SOB senile retired cop kills man over cell phone.

[Archae]

[Blue_Tires]

1. Of course the final insult will come when Reeves gets off in court

or at the worst, he'll maybe get a couple of years plus probation...

The legal precedents have already been set...

[Electric Monk]

21. Dupe thread. 50 recs and counting

here http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024327653

edit: also, 22 recs here http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4325811

[Blue_Tires]

39. I always meant to ask:

Is that avatar supposed to be a snowman?

[Electric Monk]

41. It's an Ohm symbol (re: electricity) and a monk's hood at the same time, re: Electric Monk

Last edited Tue Jan 14, 2014, 06:11 PM - Edit history (1)

Ω

and the face is a stylized electrical outlet.

The Electric Monk was a labour-saving device, like a dishwasher or a video recorder. Dishwashers washed tedious dishes for you, thus saving you the bother of washing them yourself, video recorders watched tedious television for you, thus saving you the bother of looking at it yourself; Electric Monks believed things for you, thus saving you what was becoming an increasingly onerous task, that of believing all the things the world expected you to believe.

- Douglas Adams

[Common Sense Party]

80. I forgot all about that. Was that in the first Hitchhiker's book?

I never knew what your screen name referred to.

Nice avatar. Well done.

[Electric Monk]

81. Oops, I mis-attributed the source. It was actually Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency.

Also by Douglas Adams...

http://theelectricmonk.com/ElectricMonk.html
(that's not my website, I just found it with google)

[Common Sense Party]

84. I never read DGHDA.

I'll have to do that.

[tularetom]

42. Maybe he won't get off

He shot a respectable looking white guy instead of a minority teenager wearing a hoodie.

[jehop61]

2. The shooter

also was the retired Chief of Security for Busch Gardens. Good thing some little rug rat didn't assault him with cotton candy. There would've been hell to pay

[doc03]

3. I am glad someone picked up on this, I read it a few minutes ago

and didn't know how to link it on Android. The victim threw popcorn on the nut job and he
said he felt threatened and pulled his gun kills him. Another stand your ground
claim.

[Egnever]

4. well the guy didn't deserve to be shot

but he was clearly a total asshole. Who texts in a theater then gets pissy when asked to stop? Then goes on to assault a 70 year old over it.

Clearly the old guy over reacted badly and likely shouldn't own a gun but still the guy that was shot was a total prick. There are no good guys in this story.

[doc03]

5. No the old SOB should be locked up for life, I don't give a damn what the

other guy did. For one thing weopons were not permitted in the theater.

[Egnever]

6. he should certainly suffer some legal reprimand.

life in prison is over the top IMO.

Having said that if you think texting in the theater or pushing old folks around when they call you on it is ok. We will have to agree to dissagree.

[Luminous Animal]

8. Where oh where do you get that anyone was pushed?

[Logical]

88. What sentence would you give? n-t

[yeoman6987]

44. For one thing weopons were not permitted in the theater.

I am not sure that is true for CCW and retired police officers. However, that guy that died was a complete jerk. Deserve to die? No but dang what a jerk he was. When someone asks politely to shut off your cell phone, you should do so. Also in a theater you are not allowed to use the cell phone. They ask you to step out into the lobby. Every movie explains this every time. Both guys were wrong!

[Luminous Animal]

7. There's no evidence that the victim assaulted his killer.

[Egnever]

10. there is no evidence peiod

only articles written to enrage people and generate hits.

[cali]

13. of course there's evidence- a dead body

and a gun, to start with.

However, you parse it. this man murdered another man. there's no dispute over that.

[Luminous Animal]

14. And yet you are stating, as fact, that the shooter was attacked.

[Egnever]

22. Your righteous indignation is hilarious

When ignorant of the facts just make a judgment !

like I said there are no facts yet if i go by your apparent lack of standards when it comes to facts there is this.

"The defendant advised that he got into an argument with the victim over phone usage," the police report from Pasco County Sheriff's office said. "The defendant advised that the victim turned and stood up striking him in the face with an unknown object."

I would call that assaulting a 70 year old man.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/slain-dads-texting-daughter-cited-motive-shooting/story?id=21523732

Don't you feel stupid?

[Fumesucker]

33. That's the shooter's story

It should be taken with a truckload or two of salt.

Let's see what the witnesses say.

[Egnever]

50. oh now you want to wait and see how quaint

a couple of posts ago it was all bluster about we know plenty.

