A retired Florida police officer charged with murder in the shooting death of a fellow moviegoer during a dispute over texting was released from jail on bond Friday, his lawyer said.
Bail was set at $150,000 for Curtis Reeves, 71, who has been in jail without bond since the January shooting at a Tampa-area movie theater. A judge ordered Reeves under house arrest, and he is only to leave home to shop for groceries, seek medical care, or attend religious services.
"Mr. Reeves did nothing but use the law of self-defense in order to preserve his own life," his lawyer, Richard Escobar, told reporters. "He's coming home in order to resume his life and to assist us in preparing his defense."
As a condition of his bond, Reeves must surrender any personal firearms.
So, in spite of the wishes of the victims' family, the accused has the right of reasonable bail like everyone else. As for the stand your ground defense, I haven't heard of any request for a stand your ground hearing, though I've also read that such a request can be made up to four weeks prior to trial,
ReplyDelete"Escobar, Reeves’ lawyer, wouldn't say Wednesday whether he'll file a last minute Stand Your Ground motion.
A judge said Reeves' lawyers must file a motion four weeks before the trial, but he'd consider a Stand Your Ground motion during the trial, too."
http://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-tampa/curtis-reeves-trial-date-expected-in-hearing-for-wesley-chapel-movie-theater-gunman
I've also read in an article I can no longer find that the defense attorney is also starting to bring up a thrown cell phone as a possible factor to make the self defense claim more credible, though I'm thinking it wont be bought by the jury. Especially when there is a witness who heard him say,
"I'll teach you to throw popcorn at me," an eyewitness recalled the shooter, retired Tampa police Capt. Curtis Reeves, saying."
http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/criminal/judge-surveillance-video-showing-wesley-chapel-movie-theater-shooting/2164252
Florida's stand your ground law or even their carry permit system have absolutely no bearing on this case since this man's right to carry was through federal legislation. He could just as easily committed this act in New Jersey. I'd invite everyone to watch Massad Ayoob's video of the judicial process and the reasoning behind it that Mike posted recently.
http://mikeb302000.blogspot.com/2014/05/massad-ayoob-on-castle-doctrine-and.html
I'm thinking that Mr. Reeves likely wont fare too well in court.
Whether they bring up the SYG defense officially or not, it's there as a backdrop to any situation in which a shooter claims self defense. It was there in the Zimmerman trial like an elephant in the room, even though it was not invoked.
DeleteI agree with your prediction about his chances in court. Remember he's one of yours. Ex-law enforcement, military, civilian are all in one group and non-gun-owning gun-control folks are in the other.
Another example of justice for the rich.
ReplyDeleteThe purpose of bail is to insure appearance for the trial. Justice comes then. Its one of those principles that makes this country great. I'm not sure if a retired cop can be considered rich. However, if he is acquitted, which I doubt will happen, he most certainly wont be rich.
ReplyDeleteDo you think a poor person could afford that bail? Do you think a poor person would even get the chance of being bailed?
DeleteGood point, Anonymous. "Rich" is a relative term, but you make a good point.
DeleteOf course no response from the gun loon.
DeleteI don't believe being rich or poor has any bearing on the amount of bail. Perhaps someone more learned on the subject can throw in on that, but I was always under the impression that the amount was set in order to assure appearing for trial and behaving while awaiting trial.
DeleteI wonder why you wait 20 days to reply when you visit this blog almost daily?
DeleteIf you don't think being rich gives you a better chance when dealing with a court, or it's fines, then you are either dumber than I thought, or just being deceitful.
ss, wouldn't the question of rich or poor be important then in setting bail. Roman Polanski had the means to leave the country because he was rich. For a normal person a much smaller bond would ensure their staying.
DeleteHow much available cash does seem to be important as evidenced by the attempts at hiding available funds by the Zimmermans during the bond hearings. I'm guessing that the logic is that having enough free cash available will tempt a defendant to consider as the Steve Miller Band said, take the money and run.
DeleteThey also consider other factors which determine the potential for being a flight risk. A lot like financing a house, sometimes, like with Polanski, they guess wrong.
That's the "gunshine state" for ya. Murderers get to walk the streets while honest people live in fear of making them "afraid for their lives"....
ReplyDelete