SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - A U.S. Marine who has spent more than four months behind bars in Mexico appeared in a Tijuana courtroom Monday.
Andrew Tahmooressi was arrested on weapons charges after Mexican authorities say he crossed the border with loaded guns.
On Monday, his lawyer got to question the agents that detained him and searched his truck.
Tahmooressi -- who did two deployments in Afghanistan as a Marine and is now in the reserves -- says he mistakenly crossed into Mexico back in April with three guns in his pick-up truck.
His attorney says the two customs agents who detained Tahmooressi violated his civil rights because they held him for more than eight hours without providing a translator or adequately explaining why he was being arrested. Not true, says an attorney for the customs agents.
Reporters and cameras were not allowed inside the courthouse for Monday's hearing. Even Tahmooressi's own mom had to stay outside the cramped courtroom. Reverend Daniel Garcia had dinner with Jill Tahmooressi Sunday night.
"She's strong. She's spiritually strong," Garcia said.
She's more determined than ever to make sure her son is set free.
"You don't mess with Moms. Moms is a going to do whatever she has to do to take care of her son and protect her son," Garcia said.
Reverend Garcia says he also spoke with Andrew Tahmooressi briefly on the phone Sunday night.
"I asked him, 'How you doing?' He said, 'I'm there, I'm ok, I'm alright,'" Garcia said.
The judge listened to several hours of testimony Monday and ruled that he was not going to release Tahmooressi, at least not right now. So he's heading back to jail.