I agree with your revised opinion. We should wait and see what the real evidence says before getting our panties in a knot.

Obviously the guy is dead and that is a horible outcome to this situation.

But even from preliminary witness accounts this "victim" wanted to fight about turning his cell phone off in a movie theater. What kind of asshat does that?

I am not saying he should have been shot for it. But a good ass kicking from someone his own age might not be out of the question.
T

[Fumesucker]

52. You may have confused me with some other poster

I don't recall making any statements about knowing plenty.

[Egnever]

56. i did

sorry

[Hassin Bin Sober]

54. Careful there, bucko...

"The prosecutor in the case told the judge investigators had received a call from another concerned moviegoer who said Reeves had once followed her to the bathroom over her texting. "

Don't go too far out on a limb for this idiot lest you feel "stupid" yourself.

Besides, the retired cop knows exactly how to parse his words. He says unknown object. Everybody else says popcorn.

Assault with deadly popcorn. Maybe he had high blood pressure and the salt would kill him.

[Egnever]

57. Not defending the shooter

Dont be confused. The shooter was dead wrong to bring a gun into that theater in the first place forget about using it.

Doesnt make the "victim" any less of a dick.

Sometimes you act like a tough guy you get he short end of the stick. This guy thought he was going to push around an old guy in a theater cause the old man asked him to stop texting. He picked the wrong old guy.

Doesnt mean i think the old guy was right to do what he did in response.

All i am saying is the guy was a dick to be texting in the first place then arguing over it when asked to stop.

If the story was that the texter got his ass kicked instead of shot after picking a fight about texting durring a movie would you feel differently? Or if the old guy had wound up paralized in the hospital cause he asked this tool to stop texting would it make you feel any different then?

I realize thiw is DU where any story that has a gun in it always means the guy with the gun is guilty. But this could have gone a lot of different ways and it all started cause this guy couldnt turn his damn cell phone off in the theater.

[kcr]

62. The victim being a dick doesn't justify the shooting in any way

You're trying to make a connection between the two. Big fail.

[Egnever]

65. No i am not

what i am saying is being an asshole has consequences. Some times those consequences are tragic.

The guy that got shot was an asshole. The shooter was certainly an ass for bringing a gun to a theater. It remains to be seennwewthernhe actualy feared for his life.

Could be the old man was angry and looking to shoot someone. As the evidence comes out I am sure there will be clarity on that.

What is perfectly clear though is the guy that got shot was using his cell in a theater and was asked not to and refused. That is pure and simple being a jerk. I dont see anyone disputing anywhere that he was texting after the lights whent down or that he refused to stop when asked. What happened after that remains to be discovered.

[kcr]

68. Taking a gun to a theater and murdering someone with it is being an asshole?

Yep. There. That's where you're doing it.

[Egnever]

70. that assumes he murdered him

if he was actually defending himself from a guy who was pissed off he was asked to stop texting then it is entirely different.

No less tragic that someone is dead because of this. One is murder the other could be justifiable homicide.

I am going to wait for the facts. To come out before I decide.

The fact that the guy wouldnt turn his cell off though leads me to believe he is less than some innocent victim.

[kcr]

73. I'd believe that

if you didn't say things like being an asshole has consequences. The fact the victim didn't have a gun, the murderer left the scene and came back, and none of the witnesses had the victim attacking him? Well, feel free to wait for more facts all you want, but the facts already look like murder.

[Egnever]

74. so you are of the opinion you can be an ass

whenever you want without consequences?

Let me know how that works out for you.

[kcr]

77. No.

I'm of the opinion that people don't have the right to murder others just because they're doing something that's bothering them.

[Egnever]

119. Of course not

Who said they did?

[Hassin Bin Sober]

67. "the guy with the gun is guilty"

Yes, the guy who brings a gun to a popcorn fight is ALWAYS guilty.

Let's not forget the guy, according to witnesses, left and came back more agitated. That's when the altercation started.

Notifying the management should have been the end of it. But this guy appears to be some "texting crusader". see: the report of a woman being followed to a bathroom by this guy.

Let's not forget he wounded the guy's wife either.

[Egnever]

69. yep he is guilty

he shot someone. No doubt about it.

You have your meme backwards though. It should read.

You dont bring popcorn to a gunfight.

Texting might be this old guys pet peve. Doesnt make it right to be texting in a theater. And doesnt make it right to continue to do so after being asked to stop.

