#Breaking: in a surprise move, suspected Seminole Heights serial killer Howell Donaldson III reaches a plea deal - guilty of 4 murders - sparing him the death penalty. #Tampa#SeminoleHeights
#Breaking: the Selmon Extension will re-open today in #Tampa sometime after the morning rush hour. @THEASelmon says it has determined the repair to the elevated lanes over #Gandy Blvd. is minor and can be addressed while traffic continues to flow.
#Breaking: @USouthFlorida names Rhea Law as its new President-elect. Law is an attorney, USF Alum, and former USF Board of Trustees member. Her selection must still be confirmed by Florida’s Board of Governors.
@TampaPD is gathering to honor and remember Officer Jesse Madsen who was killed in the line of duty one year ago today. Officer Madsen intentionally and heroically steered his SUV into the path of a wrong way vehicle on I-275.
Day 9 of testimony in the #CurtisReeves murder trial. Today Reeves has taken the stand in his own defense. He has spent the first hour testifying about his experience as a Tampa police officer and head of security at #BuschGardens before retiring.
Prosecutors have rested their case against #CurtisReeves. His lawyers’ motion for dismissal is denied. The defense begins laying out its self defense case tomorrow at 8:30am.
Day 2 of testimony in the #CurtisReeves - Charles Cummings - also in the theater that day. Cummings says he heard both men speak. Cummings says Reeves uttered something like, “throw popcorn in my face“. He says Oulson told him before collapsing, “I can’t believe he shot me.“
@DAGOfied It’s tedious. But it’s important that the jury understand just how much time elapsed in between the clips. That’s what the blue screen represents.
The prosecution’s first order of business in the #CurtisReeves trial has been to enter surveillance video from inside the theater that day into evidence. The video is a key piece of evidence - as it was in Reeves’ “Stand Your Ground” hearing.
After 8 long years, opening statements begin today in the Curtis Reeves murder trial. Reeves, a former Tampa Police captain, is accused of killing Chad Oluson as the two men argued over texting during the previews at a Pasco movie theater.