Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has two new court dates after Friday’s plea hearing was granted another continuance and a bail hearing was set.
Velasquez, 39, appeared in court for the third time since his arrest in an attempted murder case. Lead defense attorney Mark Geragos requested Judge Jose S. Franco set a bail hearing, which the judge granted for May 16. Additionally, a continuance was granted, and Velasquez will reappear in court June 10 for a plea hearing.
Velasquez faces charges of attempted murder (one count), shooting at a motor vehicle or aircraft (one count), assault with a firearm (three counts), assault with a deadly weapon (three counts), willfully discharging a firearm from a vehicle (one count), and carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a felony (one count).
If found guilty of attempted murder, Velasquez faces a minimum of 20 years and up to life in prison. He faces additional time if found guilty of other counts.
Velasquez was denied bail by a different judge, Shelyna Brown, at an initial hearing shortly after his arrest. Brown called Velasquez’s alleged actions “reckless” in explaining her decision.
Velasquez was arrested and charged after he allegedly shot at accused child molester Harry Goularte, whose stepfather Paul Bender took a bullet to the shoulder. Goularte, who wasn’t struck, faces a felony charge of “a lewd and lascivious act with a child under the age of 14,” who allegedly is a 4-year-old relative of Velasquez.
Three days prior to the shooting, Goularte was released on bail. Goularte was scheduled for a plea hearing April 13, but Judge Le Jacqueline Duong granted a continuance until June 6 at the request of both attorneys.
After that continuance, Goularte’s defense attorney Stephen DeFilippis said his client is innocent and intends on continuing to join hearings virtually going forward.
At all hearings to date for Velasquez and Goularte, a large contingent of “#FreeCain” protestors and supporters have been present. Velasquez, who has been incarcerated for more than 60 days, has issued three statements since his arrest. In the first, he thanked supporters and asked for victims to come forward. In the second, Velasquez asked for donations for RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) as part of National Sexual Assault Awareness & Child Abuse Prevention Month.
After a GoFundMe was shut down by the company due to a violation of policy, a GiveSendGo fundraiser launched and has raised over $20,000.
A third tweet came minutes before his hearing Friday, in which Velasquez wished his daughter a happy birthday and expressed hope that a judge would grant him bail.
Happy 13th birthday Coco! I hope God grants us the ultimate gift for your birthday; for me to be home with you. I miss you so much! Te amo mucho. pic.twitter.com/OeaeKXKJDq
— Cain Velasquez (@cainmma) May 6, 2022