As far as the wife getting shot. The news reports so far seem to indicate she put her hand out to block the shot. She wasnt shot intentionaly lets not pretend it was.

We werent there we dont know what happened other than the old guy asked the dude to stop and he refused. After that it gets murky.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

86. "She wasnt shot intentionaly" (sic)

Oh by all means then, let's blame the victim. Sorry you got shot lady but your husband DID throw popcorn on me.

The fact that my "meme" flew right over your head is, well, not surprising if you are going to make excuses, and that's what you are doing, for this murderer.


Only a good man with a gun can stop a bad man with popcorn. (new NRA mantra for 2014) .... stolen from the comments section

[Luminous Animal]

71. I made a zero judgment. You merely assumed that I had.

And I'll take the shooters testimony with a grain of salt. There will be a trial and witnesses will testify.

So no. I don't feel stupid.

[Egnever]

72. fair enough

[Skittles]

104. just curious but

were you pro-Zimmerman too?

[Xyzse]

11. Even if he was a total asshole

That 70 year old should have stopped after calling in an usher.
Once done, all he had to do was wait.

And for goodness sake, it wasn't even the movie yet, it was still during the trailers.

[Egnever]

30. I agree

guy was still a dick. I dont have a whole lot of sympathy for him.

[doc03]

12. What makes you think the old SOB didn't know exactly

what he was doing. He used the I felt threatened bs just like GZ, he knew exactly what he was doing. If he was senile he shouldn't have been armed
in the first place. I am not far from that age myself, just because he is 70 that doesn't make him Innocent.

[Egnever]

26. I have no idea

Neither do you.

What i do know is texting in a theater after the lights go down is being an asshole. When someone asks you to stop and you continue you are an even bigger asshole, and when you stand up and start screaming with a 70 year old over it you are a huuuuuge asshole!

If as the shooter claims he was struck by this guy he is an even bigger asshole.

Doesn't mean he should be shot. Does mean my sympathy meter swings more from the victim area towards the darwin awards area.

[doc03]

87. "If the shooter claims he was struck by this guy." From what I read he

was struck by popcorn. Why does the fact the shooter is 70
dismiss him from responsibility? So in four years I can go out and gun someone down
for texting and get away with it because I am old. I know many 70 year olds that have 100% of their mental faculties. For chrissake I know a guy 71 that works as a supervisor in a coal mine every day and could probably kick 3 out of 40 year olds ass. You are an idiot to think someone can just shoot someone for being an asshole.

[Egnever]

114. I am not saying he should be cleared of responsibility

Not in the slightest. I am claiming the guy who got shot was an asshole full stop. Doesn't mean i think the shooter is absolved of guilt but it does mean he played a big part in his own demise in my opinion. Is turning the damn cell phone off in the theater that hard? you have to argue with and old man about it and throw popcorn or whatever at him?

In my opinion this is a case of two asshats meeting head on, one happened to have a gun. If he hadn't the outcome may have been the old man in the hospital instead of the younger guy. Who knows.

What i am saying period is this guy should have just put his cell phone away. Instead he decided to be a cocky ass about something he was wrong to be doing and had been asked according to witnesses several times to stop. Now he is dead.

The shooter may have been afraid or he may not have been I wasn't there I don't know. Either way the guy who couldn't turn his cell phone off is dead.

Mess with the bull sometimes you get the horns.

The shooting is tragic and the guy who did the shooting should definitely pay for what he did. Pretending the guy who got shot is some innocent is BS though IMHO.

Your mileage may vary.

[malaise]

16. I hate cell phones in theaters but please remember that

the movie had not begun

[Egnever]

28. No the previews had though

and I dont know bout you but every theater i go to out here clearly tells you cell phones should be off before the previews begin.

Texting in a theater does not rise to anywhere near you should be shot levels. But it does make you a dick especially when asked several times to stop.

[Cal Carpenter]

103. Yes, it's a growing public menace

and should clearly be responded to with lethal vigilante force.

[dionysus]

17. oh FFS...

[WolverineDG]

18. When the movie hasn't started yet

The film hadn't started, just the previews. Who gives a flip if someone uses their phone during the previews?

[Egnever]

25. The movie theater does.

in every movie I have been in i the last 5 years there is an announcement to turn your cell phone off before the previews start.

Like I said clearly shooting the guy was not the answer but this "victim" was a dick and the situation would have been easily avoided if he had just turned his cell off like he was supposed to when asked several times according to witnesses.

