The Curtis Reeves Popcorn Trial, Explained

Even before the theater lights fully dim, movie watchers tend to munch on snacks, sip on a beverage, or even doom-scroll the latest social media post. But, as the surround sound comes alive and action appears on the screen, there is an expectation that the phone is put away, similar to the stowing of that airline tray table on takeoff. Unfortunately, a heated phone debate in a Florida theater included the sound of bullets, which were not a movie effect from Lone Survivor and stand your ground was not an order in a military movie.

As reported by Court TV, in 2014, Curtis Reeves was arrested for second degree murder for shooting Chad Oulson during a disagreement in the Florida movie theater. After being released on a $150,000 bond, he has been on house arrest. Over the past eight years, the defendant's legal team has secured various delays. From defense plea motions to COVID delays, the defendant seemed to be taking the opposite approach of his Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial. Currently, the 79-year-old Reeves stands before a jury of his peers facing the criminal charges. While the incident might have captured the news cycle as the escalation of thrown popcorn, the series of unfortunate events is one that even a talented script writer may not have dreamt. How did a disagreement over movie theater etiquette turn into shots fired leading to a death?

As the criminal trial against Curtis Reeves begins to unfold, the disconnect between the catchy headlines and the legal principles can lead the non-legal minds into an ugly quagmire. According to CNN, the Florida-based defense team sought to employ the self-defense claim of "Stand Your Ground." Similar to the claim in the George Zimmerman defense, this legal concept asserts that when a person fears for their safety they can defend themselves and is not required to retreat. In this case, Reeves claims that he fired a gun at Chad Oulson because he feared for his safety. The shot resulted in Oulson's death. 

While the trial unfolds, the Tampa Bay Times reports the testimony from witnesses. Although there seems to be inconsistency regarding the heated disagreement between Reeves and the victim, the quick escalation from throwing insults to shots fired reads like fiction. Whether the alleged thrown popcorn or another item caused Reeves to fear for his safety will be determined by the jury. Although the defense team has alleged that Reeves feared what would happen next, the question remains whether his action was directly proportional to the perceived threat.

As both the prosecution and the defense mount their claims, the facts, recollections, and evidence will be considered by the jury. The standard of beyond a reasonable doubt will be applied to determine if Curtis Reeves is guilty of causing the death of Chad Oulson. Depending on the jury's findings, Florida law states that a second degree murder conviction has a penalty of up to 30 years in prison.

Although the sensational factor of this story puts the conversation in the headlines, the complexity of the case and the severity of the outcome is not a quip to be bantered about without care. Even though CNN reported that Reeves told detectives, "If I had to do it over again, it would have never happened," there is no sequel to this story. A victim died and a man stands on trial. If there is a lesson learned, maybe it is popcorn is meant for eating and heated words are best left to the dialogue on the screen.