More fantasy.

You can say it, but it's pure BS.

But by all means, keep saying it... it's hilarious. :cool:

It certainly could have appeared that the older gentleman left, did the texter know that the older gentleman had his wife with him - the older gentleman was sitting behind the texter - how do you know that the texter had that additional knowledge available to him - you don't.

I could say the same about you, don't get so all 'judgmental' here - this is all based on a very tiny amount of knowledge -

I don't think the older man did, from reports -

You don't kill someone because you assume they may continue texting, plus, if this is the case, that the older man thought that the texter might have continued texting - then why not move (as I stated before, he was a cop - they certainly tell everyone else not to return to confrontation situations, why would the older gentlemen return and risk confrontation when there was absolutely no need to, again - this is a stupid movie). There was plenty of space in the theater - why remain and be annoyed.

Here you go again - appear to place blame again - equally - are you not? You use rather descriptive words to really place the texter in a poor light, however, you haven use any such picturesque language with regards to the older gentleman. In fact, I dont believe I have seen any of the perceived 'equal blame' camp use such colorful language to describe the older gentlemen, however often they use similar words to azzhat to describe the texter (the camp that places more of the blame on the older gentleman however certainly uses some interesting descriptors).

He should have moved, his background as a police officer, with the knowledge that is used in that particular profession gives him double reason to move. Not only is it commonsense, why even flirt with confrontation when you know that you hate texting, and that there is a chance that the guy texting in front of you will be continuing to text during the feature film, and as a police officer the standard reply is just remove yourself from the situation, he knew that was the 'good advice' in this situation.

Again, you appear to place equal blame on both parties, while 'justifying' the escalation of a rather common disagreement to killing someone. Someone throws popcorn during a heated argument and the correct response is to shoot him? I find that incredibly hard to fathom that anyone would considered that a reasoned response.

Yes, pestering him multiple times was unnecessary. Most people would be annoyed and not comply, especially when the old guy was probably a major doosh about it.

The guy did not get shot because he was texting. he got shot because he physically attacked an old man.
To those that get it, good.


To those that don't get it or refuse to admit the truth because it makes the voices angrry, seek professional help.

It would seem that up until the point that Gramps pulled the trigger, he had done everything correctly.

The hot head (he's friends term not mine) texter ramped it up.

Did he deserve to die? Of course not, but he is not blameless here.

Wow, Foxy... you are going in circles again.

I may get back to your "points" and address them later, at some point, but... yikes, that stuff you just posted is... uh... :(

Quoted for posterity, nonetheless...

You guys keep making statements that the fellow was shot because he was texting or because he threw popcorn or because the old dude was mad. Why don't you stick to the facts as we know them. The old guy is the only one who knows why he chose the path he did...and has testified that it was because he was struck by an unknown object and was afraid. Unless he has admitted something else to you...that he knew it was only a box of popcorn or that he was really not afraid of the younger man who aggressively jumped up, confronted him and and was being restrained by his wife...then you are speculating.

That guy had every right to be in the theater. His dad's girlfriend lived there. Never mind that he was on school suspension.

The other guy disobeyed a lawful instruction from a $10/hr theatre manager to return to his car. These people always get away with it.

Oh, wait.



The only reason we're talking about this is because they are white and one is an ex cop CCWing. People get capped in the hood all the time for less confrontational reasons. That said, I dare anyone to grab a box of popcorn and throw it at someone in the hood and report back how it went down. I'm not sure I have a point.

How many here would act like a little ***** and start throwing popcorn over someone asking them to put their phone away?

It's hard to fathom anyone would consider that action from a reasonable adult.

Who said that is reasonable? No one that I can tell. But does it warrant the "death penalty?" Now that's unreasonable.

This thread is rampant with speculation and "what if's" that do nothing to move the discussion forward because there seems to be a need to blame one participant over the other or to, at least, get inside the head of the shooter to understand his justification--which is not the same as defending the actions of the shooter.

