FL Retired cop, shoots texting wanker

[johnsjmc]

Originally Posted by URY914

Wow, 10 pages have been added to this thread while I was off line. I'm not going to go back and tried to read all the BS. But here is some local news that may not make the nations air waves....

I heard today that this is not the first time Grandpa got into with movie goers. Someone has come forward that remembers Gramps from another movie about a week before this one. He was scolding someone for talking too loud at this one.
The guy has issues and should have retired to North Carolina like most folks do in FL.

I,m in Tarpon Springs and posted this in #379 a few minutes ago.

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by URY914

Wow, 10 pages have been added to this thread while I was off line. I'm not going to go back and tried to read all the BS. But here is some local news that may not make the nations air waves....

I heard today that this is not the first time Grandpa got into with movie goers. Someone has come forward that remembers Gramps from another movie about a week before this one. He was scolding someone for talking too loud at this one.
The guy has issues and should have retired to North Carolina like most folks do in FL.

I see that as just the opposite. If gramps scolded folks daily regarding theater etiquette...it shows that he was not loose cannon that many imply. The only one who got shot was the asshat that assaulted him.

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by ossiblue

First, something has to be made clear because it appears, again, in this post.
Yes, the shooter (Curtis Reeves) is 70 years old, but according to the booking records he is 6' 1" and weighs 270 lbs. Was the victim really 7'1" and 350 lbs? (I'm asking seriously, because I haven't found that information, but regardless of the victim's size, the shooter was not a frail old man as depicted/implied by several posts.)...

Fat old man (71) with multiple medical problems...according to the Tampa Tribune: "arthritis in both hands, bursitis, hypertension, high cholesterol, and “very low” levels of oxygen in his blood, which require him to wear a mask that forces oxygen into his lungs."

Dictionary def #1 for frail: having delicate health; not robust; weak

[70SATMan]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

Hollow point or FMJ?

LOL! Pre chewed... They stick better.

[70SATMan]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

What about cake? How can you have punch without cake?

Easy,

Pound cake.

[70SATMan]

Originally Posted by fintstone

If gramps scolded folks daily regarding theater etiquette...it shows that he was not loose cannon that many imply.

Sounds like frail guy made it a habit to verbally assault movie goers and was an armed ticking time bomb. The texter was defending himself from the verbal assault and used the only tool available to defend himself. He just brought popcorn to a gun fight.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by URY914

I heard today that this is not the first time Grandpa got into with movie goers. Someone has come forward that remembers Gramps from another movie about a week before this one. He was scolding someone for talking too loud at this one.
The guy has issues and should have retired to North Carolina like most folks do in FL.

I can see a good defense atty. totally slaying this one.

Though, Fint makes a good point that he didn't escalate the situation the first time, which makes it more likely he didn't start it this time either. The lawyers will have a field day with this case.

I'm really interested in the civil suit in a few years. If Reeves walks because the use of force was justified, can he still be sued for the same bullet that also hit a non-assailant? Weird stuff.

[krichard]

Originally Posted by fintstone

If gramps scolded folks daily regarding theater etiquette...it shows that he was not loose cannon that many imply.

Originally Posted by 70SATMan

Sounds like frail guy made it a habit to verbally assault movie goers and was an armed ticking time bomb. The texter was defending himself from the verbal assault and used the only tool available to defend himself. He just brought popcorn to a gun fight.

[GWN7]

Originally Posted by ossiblue

First, something has to be made clear because it appears, again, in this post.
Yes, the shooter (Curtis Reeves) is 70 years old, but according to the booking records he is 6' 1" and weighs 270 lbs. Was the victim really 7'1" and 350 lbs? (I'm asking seriously, because I haven't found that information, but regardless of the victim's size, the shooter was not a frail old man as depicted/implied by several posts.)

Second, according to Florida law, "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...". One thing no one knows are the actual words spoken by each man and without that information, there is no evidence (yet) that the shooter was being assaulted, or even if the victim was being assaulted. Throwing popcorn is not, in itself, an intentional unlawful threat.

Battery, according to Florida law, is when someone "1. Actually and intentionally touches or strikes another person against the will of the other; or

2. Intentionally causes bodily harm to another person."

No witness have come forward to say the victim actually touched the shooter.

I stand corrected about the weight/height ratios. I based my math on pictures published in the media of the two.

Originally Posted by ossiblue

No witness have come forward to say the victim actually touched the shooter.

I think it's been determined by witnesses that he threw popcorn at the shooter. A pound of feathers, a pound of popcorn or a pound of rocks is all the same in the eyes of the law = Battery.

If he had used a deadly weapon it would have been Aggravated assault under common law. Not sure what they would call it in Florida.

[GWN7]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I can see a good defense atty. totally slaying this one.

Though, Fint makes a good point that he didn't escalate the situation the first time, which makes it more likely he didn't start it this time either. The lawyers will have a field day with this case.

I'm really interested in the civil suit in a few years. If Reeves walks because the use of force was justified, can he still be sued for the same bullet that also hit a non-assailant? Weird stuff.

