Cain Velasquez pleads not guilty to attempted murder, other charges
Cain Velasquez has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and multiple other charges.
The 40-year-old appeared in a Santa Clara County courtroom on Friday to enter his plea. The charges stem from his arrest on February 28.
Velasquez is alleged to have driven into the truck of Harry Eugene Goularte, a man who has been charged with allegedly molesting one of Velasquez's relatives who was under ten years old. Velasquez is also alleged to have fired a handgun into Goularte's truck, striking the man's stepfather, Paul Bender, who was in the truck with him at the time. Goularte's mother is also said to have been in the truck when the shooting occurred.
The Velasquez family filed a civil suit against Goularte and Bender in July. The suit also includes Goularte's mother, who owns the child care facility where the alleged abuse is said to have taken place.
According to a report from MMA Junkie, Velasquez is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on September 26.
The former UFC Heavyweight Champion has been charged with one count of attempted murder, one count of shooting at an occupied motor vehicle, three counts of assault with a firearm, three counts of assault with a deadly weapon, willfully discharging a firearm from a vehicle and carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a felony. If convicted, he could face 20 years to life in prison.
Velasquez has been incarcerated since his arrest and has been denied bail on three occasions. He is currently appealing the decision.
There will also be a motion hearing on August 29 to determine how much of the criminal investigation into Goularte will be included in the Velasquez case discovery.