LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A man charged in connection with an accidental shooting at a Louisville movie theater appeared in court Tuesday morning for the start of his trial, but a plea agreement was reached before the trial started.

Newland was originally charged with a second-degree felony assault, but the charge was reduced to a misdemeanor count of endangerment.

Newland was waiting in a line at the Tinseltown USA movie theater June 30, 2000, when a handgun in his pocket accidentally went off. The bullet ricocheted off the floor and hit a woman in her upper thigh, where it remains lodged to this day.

"We never alleged that Mr. Newland intentionally harmed anyone. The only allegation was that he was wanton in the way he handled the firearm," commonwealth Prosecutor Jonathan Dyar said.

The safety on Newland's gun was not on at the time of the incident, Gum reported.