O.J........ Not guilty in the criminal trial. Guilty in the civil trial.

[Heel n Toe]

Who Is Getting Shot And Why? (1 2 3 4 5)

Originally Posted by 70SATMan

He just brought popcorn to a gun fight.

Already did that joke.

Look, a lot of y'all either haven't read through the thread up 'til this point, or you have very short memories.

This thing is going in circles. I applaud everyone for doing a stellar job.

Some forget salient points that have been made and just go on arguing as if they don't know their popcorn from their privileged attitude from their cute little cellphone screen glowing in the dark bothering nearby moviegoers.

But by all means let's just all keep shooting in the dark and trying to figure out how many eyewitnesses said which hothead raised his voice first after grandpa got back from his search for a sympathetic manager.

And then there's some who think almost everyone here thinks grandpa was breaking a law by just going in carrying.

Is there anything else I missed?



Hey, one thing I hope we can all agree on; stomachmonkey's dad was a guy everyone would've loved to hang out with. Seriously, thanks for sharing those stories.

The same to Seahawk and anyone else who shared personal stories too.

Even slakjaw and the story of his magic cellphone that turned itself on in his pocket. I really do believe you, dude.

Koom-Bah-Yah. It's been fun, I love all of y'all, and I haven't had a drop to drink.

But some of y'all need to pay attention or work on your memory or logic skills.

Okay, that was uncalled for. *ducking some roundhouse kicks to the head*

[Heel n Toe]

Hmmmm... okay, let's melt down the YouTube servers... everybody go... now!

Skip ad in 5 seconds...

[Baz]

Ha ha.....post of the thread right there John......

[intakexhaust]

Originally Posted by GWN7

A pound of feathers, a pound of popcorn or a pound of rocks is all the same in the eyes of the law = Battery.

.... and soon lawyers will contest smokers breath or vapor from the lungs, second hand smoke from ones clothing drifting to another as 'Battery'.

Wasn't there a frivolous case of a second hand smoke incident in CA?
mehhhh, what does it matter.... everyone just stay home now, screw the theatres, bullies and tough guy grandpa's and plant yourself in front of your plasmafantastic TV.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Worth noting - grandpa wasn't a CCH carrying civilian ignoring the law. He was an ex-police officer who likely had the right to LEGALLY carry anywhere, much like an active police officer. I don't know FL law, but in most cases both active and retired police are afforded rights that the average citizen cannot obtain. So this is not a CCH or gun control issue, no matter how badly some want it to be.

[speeder]

I'm not buying the "frail" or "grandpa" descriptions of the shooter. Just because someone is 70 years old, or smoked and drank a lot in life causing health problems, (speculation), does not make them a weakling or genteel. The video of him in court makes him look like a brute and the ex-cop and SWAT background absolutely negates any type of victim type personality.

I think that he has some real issues and he snapped. If he hadn't had the gun, (and maybe was a few years younger), he's the kind of guy who would take it from verbal to punching and kicking. He's a bully.

[Heel n Toe]

One more...

"If you like your cellphone on, you can keep your cellphone on. Period."

"Duck Season!!!!!!!"






No outrage, please. This not poking fun at the tragedy.

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by speeder

I'm not buying the "frail" or "grandpa" descriptions of the shooter. Just because someone is 70 years old, or smoked and drank a lot in life causing health problems, (speculation), does not make them a weakling or genteel. The video of him in court makes him look like a brute and the ex-cop and SWAT background absolutely negates any type of victim type personality.

I think that he has some real issues and he snapped. If he hadn't had the gun, (and maybe was a few years younger), he's the kind of guy who would take it from verbal to punching and kicking. He's a bully.

Yes!!!!

More speculation!!!! Perfect.

BTW, the hothead texter???? Any chance he'd throw down, too?

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Worth noting - grandpa wasn't a CCH carrying civilian ignoring the law. He was an ex-police officer who likely had the right to LEGALLY carry anywhere, much like an active police officer. I don't know FL law, but in most cases both active and retired police are afforded rights that the average citizen cannot obtain. So this is not a CCH or gun control issue, no matter how badly some want it to be.

It's a federal law.
Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The interesting part is that the law doesn't override private property owners' rights to ban guns on their property. But then, technically, they could also ban active duty, uniformed cops from carrying on their property if they wanted to. They can ask anyone to leave for any reason and you're trespassing if you refuse. Otherwise, I've never heard of a case of anyone being prosecuted for ignoring a no guns sign.

[stuartj]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Worth noting - grandpa wasn't a CCH carrying civilian ignoring the law. He was an ex-police officer who likely had the right to LEGALLY carry anywhere, much like an active police officer. I don't know FL law, but in most cases both active and retired police are afforded rights that the average citizen cannot obtain. So this is not a CCH or gun control issue, no matter how badly some want it to be.

Laughable.

No one packing a gun, everyone would've gone home alive, albeit with bruised egos.