Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez is currently in jail awaiting trial for an attempted murder charge. Velasquez was arrested in February on suspicion of shooting into a car carrying Harry Goularte Jr. after a car chase through the streets of San Jose.
The Velasquez family has since filed a lawsuit against Goularte, accusing him of molesting Velasquez’s son at a day care facility operated out of the home of Goularte’s mother. Gourlarte’s mother and stepfather were both in the car at the time of the shooting. Only Goularte’s stepfather was hit by a bullet. He suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
A judge in Santa Clara County, CA has repeatedly denied Velasquez’s requests to be let out on bail. This is despite Velasquez hiring famed defence attorney Mark Geragos and the court being provided dozens of letters of support from various figures from the MMA world.
One of those figures who provided a letter vouching for Velasquez’s character is former UFC lightweight champion, and AKA teammate, Khabib Nurmagomedov.
In a recent interview Nurmagomedov revealed to Red Corner MMA that he has been in close contact with Velasquez and that the pair spoke on the phone just a few days ago.
“Yes, just before the flight I had a phone call with him for 5-7 minutes,” said Nurmagomedov (ht MMA News). “If I’m not mistaken, they only get one phone call from jail per day. I know that he talks to his kids, to his family. I got 5-7 minutes or so to have a word with Cain. I was surprised that he manages to hold himself in high spirits.”
“We talked, we even laughed a bit, we discussed some details of his case,” continued Nurmagomedov. “Although I’m not going to reveal those…it is what it is. God chose to test him in this way – in this particular place at that particular moment. And he has to go through this.”
Velasquez is scheduled to appear at a pre-trial hearing on September 26. He is charged with attempted first-degree murder, shooting at a motor vehicle, three counts of assault with a firearm, three counts of assault with a deadly weapon, wilfully discharging a firearm from a vehicle and carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a felony.
He has plead not guilty to all charges.
If found guilty of attempted murder Velasquez could face a maximum sentence of 20 years to life in prison.
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