Cain Velasquez will go home for the first time in eight months after he was granted bail ahead of his trial on multiple charges – including premeditated attempted murder.
The former UFC heavyweight champion spent the past two days in a Santa Clara County (Calif.) courthouse for a pre-trial hearing, where his attorney Mark Geragos and prosecutor Aaron French faced off with several witnesses being called. Two separate motions also went before presiding judge Arthur Bocanegra,.
Bocanegra maintained Velasquez should still be charged with premeditated attempted murder after he allegedly went on a high speed car chase on Feb. 28 and fired several rounds from a . 40-caliber handgun at a vehicle containing Harry Goularte, who is accused of allegedly sexually abusing Velasquez’s son at a daycare run by his mother Patricia Goularte. Paul Bender, Goularte’s stepfather was eventually shot in the leg but sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Bocanegra accepted Geragos’ second motion to grant Velasquez bail in advance of the trial. The next hearing is scheduled for Nov. at . PT.
“Mr. Velasquez. I wouldn’t release you if it wasn’t certain that I had finally released you at the time eight months after you were arrested that you would pose a threat to Harry Goularte and primarily Patricia Goularte as well as Paul Bender, or the general public,” Judge Bocanegra stated.
“But if you are as devoted as a husband and father, I have to believe and I’m confident he will not jeopardize anything that would take away from your son, your daughter or your family. I trust you won’t be wrong .”
Velasquez spoke for the first-time during pre-trial.
As conditions for his release, Velasquez will have to pay $1 million cash or bond, submit to home detention with GPS monitoring, which means he can’t leave his primary residence outside of allowances made by the court.
Velasquez will also need to receive outpatient treatment at Windmills Wellness Ranch for traumatic brain injuries and CTE (chronic trauma encephalopathy). Counseling for parents of victims of sexual abuse will also be provided. His home will have a search and seizure performed, and he will not be allowed to have any weapons in his house. He must also comply with a protective order to stay at least 300 yards away from Goularte, his mother Patricia and his stepfather Paul Bender.
Velasquez thanked the judge along with his attorney also providing thanks for granting bail. French vehemently disagreed with the decision, calling the 40-year-old fighter a “clear and convincing threat of danger.”
Despite these objections, the judge granted bail. Velasquez now plans to go home once bail has been paid.
Velasquez faces a total of 10 counts in his case, including premeditated attempted murder, which comes with a potential penalty of up to life in prison if convicted.
Source: https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/11/8/23448268/cain-velasquez-granted-bail-at-1-million-pending-trial-faces-10-counts-premeditated-attempted-murder?rand=96749
