A bond hearing will continue Friday for Curtis Reeves, the retired Tampa police captain charged with second-degree in the shooting death of a movie theater patron last month.

The judge ruled Wednesday the surveillance video taken from the theater in which 43-year-old Chad Oulson was fatally shot could be played in court.



Prosecutors called witnesses during today's hearing to corroborate what's seen in the footage in an effort to prove the shooting was unprovoked and Reeves should not be released on bail.

Witnesses who took the stand for the state today say they are sure of what went down just feet from where they were sitting.



"As Oulson started to go past us, as he reached my left shoulder I heard him say I can't believe he shot me,” said Charles Cumming, a witness. “He took another step and a half and collapsed on my son. And then he collapsed on my son."



Cummings told the court he overheard some of that exchange and could tell Reeves was angry when Oulson wouldn't put his cell phone down. Cummings also added that in no way, did Oulson threaten Reeves before the shooting.



The state maintains Reeves was unprovoked when he took out his gun.

The defense argued just the opposite, and called a number of witnesses who attested to Reeves' good character in an effort to convince the judge to let the 71-year-old out on bond.



One by one, witnesses for the defense each told the court they had never seen Reeves lose his temper though he did lose his composure today when the conversation turned towards his young granddaughter.



"I never thought that I would be able to have kids,” said Jennifer Shaw. “And so my brothers never married and so I guess they thought they were never going to be able to have grandchildren and it was quite the blessing when my daughter was born."



Court will reconvene at 10 a.m. Friday, when the surveillance video is expected to be played. Three more witnesses for the state are also expected to testify. Nicole Oulson is also expected to read a victim impact statement.



Reeves has been held without bond since the Jan. 13 shooting. Authorities say he argued with Oulson after objecting to his texting during previews for Lone Survivor and, after leaving briefly to complain to management, pulled out a .380 pistol and shot Oulson in the chest.

Oulson's wife, Nicole, was shot in the hand by the bullet that killed her husband. Reeves is charged with aggravated battery in connection with her injury.



Reeves' attorneys have said they plan to argue self-defense, claiming their client was hit with popcorn and an "unknown dark object." They say Chad Oulson committed battery on Reeves, who is entitled to special legal protection because of his age.

On Tuesday, Circuit Judge Pat Siracussa ordered an external hard drive containing hours of surveillance video taken from Cobb Grove 16 auditorium 10 handed over to Reeves' attorneys. But Siracusa issued a temporary ban on the release of the video to the public.

Bay News 9 and other news organizations have filed public records requests for copies of the video, and Siracusa take up the matter this morning.



The Pasco County State Attorney's Office has asked the judge for guidance on releasing the video to the public because of a state law that bans anyone except a surviving family member from viewing any record depicting a death. Prosecutors said previously they plan to show video excerpts during today's bail hearing.