Instead he acted the tough guy with an old man and he got shot for it. Way over the top reaction to be sure but i dont feel a whole lot of sympathy for him.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/slain-dads-texting-daughter-cited-motive-shooting/story?id=21523732

The defendant advised that he got into an argument with the victim over phone usage," the police report from Pasco County Sheriff's office said. "The defendant advised that the victim turned and stood up striking him in the face with an unknown object."

[WolverineDG]

35. I hate it when people use cell phones at the movies too

But I didn't pay to see the previews. So if people yak or text during them, I don't care. But then, I'm same & not a gun nut apologist.

[Fumesucker]

38. The shooter was also breaking theater rules evidently by carring a gun

Does that make him a colossal dick too?

[Egnever]

40. yup

plenty of assholishness to go around in this one.

[Fumesucker]

43. The diffference being it's much more difficult, unlikely even, to kill someone with a cell phone

[Egnever]

46. that is brilliant!

never said the old man was right to have the gun or to shoot him in fact he was dead wrong to do both imo.

That doesnt make the clown who got shot any less of a dick.

[Fumesucker]

49. Minor annoyance vs deadly threat

In this case a deadly threat carried out to its ultimate conclusion.

[Egnever]

51. well

if your argument is people shouldnt be walking around with loaded weapons. I am in total agreement with you there.

[Mariana]

76. Then it's up to the theater employees to enforce the rule.

If they refuse to do so, then you walk out and demand a refund, and you don't go back to that particular theater again.

[Rex]

27. Wow, you really are something special.

[Egnever]

29. you too!

[Rex]

31. Your lack of empathy is telling, sadly predictable and typical.

I'm sure you would be way to cowardly to say any of this to the dead man's wife or kids. You should be embarrassed by your replies in this thread, but that won't happen. It is beyond your understanding.

[Egnever]

34. Lol your attempts to shame me are pathetic.

[Rex]

37. Yeah like I said, way to much of a coward to say that to her face

just like I thought, big person in this thread...shame you? That would require you to have human emotions first.

[Egnever]

45. LOL

so when your grandpa comes home beaten bloody by some guy who didnt like being asked to turn his cell phone off you will be telling grandpa he shouldnt have been so kean to such a nice guy. Am i right?

What a joke your outrage is.

[Bjorn Against]

107. Wait a minute who got beaten bloody in this case?

I know of someone who got murdered by a gun nut, but I never heard about anyone getting beaten bloody in this incident.

[Egnever]

110. The whole point is

you havent heard a thing about this other than a sensational headline.

[Bjorn Against]

111. But the dozens of witnesses who were in the theater did

And not a single one of them reported anyone getting beaten to bloody pulp like you suggested.

[Egnever]

112. Is that right?

Can you link me to these dozens of eye witness accounts?

[Bjorn Against]

113. There were dozens of people in the theater and no beating reported

Do you really think this guy could be beaten and no one reported the beating? And if he were beaten to a bloody pulp would there not be injuries? Your claim is absolutely ridiculous, if you are claiming he was beat to a bloody pulp then it is up to you to provide proof that he was.

[Egnever]

115. So because the guy shot him before possibly being beaten

Means there is no possibility he might have been?

According to the witnesses this guy had already started throwing things and his wife was trying to hold him back. Is it that much of a stretch to think if he hadn't been shot it wouldn't have escalated into him hitting the guy?

Do you often go around throwing stuff at strangers cause they asked you to turn your cell phone off in the theater?

[Bjorn Against]

118. So you advocate shooting someone because they might throw a punch?

Let me tell you what I think of your position. What you are doing is defending straight up murder on the basis that someone might get punched, that is a fucking sick and morally bankrupt position. An innocent person is dead and you are defending his murder, acting like being hit with popcorn is the same thing as being beaten to a bloody pulp. You can sit here and defend murder all you want, but any sane person will see your words as sick, twisted, and morally bankrupt. You can go to hell.

[Egnever]

121. Well if you put words into my mouth i suppose so

No where have I said I thought it was ok this guy got shot. Nor am i defending his murder.

In my opinion there is rarely a good reason to shoot anyone if ever. Havent owned a gun in my life and never will.

What i am saying is this dude was asking for trouble. He was arguing with a stranger over texting in a theater after the lights went down. According to what i have read it got to the point at least where he is throwing things and his wife is holding him back.