In the attempt to understand the shooter, the term "assault" has been thrown around like the ubiquitous popcorn in the theater. Because someone verbally treads upon your sensibilities does not constitute criminal assault which is the only form of assault that has bearing in this case.

From the Florida Statute: An "assault" is an intentional, unlawful threat by word or act to do violence to the person of another, coupled with an apparent ability to do so, and doing some act which creates a well-founded fear in such other person that such violence is imminent.

You may feel assaulted by someone yelling and calling you names, but it does not constitute criminal assaut.From the information released so far, absolutely no criminal assault occurred. Unless the victim made an intentional unlawful threat to do violence, there is no criminal assault.

What no one here knows are the actual words exchanged between the two, and those exchanges will be key. It is possible that there was a verbal threat made, but we don't know and we don't know which participant may have made it. The shooter has to show a "well founded fear" that violence was imminent to justify his actions. Throwing popcorn could conceivably be seen as a precursor to imminent danger if it was preceded by a true verbal assault. Again, to date there is no information that there was a threat of violence.

Given what is known, it comes down to the bold part of the above quote, IMO. Both participants made choices that escalated the conflict and it's ridiculous to continually spin out and argue scenarios detailing what each should/could have done. It does nothing to advance understanding of what did happen.

I think we have 25 pages of "Going in circles here".....Also very sad, there was a shooting during a movie in my town over 10 years ago. This is no different than a traffic dispute that gets out of hand.......Happens every day somewhere.

Sometimes, conciseness brings fresh air into the room.

This is one of those times. :)

More fresh air.

It's like being on vacation in the Carribbean.

To those who want to stay in a dark alley in a bad part of town whining and grumbling, you are invited to wise up and smell the cocoa butter.

The argument got very heated and the popcorn flew. Douche move, yes, but not justified in being murdered over. The "unidentified" object the old man felt hit his head was a buttered up popcorn kernel.

Reading all these posts I am struck with something - age 'vision'.

It appears that most people who are under 35 or so feel that the older gentlemen 'went too far' in killing someone for texting. Most of those older than 55 or so seem more often to side with the older gentleman, he was somehow 'justified' in killing this 'azzhat' for throwing popcorn (protecting himself and his wife from some perceived deadly assault).

Who do you think will determine the fate of gun ownership/the 2nd amendment in the future?

It was a BAG, not a box. Bags of popcorn are soft. I know this. I've been to a theater. The witnesses that have been reported by the press say no physical altercation happened. Just a deadly BAG of popcorn.

This guy is going to die in prison. Count on it.

Not me...

I guess I don't find popcorn all that threatening.

At that point, I'd have gone back to management and explained the texter's behavior again and demanded he be escorted out.... Loudly. It is their job to enforce their policies to include requesting security or cops.

Next time you get popcorn thrown at you call 911 and see what kind of a reaction you get..and there are those that talk of manliness...:rolleyes:

As for those that suggest that the texter should have shut his mouth as to not provoke the crazy old dude, the same could be said of the ex cop who should have years of experience and wisdom to temper his judgement. I hold him to a higher standard of conduct.

There is a time and a place to stand up to rule breakers I agree but, if I spent my time policing every one I come across I'd be dead already. How about we take this to the "parking space" thread.

There are bigger problems in the world than *****ing at texters at a movie. It's really sad that "old guy" couldn't let it go.

EMJ
Why do you believe it was a single kernel of popcorn and.not a box?

I'm over 55 and a multiple-gun owner. I think the old guy should spend the rest of his life behind bars, being Bubba's boy-toy.

Awesome. You da man. Circles.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1389893545.jpg

The police said BAG, not box. I'm not making this **** up.

Woohoo!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1389893710.jpg

It sounds like the texting/popcorn throwing/dead guy had severe anger and maturity issues. Throwing a box of popcorn at someone in a theatre and standing up in an aggressive way, (getting in someone's face), is a severe over-reaction to being reported for texting to the management.

