took place.

In recounting the experience to reporters outside their home in Wesley Chapel, the Dixons said the man never used foul language toward them; he just angrily kept his eye on them from the end of the row.

"As the (day) went on he just glared and glared and was grumbling the whole (time)," Jamira Dixon said.

"I don't think he saw much of the movie," Michael Dixon said.

Another man's cell phone went off during the movie, Jamira Dixon said, and the man leaned over and snarled at the guy on the phone. "Can you please, please turn that off. It's really disturbing me," the man said, according to Dixon.

She said she heard about Monday's shooting through a Facebook post she noticed while driving that afternoon. Because the incident also involved someone texting at the same theater, she asked a friend to see if there was a picture of the suspect and send it.

When she saw it she said she had to pull the car over.

"It sent chills down my spine," she said. "I knew it was that person that I had an encounter with a few weeks prior."

Still sticking to my speculation that Reeves nominated himself Theater Crusader, and was steadily simmering into an explosion of Anti-Texting Righteousness. Deus Vult!

Your making a good case.
I would add that the guy is probably halfway senile.....
This could lead to ex-cops having to be annually tested for mental competency to allow them to carry guns anywhere...

thunderlips11 says

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/15/justice/florida-movie-theater-shooting/

Still sticking to my speculation that Reeves nominated himself Theater Crusader, and was steadily simmering into an explosion of Anti-Texting Righteousness. Deus Vult!

thunderlips11 says

She said she heard about Monday's shooting through a Facebook post she
noticed while driving that afternoon. Because the incident also involved someone
texting at the same theater, she asked a friend to see if there was a picture of
the suspect and send it.

When she saw it she said she had to pull the car over.

Wow, self-righteousness over cellphone shooter and self-incrimination regarding cellphone use while driving right in the same paragraph!

People feel strongly about issues that they read (or hear about) in the media. This is yet another example of such a case.

If a person is in the theater and is disturbed by another person, they can move to another seat, ask for their money back and/or attend another showing, or simply shut up and ignore whatever it is.

Certainly shooting that other person is not warranted unless he is threatened with bodily harm. Even if the victim threw popcorn (?) or made a comment the shooter didn't like, the reaction was well beyond what the reasonable person would do.

SoftShell says

However, nobody was shot for talking/texting on a cell phone.

Somebody was shot for throwing shit in the dark while screaming at an elderly ex-cop who probably acted reflexively.

Anyone - especially an ex-cop - who acts reflexively, pulls out a concealed weapon and shoots an alleged popcornetrator is a danger to society. This is not a reasonable reaction for this situation.

Thunderlips digging has shown that this was building up, a slow boil. The guy was obviously off his rocker.
annual testing for excops who carry, especially elderly ones, for mental competency should be a result from this altercation.
But we know that won't happen...

elliemae says

SoftShell says

However, nobody was shot for talking/texting on a cell phone.


Somebody was shot for throwing shit in the dark while screaming at an elderly ex-cop who probably acted reflexively.

Anyone - especially an ex-cop - who acts reflexively, pulls out a concealed weapon and shoots an alleged popcornetrator is a danger to society. This is not a reasonable reaction for this situation.

SoftShell says

Your making a good case.

I would add that the guy is probably halfway senile.....

Thanks 'shell.

Here is another possibility to add to the senility, made by Ceffer:
Ceffer says

His defense is "post anabolic steroid dementia" compounded by post traumatic stress disorder.

The old bird could be taking a wing stiffener.

"Senile Douche, crazed on Levitra and covered with testosterone patches, snuffs Wayward Texter".

Ah, the good ole days of the National Enquirer.

Lt. Frank Drebin, cleaning out his desk and leaving the force:

"Just think: Next time I shoot someone, I could be arrested."