Curtis Reeves Chad Oulson Shooting - Slow Progress

I wrote about this case before, but for the sake of convenience a brief summary is called for.

Curtis Reeves, a 71 year old retired police captain, was at the Cobb Grove 16 Theater in Wesley Chapel, Florida with his wife.  Chad Oulson, a 41 year old, physically fit, hardworking man, was at the same movie with his wife, and was sitting in front of Reeves.  During the pregame show Chad was texting someone, Curtis objected, and words were exchanged.  The short of it is that Reeves had a container of popcorn which Oulson seized and threw at him.

So Reeves shot Oulson with a .380 automatic and killed him.


That was in January of 2014, over five years ago.  The case still hasn't gone to trial, but here's the latest news, behind a pay wall: Trial Postponed In Pasco Theater Shooting Due To Stand Your Ground Uncertainty

From the article:
Reeves is charged with second-degree murder in the Jan. 13, 2014, shooting of Chad Oulson in the Cobb Grove 16 theaters. The men argued after Reeves told Oulson to stop using his cell phone. Oulson approached Reeves, grabbed a bag of popcorn and threw it at him. An instant later, Reeves drew a handgun and shot Oulson in the chest.

Just about the time this case was going to go to trial, the Florida legislature changed a part of the
Stand Your Ground law, shifting the burden of proof from the defendant to the State (the prosecution).

Reeves originally pleaded that he couldn't be prosecuted because of Florida's Stand Your Ground law, but the judge wasn't having any of it.  The trial date was set for February of 2019, but then the law changed.  The question then became does the change apply retroactively, and to cases that are in motion, so to speak.

Well... maybe, maybe not.  Judges have been ruling both ways, so the whole business is being kicked upstairs to the Florida State Supreme Court, which will take months to render a decision.  Meanwhile, Curtis Reeves is out on bail, but under house arrest.  He gets to live in his own home, and can go out to go to the store, the doctor, and to religious services.  By the time this case gets to trial, any jail sentence will likely amount to life in prison due to Reeves's age and health.

The wheels of justice grind along, crushing everything in their way.

I already published my personal opinion, but I'll repeat it in brief.  This is a case of two men acting like assholes, and one being armed.  Neither one would ignore the other, let alone apologize and move away from the offending dick.  Knowing he had no chance to take Oulson in a brawl, Reeves pulled out his pistol and shot the man.  Now he's dead, and leaves behind a host of grieving friends and an absolutely devastated mother and a wife, equally devastated.

Curtis Reeves belongs in prison.  I don't think he'll ever get there, but that's where he belongs.