Ex-cop charged in Fla. popcorn shooting released on bond
Curtis Reeves, a retired Florida police officer charged with second-degree murder in a shooting at a Tampa-area movie theater, was released from jail on bond Friday. Reeves will remain under house arrest.
Tampa, Fla.
A retired听听officer charged with murder in the shooting death of a fellow moviegoer during a dispute over texting was released from jail on bond Friday, his lawyer said.
Bail was set at $150,000 for听, 71, who has been in jail without bond since the January shooting at a听-area movie theater. A judge ordered听Reeves听under house arrest, and he is only to leave home to shop for groceries, seek medical care, or attend religious services.
"Mr.听Reeves听did nothing but use the law of self-defense in order to preserve his own life," his lawyer,听, told reporters. "He's coming home in order to resume his life and to assist us in preparing his defense."
As a condition of his bond,听Reeves听must surrender any personal firearms.
The case received wide attention, raising concerns about bearing arms in public, cell phone use and the potential application of听's controversial "Stand Your Ground" law.
Reeves听is charged with second-degree murder in the shooting of听, 43, after authorities say the two men got into an argument about cell phone texting during the previews for a matinee showing of the war film "Lone Survivor."
Reeves听told law enforcement officers that he feared being attacked when he fired his semiautomatic handgun after Oulson stood up and struck him in the face with an unknown object. Witnesses said Oulson, who was texting his toddler's babysitter, had thrown popcorn.
In a press conference,听Reeves' lawyer said听听laws protect seniors over the age of 65 from potentially deadly blows to the head, suggesting a cell phone may have been thrown at听Reeves.
听Circuit Judge Pat Siracusa was holding听Reeves听in jail without bond, but an appeals court issued a ruling on Friday morning that he may set bail. A trial is expected to be scheduled for early next year.
TJ听, a lawyer for Oulson's wife, decried the ruling. "This man, who ripped a family apart and tore them to pieces, is now able to be home in his own bed, see his family, see his son and his grandkids,"听听told reporters, calling听Reeves听a danger to the public.听