This January, Nicole Oulsen’s life changed forever when her husband was murdered while they were on a date at the movies. Oulsen, who resides in Tampa, FL, sued Wesley Chapel Theater after her husband was shot by a retired police officer for using his mobile phone in the theater. The lawsuit seeks for over $15,000 dollars in compensation.
The lawsuit detailed the encounter and held Thomas Peck, an employee at the theater, and Wesley Chapel responsible for the shooting. The couple was watching previews before the movie started when Oulsen’s husband was using his phone. Oulsen claims that her husband was using the phone to ensure that he didn’t miss a call from his daughter’s daycare center. The couple got into an argument with Curtis Reeves when he told Oulsen to turn off his phone multiple times.
Reeves, a retired cop, then left the theater to talk to an employee, Thomas Peck, in order to get Oulsen’s husband to stop using his phone. Before Peck could arrive, the argument got out of hand. The lawsuit claims that if Peck had arrived on time, he could have diffused the situation. The lawsuit also states that the shooting could have been prevented if the theater had procedures in place to prevent people with guns from entering the theater.
As the argument continued, Reeves pulled out a gun and shot Oulsen’s husband in the chest. Nicole Oulsen was also hurt as she tried to reach for her husband during the attack. Wesley Chapel evacuated the theater and a local sheriff held Reeves until the police arrived. Reeves was charged with second degree homicide.
Reeves has currently used Florida’s Stand Your Ground law as a defense. According to the law, a person is allowed to use self-defense, instead of retreating, if he or she might be in imminent danger. The 5-day jury trial, initially set for Jan. 25, has been delayed with no date rescheduled.
Wrongful death is a type of civil action pursued by the survivors, such as the spouse or child, of a person who passed away due to the negligence of another individual or party. Usually, survivors file wrongful death lawsuits to receive compensation for loss of wages, emotional and mental health services, and anything they may need to move on after the death.
If someone you love died, and you suspect it was due to the negligence of another party or person, you may be eligible to receive compensation for your loss. Contact Morgan & Morgan for more information about your legal rights.
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