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 Curtis Reeves Jr., 71, is charged with second-degree murder and
aggravated battery in the shooting death of Chad Oulson, 43, in
Wesley Chapel, north of Tampa. Oulson died January 13 after an argument with Reeves over Oulson's
use of a cellphone to text his 2-year-old daughter's baby sitter,
Pasco County sheriff's deputies said. On Wednesday, Circuit Court Judge Pat Siracusa tried unsuccessful to
complete a bond hearing to decide whether Reeves would remain in the
Pasco County Jail, where he has been since the shooting. Lengthy testimony by eyewitnesses to the shooting and family and
friends of the defendant forced the judge Wednesday evening to
postpone a decision until the next hearing set for Friday. Reeves' daughter and family friends who spoke on Reeves' behalf
described him as an honest and honorable man who deserved to be
released from jail.
 Reeves, who is from Brooksville, removed his glasses and wiped away
tears when his daughter, Jennifer Shaw, made emotional testimony,
offering to turn over his passport to the court. She said her father
is a religious man, doting grandfather and a pillar of society who
takes care of his 93-year-old mother. Reeves attorney Richard Escobar said his client should be released
because any action he took was to defend himself. The incident
occurred during the previews at a matinee showing of the combat
drama "Lone Survivor" at the Cobb Grove Theatre complex.
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Four witnesses called by prosecutors to testify said Reeves shot
Oulson, from nearby Land O'Lakes, in the chest with a .380-caliber
pistol after Oulson threw popcorn at him. Assistant State Attorney Manny Garcia said Reeves should remain in
jail without bail, adding that Oulson did not strike or touch Reeves
during the altercation. Siracusa said he would allow surveillance video recorded inside the
theater at the time of the shooting to be shown in court. The judge agreed to seal all evidence in court files for 30 days to
give Reeves' attorneys time to review it and decide whether to
challenge it. Siracusa said he looked at the video 15 times and found the images
grainy, blurry and difficult to see.
(Editing by David Adams; editing by Lisa Shumaker)
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