DADE CITY, Fla., Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Retired Tampa, Fla., police officer Curtis Reeves, charged with fatally shooting a movie patron who was texting during previews, was denied bail Friday.
Judge Pat Siracusa agreed with prosecutors Reeves, 71, should not be able to leave custody in Pasco County jail, CNN reported.
Prosecutors earlier played a surveillance video at a hearing suggesting Reeves was struck before shooting a man to death.
At the Dade City bail hearing for Reeves -- charged with second-degree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm in the Jan. 13 shooting death in a movie theater of Chad Oulson, 43 -- defense attorney Richard Escobar said the object that struck Reeves was Oulson's cellphone.
Reeves' attorneys claim he acted in self-defense after he was pelted with popcorn and had the object thrown at him during the dispute with Oulson over texting, prior to the movie.
Reeves, a decorated retired police officer, claims he was assaulted by Oulson in the theater before he fired at Oulson, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
Reeves' next court hearing is March 12.