What I am saying is this guy isn't some innocent victim who just wanted to talk to his poor child. This was a rude asshole who was texting in a theater that was asked repeatedly to stop and didnt then wanted to pick a fight when the guy came back from supposedly reporting him to the manager.

There are witnesses saying something was thrown at the old guy, most likely popcorn. Even if it is popcorn though is that the behavior of some innocent guy? Who wasnt looking for trouble over HIS rude behavior?

If the old man had just wupped his ass would he still be an innocent, or would you laugh at him then and say he deserved the ass wuping the 70 year old gave him?

How meek does the old man have to be in this situation before you recognize that this victim was being a complete jerk right up till the point he was shot?

Doesnt make his shooting right. I am not saying it makes his shooting right (cant believe i have to repeat this)

It makes him an asshole! Thats it full stop.

Spare me the poor innocent texting his poor daughter bleeding heart bs.

Get rid of the guns

[Bjorn Against]

122. You are defending his murder

You keep defending his murder, periodically inject an "I'm not defending his murder", and then go right back to defending his murder again. Your words in this thread are disgusting.

[susanna]

131. Nor have you. Yet you have so much to say! n/t

[Egnever]

132. Yea I am not the biggest fan of sensational headlines.

Guess i should work on that.

[Bjorn Against]

135. And suggesting someone got beaten to a bloody pulp when it never happened is less sensationalist?

[Lex]

48. You've already shamed yourself. nt

[Egnever]

55. yes because everyone killed by a gun

Automatically becomes a saint.

[Lex]

102. You make up stuff that no one said

and then roll your eyes. It's a teenager way of arguing a point. LOL.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

64. He's not the only one. One particular disturbed individual said that the cop was his hero

I engaged with that person, and barely survived a jury (3-3). Some things are more important to me than winning a DU jury verdict, however. For example, I'll gladly take a lock when some maladjusted person decides to call the murderer their personal hero and then goes on to make fun of the man who was murdered while texting his 3-year old. There are sociopaths among us.

[Cha]

96. Geeze.. his "hero" on DU? Getting popcorn thrown on

you and whipping out your gun and killing him does not make you a hero. It makes you a sick idiot asshole. I think he survived the popcorn but Chad Oulson is dead.

snip//

"Authorities said a preliminary investigation had determined that there was no physical contact during the incident Monday afternoon at a theater in the Tampa suburb of Wesley Chapel. It was popcorn, thrown by Oulson, 43, that struck Reeves."

snip//

Tepper said there was no evidence to support the claim that the shooter was a victim, according to a probable cause affidavit. She denied bond and ruled that Reeves should face the second-degree murder charge.

The judge addressed Reeves and asked him if he understood what had happened and that he was facing life in prison; Reeves said he did. Reeves' attorney then said that he and his client would speak in private, indicating that the former officer should not say anything in court.

more..

link

[DisgustipatedinCA]

97. Thank you, Cha.

We aren't always on the same side of issues. It makes me happy to confirm that we are on the same side of this issue, which is fundamentally about basic human decency. We can disagree on other issues if need be, in the knowledge that we both want what's right but just have different ideas about how to accomplish that. This is in stark contrast to a very few posters who appear to be devoid of any empathy. Anyway, thank you.

[Cha]

100. Yes, we most definitely

agree on this tragic killing in the Florida theater, DCA. Thank you for speaking out for Chad Oulson(radical popcorn thrower).

[Egnever]

116. Thanks for that link Zid

Reeves, a former police officer, pulled a gun and shot once, hitting Chad Oulson in the chest and Oulson's wife, Nicole, in the hand she was using to grab her husband in an attempt to calm things down.

This is exactly what it will come down to in court in my opinion. This guy was so pissed he was told on he was throwing things at the guy and his wife was holding him back.

Certainly does not rise to the level of getting shot over but doesn't sound like some poor innocent victim either.

Real easy for this not to happen. Put the damn cell phone away.

I doubt we will ever hear the details on this case but in my opinion based on what i have read this was two asshats going head on at each other and one of them had a gun.

Both of them were idiots in my opinion.

[Lex]

47. No, you're mistaken. The ASSHOLE here is the shooter.

[Egnever]

58. they are both assholes

that was my only point. Sorry you think getting shot makes you a saint. I dont see it that way.

[neverforget]

98. Of course you don't.

You're a special kind of human being: one that lacks empathy for the deceased but is self righteous in their indignation at someone being an "asshole" for texting at a movie theater during the previews. A father was killed, the mother wounded and now a 3 year old doesn't have a father. Oh well. The guy was being a dick texting.

[Lex]

101. Don't put words in my mouth, please. It's pathetic of you.

"you think getting shot makes you a saint" <--- uh, no I don't

IF you have to resort to this kind of made-up crap, you're in way over your head.

[Skittles]

105. you are correct at they are both assholes

however, one was a gun humping cowardly asshole

[JI7]

59. i would say the Gun Nut was most likely at fault and wanted an excuse to shoot someone

[Egnever]

61. you could be right

too little information now to know for sure.

[Mariana]

123. You're probably right.

There are people out there who fantasize about killing someone and hope for an opportunity to do it and get away with it. Some of them will go out of their way to try to bring about such an opportunity.

I wonder if this guy was inspired by Zimmerman.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

79. Just to let you know.....

...you're not coming off looking very good with your pronouncement here.

[Logical]

89. LOL, ahhh, someone is wanting attention! nt

[madinmaryland]

91. NO. The gun-nutter was the TOTAL ASSHOLE. The young man who was MURDERED may have been

a bit inconsiderate, but in no way should ANYONE be blaming the victim.

[morningfog]

108. Who the fuck cares who texts in a theater? No good guys??? WTF?

[Egnever]

117. It went beyond texting

Turned into shouting and throwing things and a wife trying to hold her husband back.

If he was just sitting there texting and got shot you would have a point.

[msongs]

9. gun owner kills...is a more appropriate description nt

[alcibiades_mystery]

15. Gunner shitheads in action

I'm especially enamored today of the gunner trash running this whole "Oh, he didn't deserve to be shot, but texting during a movie is very poor conduct, tra la la."

They can't help but expose themselves as the utter shitheads they are.

[doc03]

20. Totally agree. Now we get a pass if we are 70, gonna go out get rid of some people I

don't like. Ronald Raygun President at 70. How old was Senator Byrd while still in the Senate, he was sharper than
90% of the people half his age. Just because you are 70 doesn't give you an excuse for murder.

[Rex]

32. They are sick sick people and in this very thread.

Their lack of empathy or compassion is telling to the rest of us imo.

[FatBuddy]

19. how do you know he's senile?

you can be in complete possession of your faculties and still execute someone in public.

[Hoyt]

23. As one in elderly category, old folks reach point where kids have to take their keys. Why not gunz?

Or are the old crotchety right wingers gonna say Molon Labe?

[Brickbat]

24. Saying he's senile excuses him.

[Rex]

36. Nice attempt at covering for this guy with your title, but fail.

nt.

[Drale]

53. This is the sort of story that makes me want to change my stance on the death penalty

I want to drag that Piece of Shit out into a crowed town square and put a bullet in his brain. But then I remember why I'm against Capital Punishment and that its a purely emotional response to a terrible situation. Lets just hope he doesn't get off on Stand Your Ground, although he didn't shoot an unarmed African American Teen so I'm sure he'll be convicted.

[Egnever]

60. really?

this is what does it for you?

Out of all the heinous crimes out there an argument spiraling out of control is the one that makes you reconsider the death penalty....

[Drale]

63. This is not the only incident

There have been many, but no matter the horrendous crime, the state should not be in the business of executing anyone.

[Egnever]

66. This was not a random shooting

If it were i would uderstand why it makes you reconsider your stance. This seems to be an argument gone very wrong.

I agree though we shouldnt be in the business of executing people.

[Mariana]

75. I don't believe the retired cop was senile.

I think he knew exactly what he was doing. I think he was trying to provoke a fight, because he was hoping to get a chance to shoot someone legally.

[pipi_k]

137. Sorry, but...

that doesn't make sense.

If he had wanted to "shoot someone legally", why did he wait until after retirement to do it?

He could have done it at any time during his career. If he was that hot to do it, he could even have done it the day before his retirement began, when having his weapon taken away wouldn't have mattered.

Also, to not believe someone who shoots another person in a theater over a cell phone text might be senile...or disturbed...doesn't make sense either.

Because, yeah...shooting people for no reason is perfectly normal, right?

[Cali_Democrat]

78. Gun nuts should be banned from Earth. n/t

[Xyzse]

82. Somewhat newer source

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/cops-friends-stunned-respected-captain-movie-theater-slaying-article-1.1578945

The retired Florida cop who allegedly shot and killed a young dad who was texting during a movie "had every right to defend himself" after the man hurled a bag of popcorn at him, his lawyer said in court.

But authorities said Tuesday there was no physical contact between Curtis Reeves and his victim Chad Oulson before he allegedly shot Oulson in the movie theater.

No physical contact between them. Guy was armed with popcorn...

[lpbk2713]

83. Let em get away with throwing popcorn ...

next thing ya know they'll be throwing Skittles and iced tea.

[Rex]

85. Well that destroys the gun humpers argument completely.

NO doubt they will ignore this new information like it was the plague.

[neverforget]

99. Assault with deadly popcorn!

I wonder how that defense will work out for the killer?

[scarletwoman]

90. I don't know anything about texting. I don't own a cell phone. How does texting - as opposed to

talking - create any kind of disturbance in the first place? Isn't it a basically silent activity?

[senseandsensibility]

92. And texting a three year old?

I guess I'm the only one that doesn't get that.

[scarletwoman]

94. I have no idea. Maybe you text smilie faces? Maybe the 3 year old was precocious & knew how to read?

My question remains: how does texting impact anyone else? Isn't it silent?

[bluesbassman]

106. Depending on the phone's display settings the screen can be quite bright while texting.

Also, some people have their phones set up to have an audible "click" when each character is entered. These issues are why you are asked not to text during a movie as it can be very distracting for obvious reasons.

But, getting bent out of shape about it during the trailers is way over the top IMO. It'll be interesting to hear what transpired between the two men prior to the popcorn flying. My bet is that the old fellow was chewing the victim out and it escalated from there.

[Beacool]

109. The light is quite bright on some of the phones.

[Mariana]

126. Whoever was watching the child was probably

reading the messages to the kid, and texting the kid's answers back to the parents.

[ok_cpu]

93. The light is pretty distracting in a dark theater

Not, like, I'll kill you if I don't get to see this American Hustle trailer capital offense distracting but kinda annoying.

[scarletwoman]

95. Thank you for your answer.

Please note: my response that follows is not in any way directed to you personally.

What I find annoying in a movie theater is having someone repeatedly kicking against the back of my seat. As for a random point of light emanating from the audience section, I can't imagine how that would not be fairly easy to ignore by simply focusing my gaze on the screen.

I concede that if it were someone seated right beside me I might politely ask that person to shut off their phone. Or not. I would most likely just do my best to ignore them. And focus on the screen.

Pulling out a gun and shooting them would not be an option, no matter what. Particularly because I wouldn't ever be carrying a gun in the first place.

[Go Vols]

120. I use this and never get shot at,

and see movies before they come to the theater.

[Logical]

124. A liberal thief! Classy! I am sure you justify it somehow! nt

[Cali_Democrat]

127. Well, geee

Gun nutterism has infected America to the point where people are allowed to carry fucking guns into movie theaters.

I don't blame people if they'd rather stay at home and download the movies for free.

[Logical]

133. LOL, great justification! nt

[Orrex]

136. That's why I break into parked 18-wheelers

So I can get my food and merchandise without having to risk getting shot at a grocery store.

[flvegan]

125. Senile? That's a medical term. Are you a doctor now?

DU should be better than this.

[Cali_Democrat]

128. 71 year old man blasts random father for text messaging

I'd say there's a good chance he's senile.

Thankfully the piece of shit was denied bail.

[flvegan]

130. So, opinion aside that's a no?

[Marr]

129. You know what I find really distracting in theaters?

Murdering dipshits firing weapons into other peoples' chests.

[Puglover]

134. People are nuts.

I live in the Northern Andes. Petty theft is quite common here. Ipads and Laptops are like candy to some of the indigenous folk here, especially the younger ones. It's simply the way it is.

Consequently you watch your stuff with a bit more vigilence then needed in the States.

Yesterday one of our nw arrivals informed me that if and when he saw one of the "bogies" making off with any of his stuff, he would "beat them to death". Period without blinking an eye.

I said, "Seriously? Your Ipad is worth someones life?" He answered "You reap what you sow".

I really do wish expats like this would stay the fuck out of Ecuador.

[pipi_k]

138. If he's senile...

then why is he an "SOB"?

People don't choose to be senile. People don't choose to be mentally disturbed.

Do normal people run around shooting others for no reason? Not that I know of.

That must mean there's something wrong with the guy.

In which case, I would ask again...why would a person with (possibly) age-related senility deserve to be called an SOB for doing something he might not have done if his mind had been functioning properly?