Maybe the shooter did feel legitimately threatened at the moment he shot the guy by the text guy's irrational and aggressive response. That will obviously be his defense. The problem for him legally, (and the reason he was arrested and charged), is that you need to have NO CHOICE but to shoot someone in self-defense including your actions leading up to the event in order to get off. The fact that he was in some sort of argument with the dead guy right before he shot him, and that he demonstrated that he could have walked away by...wait for it...walking away creates big problems for him. As does a history of supposedly confronting people at that theater over texting.

All that said, my dad was a defense lawyer and got people acquitted that were WAAAY more guilty than this old cracker. :cool:

Yeah! I am doin' it now! In style!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1389893747.jpg

But you don't kill someone for it. Things happen around you all the time that don't seem reasonable - people flip you off because they thought you cut them off in traffic, they swear at you because you have a difficult return at the customer service desk, and they don't like waiting, they glare at you and push you if they think you aren't getting on the bus fast enough, they get tired of what they perceive as your 'over the top' complaining about their texting during the previews, so they throw their popcorn at you.

You don't kill those people. That isn't an action of a reasonable adult.

Again - you seem to be placing equal blame here, or heck, I would say you are of the ilk to say that the texter 'had it coming' - I am getting your 'drift' correctly? It appears you believe that the older gentleman was justified in killing the texter.

I see your maturity is on the same level as popcorn guy & old shooter guy, H&T. Troll.

These threads tend to reveal plenty.

Mr. heel and toe, you have issues buddy.

Good luck with that.

Foxy you can certainly circle like a champ. A trophy may be in your future.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1389894018.jpg

But your age thing is new and worthy of examining.

It has nothing to do with age.

It has to do with reason.

However, I would suggest that generally, those who didn't just fall off the turnip wagon are often blessed with a bit more reason.

Life... it teaches you lessons. :cool:

Wait....I'm in between those ages. How am I supposed to think about this? I hope the evening talk shows tell me...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1389894018.jpg

Just have fun with it, JR. Snow tires and all that.

Look, there has been much circling in this thread... people attempting to make the same old points over and over... with false premises.

Calling it out is not immaturity.

I think you're just supposed to grab a beer and go out to the garage.

Yep..over 50.

Seems to me that the Cop defenders assume that he remained calm through both conversations:rolleyes: when discussing "escalation".

Given his history of "policing" similar events I find that highly unlikely. I think the mere mention from the texter about being reported to management ratcheted up the dialogue from the ex cop.

What would some of the "posturing" gents on the board do if someone called them a pussy to their face??? If I'm to believe all the chest thumping that I've read over the years, they'd have thrown the first punch.

Maybe they'd have thrown popcorn, who knows.

Troll.

I did very carefully indicate it wasn't an 'all' thing - but, I do believe it is a pattern.

As a population dynamic there is a fewer percentage of people under 35 owning guns, gun ownership, along with hunting and other gun sports, is an aging demographic. If you don't own them, and what you mostly see is what appears to be senseless violence caused by them (such as this shooting), the 2nd becomes further and further removed as something you see as being 'important'.

Everyone on the planet has issues.

Including you.

You want to criticize me, go ahead. Doesn't mean the points I have made in this thread have been less than substantive.

But if you want to assert that and back it up with solid reasoning, go ahead.

However, you haven't indicated if you do believe that the blame is equal between the two parties - do ya, punk? (channeling my inner Dirty Harry here - no disrespect intended ;) Unless of course you are trolling, and then you've gotta ask yourself a question: "Do I feel lucky?")

There has been much circling in this thread... people attempting to make the same old points over and over... with false premises.

Calling it out is not being a troll.

I'm 31 and I think they both made a mountain out of a mole hill. I still maintain they were both responsible for what happened.

I never said the killing is justified. I'm saying they both played a role in it.

Jesus F-ng Christ, your reading comprehension sucks. Stop putting words in my mouth.

The killing is NOT justified. But they were both asshats. That is all I'm saying. There is nothing to read between the lines here. Is that clear enough for you?

IF the texter wasn't a little b--ch and calmly explained what he was doing to the old man, we wouldn't be having this conversation.