DADE CITY, Fla. — Eight years after Curtis Reeves, a retired police captain, shot and killed Chad Oulson, his trial began Monday after a series of delays.
Reeves shot and killed Oulson, 43, at a Wesley Chapel movie theater in 2014.
The two men were reportedly arguing over Oulson texting during the movie previews. Oulson's wife, Nicole, was there the day her husband and Reeves argued.
The Pasco County Sheriff's Office said Oulson had been texting his young daughter's babysitter.
Reeves left the movie theater to find management to file a complaint, but then later returned to the theater after being unable to find someone.
At some point during the argument, Oulson threw popcorn at Reeves and Reeves shot and killed him. Nicole attempted to shield her husband, causing her hand to be shot.
Reeves has never denied he killed Oulson. In 2017, Reeves' attorneys unsuccessfully argued he acted in self-defense under Florida's "stand your ground" law. Reeves claimed he "was in fear of being attacked" by Oulson.
Reeves, now 79, has been living at home under house arrest with a GPS monitor since his release from jail on bond in July 2014.
Despite concerns over COVID-19, Judge Susan Barthle says this trial has to finally get underway. The judge had set aside a few days to handle last-minute motions.
Among the motions being heard are whether to exclude the testimony of defense witness Michael Knox, who testified during Reeves' stand your ground hearing, saying surveillance video from inside the theater doesn't tell the whole story.
Prosecutors say Knox has a conflict of interest.
The state is also asking Barthle to exclude character witness testimony from Reeves' wife, Vivian, his daughter, Jennifer, as well as Vivian's testimony about being scared at the time of the shooting.
Jury selection for the trial began Monday. Barthle has set up parameters for how the jury will be selected in this case and will allow for four alternative jurors, rather than the standard two. This will help ensure they will not run out of panel members if some of them were to become ill during the course of the trial.