Cain Velasquez Denied Bail On Attempted Murder Charges

UFC and WWE alumnus Cain Velasquez won’t be awaiting his attempted murder trial at home, as a judge has denied him bail in the case. As previously reported, Velasquez was charged with attempted, premeditated murder, and other related charges after he allegedly shot at a man who was charged with molesting a close relative of the fighter’s, ramming his vehicle into the man’s car, and then shooting again. The man, Harry Goularte, was uninjured but his stepfather was shot and hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.

According to ESPN, Velasquez had a court hearing on Monday and the judge denied a motion from Valesquez’s lawyer for bail. The judge argued that the “extreme recklessness” of Velasquez’s actions made him too great a risk for public safety.

Judge Shelyna Brown of Santa Clara County Superior Court said in her ruling:

“This case involves allegations of extreme recklessness to human life. Ramming a vehicle in the middle of the day where our citizens are out driving, going about their business, and shooting out of a car at other individuals, which is reckless by any standard. Anyone could’ve been injured. Anyone could’ve been killed. When this court looks at Article 1, Section 12, it is this level of risk that the court must take into consideration. With that said, this court is making a ruling that the risk is too great. There will be no bail set at this time.”

Velasquez is charged with first degree attempted murder, shooting into an occupied motor vehicle or aircraft, three counts of assault with a firearm, three counts of assault with a deadly weapon, carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a felony, and willfully discharging a firearm from a vehicle, and is facing decades in prison if convicted. Prosecutors charge that Velasquez intended to kill or injure Goularte.

TMZ reports that several MMA fighters including Khabib Nurmagomedov, Henry Cejudo, and Kamaru Usman – as well as UFC boss Dana White, Bellator head Scott Coker, and WWE star Rey Mysterio – sent letters to the judge asking that Velasquez be allowed bail, though they were not successful.

Velasquez’s next court date is April 12th.