A day by day outing to the flicks turned out to be lethal for Gulf War veteran Chad Oulson, who misplaced his life in what could possibly be known as a tragic misunderstanding. A+E Network’s ‘Taking the Stand’ season 2 episode 4 chronicles the stunning 2014 murder and the best way the perpetrator was immediately apprehended. However, the investigation proved to be pretty tough, as a result of the killer tried defending themselves with the help of an unusual regulation. Now, within the occasion you need to examine further particulars about this case, proper right here is all of the items we’re capable of let you recognize.
How Did Chad Oulson Die?
Born on September 28, 1970, Chad Oulson grew up in Clayton, Illinois, and joined the navy after graduating highschool. During the Gulf War, he was a part of Operation Desert Storm, and as quickly as he left the army, he labored as a Finance Manager at Sky Power Sports in Port Richey, Florida. In his free time, Chad beloved filth biking, boating, participating within the guitar, and spending time collectively along with his little daughter, Alexis. Besides, relations be mindful the army veteran as an actual and humorous one which helped anyone in need.
Chad’s endearing qualities are what made his sudden demise all the further painful for his household and buddies. On January 13, 2014, he and his partner, Nicole Oulson, decided to exit for a lunch and movie date. The couple went to watch the movie ‘Lone Survivor’ at The Grove 16, a film present in Wesley Chapel, a Tampa Bay area suburb. Once they settled down throughout the hall, Chad took out his phone and texted his daughter’s daycare to ensure she was doing efficient.
However, points rapidly turned ugly when the army veteran obtained proper right into a verbal altercation with an individual throughout the row behind him. The short-term argument shockingly led to Chad getting fatally shot and Nicole injuring her finger. As the protection personnel tackled the shooter, the 42-year-old sufferer was immediately rushed to the hospital. Unfortunately, Chad succumbed to his hurt, and the autopsy revealed a single gunshot wound throughout the chest as the rationale for his dying. On the other hand, Nicole survived with minor wounds on her finger.
Who Killed Chad Oulson?
Once the police reached the movie theatre, the one who shot Chad was immediately arrested and acknowledged as 71-year-old Curtis Reeves Jr. A retired SWAT commander with fairly a number of accolades beneath his belt, the latter had moreover come to watch a movie at The Grove 16 on January 13, 2014. Curtis settled throughout the row behind Chad and Nicole, accompanied by his partner. As per witnesses and surveillance footage, he allegedly obtained irritated when the army veteran began texting on his phone all through the movie previews.
When the earlier police officer suggested Chad to change off his phone all through the movie, a small argument ensued. Curtis then went outdoor to complain to the theater employees, nonetheless when he returned to his seat, further heated phrases adopted, and the sufferer threw popcorn at his face. Within a flash of a second, the retired regulation enforcement officer drew out his .380 caliber handgun from his pocket and fired it as quickly as at Chad. As a consequence, Nicole, attempting to restrain her husband and had her hand on his chest, obtained hit by the bullet on her finger.
As Chad fell to the underside, an off-duty deputy present on the scene immediately tackled the weapon out of Curtis’ hand, whereas the latter was seemingly shocked at what he had completed. The 71-year-old was rapidly arrested and suggested the detectives that he shot the sufferer in self-defense. When launched in courtroom docket the subsequent day, Curtis stated that he felt threatened by Chad and had taken out his handgun in retaliation to the latter’s throwing an object at his face. According to him, he didn’t discover that it was popcorn until after he had already fired on the sufferer.
Curtis insisted that he didn’t shoot the army veteran intentionally and that his actions had been for self-defense. He pleaded not accountable to second-degree murder and aggravated battery (for hurting Nicole) and was held with out bond till an extra listening to. During his bail listening to, Curtis tried fascinating throughout the courtroom docket beneath the Stand Your Ground regulation. It is a approved provision in Florida that permits an individual to utilize deadly stress in self-defense in direction of positive acts of violence.
Using the regulation, the retired police officer alleged that he feared Chad was attempting to cross over to his seat and assault him, so he reached for his gun in fear. In addition, he alleged that the sufferer had thrown his mobile phone at him or punched him, resulting in him being hit throughout the eye. In July 2014, Curtis was launched after posting a $150,000 bail and positioned beneath dwelling arrest, solely allowed to go outdoor for groceries, medical care, or religious suppliers. Furthermore, he was requested to surrender all his firearms to the state.
During a follow-up listening to in 2017, the courtroom docket reviewed the surveillance footage from the movie hall and determined that Chad threw popcorn, and by no means a cellphone as claimed, at Curtis. Not merely that, the select felt that the video didn’t help the earlier police officer’s claims of feeling bodily threatened by the sufferer. The medical knowledgeable’s testimony affirmed that Curtis was not at all injury throughout the eye. Since the select believed the proof contradicted his mannequin of events, his enchantment to implement the Stand-Your-Ground regulation was denied.
Where is Curtis Reeves Today?
Since Curtis Reeves was disallowed from using the Stand-Your-Ground regulation in his safety, he wanted to face a trial for the charges in direction of him. After quite a few delays, the trial commenced in early 2022. Yet, even after being denied utilizing the actual regulation, his safety attorneys effectively established that he shot Chad Oulson purely in self-defense. They claimed that an assault on a person above 65 is an act of felony in Florida, and the sufferer throwing popcorn at Curtis made him fear he was beneath essential assault.
On the other hand, the prosecutors argued that given the dangerous situations, the earlier policeman might need tackled in his occupation, it was unrealistic for him to actually really feel afraid at such a minor altercation and ponder it a threat necessary enough to shoot the sufferer. As a consequence, it was left to the jury to deliberate on Curtis’ claims of self-defense. Eventually, he was acquitted of second-degree murder and aggravated battery in February 2022. Though Chad’s widow was unhappy with the courtroom docket’s willpower, she decided to keep up her beloved husband’s legacy alive.
The equivalent 12 months, Nicole started the Oulson Family Foundation, which presents monetary and medical assist to children affected by gun violence. Meanwhile, Curtis shared his unhappiness over the incident in an interview with ABC News nonetheless maintained that he was not at fault. “I wish that none of this would have happened at all, but I don’t feel like an instigator…What was in my mind was he was either trying to hit me or he was trying to come over the seat,” he claimed.
Curtis added, “It was something that was, I had no control over. He’s the only one that could have kept it from happening…Certainly none of us, and I’m sure on both sides of the families, none of us wish it had happened as it did.” Now 80, the earlier police officer leads a private life collectively along with his family in Brooksville, Florida.
