Rochester shooting suspect Jason Levesque denied bail: Here's what judge said

ROCHESTER ― Jason Levesque, charged with attempted murder for a shooting on Summer Street , has been denied bail by Judge Anne Edwards.

The judge issued her ruling Monday, following a dramatic bail hearing last week during which shooting victim Kyle Violette , 37, spoke in court from a wheelchair, calling Levesque, 44, a "liar."

Days after the bail hearing, a Strafford County Superior Court grand jury indicted Levesque on charges of attempted murder and first-degree assault, both Class A felonies. The attempted murder charge is a special felony that could bring enhanced penalties.

In Edwards' order denying bail, the judge called Levesque a clear danger to the community and, in particular, to Violette.

Levesque has been incarcerated since his arrest April 8, four days after the shooting during a dispute between the neighbors over snow plowing on Summer Street in Rochester, according to police and prosecutors.

Violette was severely injured, and the shooting was captured on multiple videos. Violette appeared in court earlier last week, as defense attorney Mark Sisti requested bail for Levesque, claiming his client's actions were in self-defense and calling Violette the aggressor.

Reached by phone, Sisti said Monday a plea of not guilty will be entered for both indictment charges.

"We made it very clear at the bail hearing that we will be asserting self-defense, of himself and another," Sisti said. "It is clear to us that the alleged victim's words were more than provocative, they were a threat to him and to his daughter."

Assistant County Attorney Sarah Deitelhof argued against granting bail and countered claims Levesque was protecting his daughter.

Edwards wrote in part, "Defendant has every right to assert his right of self-defense of himself and his daughter. However, as the Court observed in the video, in making a decision on bail, the Court finds that defendant’s actions of shooting the complaining witness in the back and then continuing to shoot him while he was on the ground are clear and convincing evidence that defendant is dangerous to the complaining witness. As a result, defendant shall continue to be held on preventative detention and shall have no contact with Kyle Violette or his family."

"I'm so relieved bail was denied not only for my family, but for other families out there," said Cyndi Glenn, Violette's mother. "He is definitely a danger to society. And I wouldn't want to see any family suffer the way mine has. I feel bad that his family has to deal with this. It's a heart-breaking thing for both families. I just want justice served for Jason's actions."

A trial date had not been scheduled as of Monday morning.

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Rochester shooting suspect Jason Levesque denied bail: Here's what judge said