PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Testimony resumed Tuesday in the Curtis Reeves trial.
He’s the former Tampa Police captain who shot and killed 43-year-old Chad Oulson inside a movie theater in Wesley Chapel back in 2014.
What You Need To Know
- On Tuesday, defense attorneys focused on how well witnesses remember what happened
- Defense attorneys claim Chad Oulson threw his phone at Curtis Reeves, but witnesses said nothing was thrown
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- One witness claimed Reeves said something after shooting Oulson
One witness became visibly frustrated with defense attorneys as they questioned her about the wording used in a deposition she gave back in 2015. How well witnesses remember what happened was one focus of Tuesday’s questioning. The other was trying to establish what state of mind Reeves was in at the time.
Even before that final conflict with Chad Oulson, witnesses say Curtis Reeves seemed angry. Two said he muttered as he left the theater to report Oulson for using his cell phone during previews, but defense attorneys pointed out that neither witness could make out exactly what he was saying.
The three people who testified Tuesday morning described a heated discussion with Oulson once Reeves returned to the theater. Each said they saw Oulson stand up, and one told the court she heard Oulson curse at Reeves. None saw any struggle—no objects or punches thrown—or heard Oulson threaten Reeves. All they said they heard was a shot after seeing popcorn in the air.
One witness did say he heard Reeves say something after the shooting.
“Something along the lines of, ‘Throw popcorn in my face,’ or ‘Throw popcorn at me,'” said witness Charles Cummings.
Reeves’ lawyers questioned differences in Tuesday’s testimony versus depositions given years ago and whether the older statements were more accurate, since they were taken closer in time to the shooting.
The jury heard testimony from forensic investigators who collected evidence at the movie theater. The defense questioned whether evidence was collected in a way that would’ve destroyed DNA evidence on Chad Oulson’s phone. They claim Oulson threw his phone at Reeves before the shooting, but again, witnesses said they saw nothing thrown.
On Monday, after eight years of waiting, Oulson’s widow took the stand. Nicole Oulson told the court that her husband was using his cellphone during the movie previews. Reeves and his wife were sitting behind them before he told Chad Oulson to put the phone away.
During cross-examination on Monday, the defense said video footage from the theater appears to show Chad Oulson reaching into Reeves’ row, but Nicole Oulson said she didn’t remember that.
The defense claims Reeves shot Oulson in self defense.
We are covering this entire trial and will be in the courtroom throughout the proceedings. You can follow along with reporter Sarah Blazonis below:
