FL Retired cop, shoots texting wanker

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by fintstone

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

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

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

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.

Woohoo!

[speeder]

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.

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

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.

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

[foxpaws]

Originally Posted by AFC-911

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.

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.

[Jim Richards]

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

[speeder]

These threads tend to reveal plenty.

Mr. heel and toe, you have issues buddy.

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by foxpaws

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).

Good luck with that.

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



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.

[VaSteve]

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?

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

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by foxpaws

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.

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

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

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.

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by VaSteve

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

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

[70SATMan]

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

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.

Yep..over 50.

Seems to me that the Cop defenders assume that he remained calm through both conversations 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.

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

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.

Troll.

[foxpaws]

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

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.

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'.

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by speeder

These threads tend to reveal plenty.

Mr. heel and toe, you have issues buddy.

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.

[foxpaws]

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

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.

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?")

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

Troll.

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.

[AFC-911]

Originally Posted by foxpaws

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).

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.

[AFC-911]

Originally Posted by foxpaws

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 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.