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Reeves reveals emotional toll of 8-year legal battle for freedom
Gloria Gomez reports
WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. - On February 25, 2022, Curtis Reeves walked out of a Pasco County courthouse a free man. He also stepped into a new life, with a little help from his granddaughter.
Watch the full interview on Youtube
"I had the appropriate size screwdriver to get that ankle monitor off of my ankle, so we went to my daughter's house and my granddaughter took it off for me. It was a very emotional time, not just for me but for my whole family," explained Reeves.
The former Tampa police captain was found not guilty of second-degree murder for fatally shooting Chad Oulson in a Wesley Chapel movie theater in 2014, after the two argued about texting.
Reeves said it was self-defense and the jury believed him.
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Curtis Reeves's verdict read in trial for 2014 theater shooting
Curtis Reeves has been found not guilty on all charges in the 2014 shooting death of Chad Oulson in a Wesley Chapel movie theater.
Life after the trial
The day after his acquittal, Reeves celebrated another memorable event when his daughter, Jennifer Shaw got married.
"No, I didn’t get to walk her down the aisle, but I was there, and I was in the front row," Reeves said.
Reeves' children testify in trial
During Reeves' only sit-down interview, with FOX 13, he was asked about the heartbreaking reality that Mr. Oulson will never get to walk his daughter down the aisle.
"I understand that and one of the things that my family did, and I asked for our church to do, to keep the Oulsen family in mind. It was a terrible thing that happened. It was not something that I would ever want to happen to Mr. Oulson, although he was in charge of what happened that night," explained Reeves.
The prosecution's failed case
Prosecutors say words were exchanged and then popcorn flew before the deadly gunshot. They say Reeves killed Oulson, not out of fear, but out of anger over being hit with a bag of popcorn.
Reeves testified he doesn’t even remember the popcorn.
Aerial view of movie theater where shooting happened
"I think I was concentrating on him and his hands, and either him trying to strike me or get ahold of me. The popcorn just never entered my consciousness 'till I observed it on the floor after it was over with," he said.
Although, during the three-week trial, witnesses who were inside the movie theater that day remembered Reeves saying "throw popcorn in my face."
"I heard that. I did not say that," Reeves said.
Evidence photo of popcorn on the floor in Wesley Chapel theater after the shooting
MORE: Curtis Reeves testifies he has second-guessed deadly theater shooting for 8 years
Reeves said there's nothing he can do to change the public’s perception on the state's theory that he killed a man over a bag of popcorn being thrown.
"There’s no way that you can counter that. The state basically put their case in a popcorn bag and that’s not where it belonged. It was a minor occurrence in a series of events and literally had nothing to do with what happened Mr. Oulson," Reeves concluded.
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Full video: Curtis Reeves describes day of deadly shooting
Curtis Reeves took the stand as his defense lawyer asked him to describe what led up to the shooting and the events that occurred after.
Reeves was asked why he didn't move to a different seat that day to defuse the situation.
"Well, had I known what was coming, we would have, at that point. He was not a threat. He was just a loudmouth that, throughout my career, I’ve dealt with literally thousands of those that didn’t turn violent, so I had no reasonable expectation that this one would," explained Reeves.
The Reeves legal team
Mr. and Mrs. Reeves believe that their legal team, led by Rick Escobar and Dino Michaels, gave them something priceless – a second chance.
"It was just a very emotional period and time both for Dino and me, to know that we were able to accomplish for them what our system of justice should’ve always given them from the very beginning," expressed Escobar.
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Lead detective grilled in Curtis Reeves trial
The police work of the lead detective in charge of the Curtis Reeves case is under the microscope.
Attorney Dino Michaels said the Reeves are like family now.
"I know when you spoke to Mr. and Mrs. Reeves about waiting for the jury to come back, Curtis took his wedding ring off and gave it to his wife. Makes me choke up to tell you about it," said an emotional Michaels.
Family always came first
Reeves' wife, Vivian, was by his side throughout, facing the possibility her husband would go to prison and no longer be around.
"He knew he was innocent, yet he started telling me how to do things at home and I just couldn't do that, if it comes to that, I'll worry about it then," Vivian said through tears.
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Theater shooter's wife was 'terrified' during altercation
Vivian Reeves told the jury she was sitting next to her husband when the confrontation between the two men happened.
Now 79, Curtis knows he put his wife through so much in the last eight years and plans to spend the rest of his life making it up to her.
"This is my partner," he said, tearing up and gripping her hand. "I’m trying not to get [emotional]."
When asked why he was fighting back tears, Reeve said, "I don’t have an answer for that, I’m sorry. I just, perhaps it’s the ego, I don’t know, or maybe it’s a self-image, but I have all the emotions everybody else does."