Cain Velasquez Pleads No Contest to Attempted Murder Charges
Former UFC heavyweight champion avoids life sentence but faces significant prison time
Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez entered a plea of no contest to felony attempted murder, assault and multiple weapons charges in a California court on Friday. The plea deal comes in exchange for a lighter sentence.
Velasquez, 42, was facing an attempted murder trial for a Feb. 2022 incident when he allegedly shot repeatedly at a man accused of molesting his son — but ended up wounding the man’s stepfather instead — after a high-speed car chase.
As a result of the plea, the premeditated murder charges against him will be dropped, which means he will no longer face a mandatory sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole.
Incident Details
Velasquez was accused of shooting at a pickup truck carrying Harry Goularte — the man accused of molesting Velasquez’s then 4-year-old son at a daycare owned by Goularte’s mother — during an 11-mile car chase on the afternoon of Feb. 28, 2022. Goularte was being driven by his stepfather, Paul Bender, as they traveled from Morgan Hill to San Jose. Velasquez reportedly fired multiple rounds at the vehicle with a .40 caliber handgun that missed his intended target and struck Bender in the arm and torso.
Velasquez was arrested without incident following the car chase.
Legal Proceedings
Velasquez was released from jail in Nov. 2022 on $1 million bail while awaiting trial. Goularte faces ongoing child molestation charges.
The county probation department will produce a sentencing recommendation in the coming months that weighs the severity of the incident with Velasquez’s lack of a criminal history and the sexual abuse case in which his son is the reported victim.
Velasquez is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 18, but the actual sentencing is now expected to occur at a later date.
Reactions
District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in a statement: “This defendant decided to become judge, jury, and executioner. His actions endangered innocent bystanders, including young children and their parents who could have been injured or killed as he shot at his intended victim.”
Velasquez’s attorney, Mark Geragos, said: “We are hopeful that the court will consider all the facts and circumstances of this case and impose a sentence that is just and fair to Mr. Velasquez.”
Conclusion
The case of Cain Velasquez has drawn significant attention and debate. Some believe that Velasquez was justified in his actions to protect his son, while others condemn his use of violence. The outcome of the sentencing will be closely watched as it has implications for both the legal system and the issue of vigilante justice.
