PASCO COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – As previews played before the movie Lone Survivor started, some people were just walking into a movie theater in Wesley Chapel in January of 2014.
Others had already taken their seats when two men started to argue over the use of a cell phone.
In the second full day of testimony in the murder trial of Curtis Reeves, a number of witnesses who were in the theater that day told a Pasco County jury on Tuesday what they heard and saw.
“First thing I saw was a light from a cell phone,” said retired health insurance executive Charles Cummings who was also in the theater with his disabled son to see the movie.
Cummings says he also noticed the light from Chad Oulson’s phone but didn’t pay it any attention. He told the court he heard Reeves say something to Oulson about the phone and then watched Reeves stand up and walk out of the theater.
“He was mumbling to himself and it sounded very agitated in the mumbling and he also hit my seat and the back of my head as he was passing,” Cummings said.
Reeves came back into the theater, but Cummings told the court he never saw Oulson stand on a chair, or come over the row of chairs at Reeves in an aggressive manner.
Cummings says the next thing he noticed was popcorn flying in the air and heard the loud bang of a gun being fired. He says Oulson then walked in front of his seat.
“He said, I can’t believe he shot me,” recalled Cummings who says Oulson then fell at his feet.
Defense attorneys continuously pointed out differences in the testimony given today and account some of the witnesses gave eight years ago.
“I really don’t remember what I said eight years ago, I have no idea,” said a frustrated Jane Roy as she recalled what she had seen in the theater that day.
She said Reeves appeared angry as he left the theater after arguing with Oulson about the cell phone.
“If you think of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs… He looked like Grumpy to me. That’s what struck me so he looked angry to me,” Roy said.
She said Reeves reacted quickly after Oulson threw popcorn at him.
“The popcorn didn’t have time to come down and I saw an arm came out,” said Roy who heard the shot fired in that instant. “There was a loud noise and it smelled and I thought, oh my God he shot him.”
Reeves has always claimed he acted in self-defense. The state is expected to continue to present its case on Wednesday.