San Jose, California — Santa Clara County authorities charged former MMA heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez with tried homicide and several other different crimes Wednesday for his alleged involvement in a automotive chase and taking pictures days earlier than, CBS San Francisco reviews.
Dozens of Velasquez's supporters filed into the Santa Clara County Corridor of Justice Wednesday for a listening to on the case.
"I do not blame him, I 100% do not blame him," stated one backer. "What Cain did, he needed to take issues into his personal arms."
The costs have been lodged towards the 39-year-old San Jose resident after police stated he rammed into and shot at a automobile Monday that carried a person who'd allegedly molested a juvenile relative of Velasquez's.
A bit of after 3 p.m. Monday, Morgan Hill Police responding to reviews of a taking pictures discovered Paul Bender affected by gunshot wounds. He was taken to a close-by hospital to be handled for non-life-threatening accidents.
In accordance with police, Velasquez had adopted Bender's automobile as a result of it contained 43-year-old Harry Goularte, who'd been launched by authorities after being charged with felony youngster molestation.
On the time of the taking pictures, Bender – Goularte's stepfather – was driving Goularte to get an digital monitoring bracelet that was a situation of his launch from jail.
Velasquez chased the automobile, a Chevy Silverado, 11 miles earlier than ramming into it, authorities stated. After the collision, Velasquez opened hearth on the automobile with a handgun, hitting Bender. Goularte's mom, who was within the automobile, referred to as 911.
"What he did was put the general public in peril," stated prosecuting legal professional Aaron French.
Paula Canny, a legal protection legal professional, authorized analyst and long-time former deputy district legal professional, informed CBS San Francisco he agrees with French.
She stated she hopes the general public outcry does not affect Velasquez's case.
"I do not need even combined martial arts fighters who're champions to get to go round and hearth weapons in public locations and take the regulation into his personal arms; it is horrifying, it is scary," stated Canny. "There is no such thing as a protection for vigilante justice, and that is in all probability a great factor. In any other case, the entire system would devolve into vigilantism. There is no such thing as a protection of 'I used to be so mad, I needed to do it.'"
Velasquez, who has employed celeb legal professional Mark Geragos, was booked into the Santa Clara County important jail and held with out bail. His arraignment, initially scheduled for Wednesday, was postponed till subsequent Monday.
"The group is behind him on what occurred," stated household buddy Erin McNabb.
In accordance with courtroom paperwork, authorities charged Goularte, a San Martin resident, over his actions at a baby care facility run by his spouse the place he lived however did not work. The power cares for 20 kids and Goularte is charged with inappropriately touching a baby there a number of instances. The sufferer is believed to be a relative of Velasquez.
Patricia Goularte confirmed to police that Velasquez had been employed at her daycare facility for the previous two years.
Goularte had been launched with out bail as a part of the "Supervised Personal Recognizance Program" (SORP), towards the district legal professional's workplace request.
"The courtroom disagreed with us and agreed that he might be launched with out bail. That was not a call that we agreed with. However it's a determination that we respect. We respect the decide's determination in that case. We don't consider that that justified the conduct on this case, significantly given how reckless it was and the way a lot it endangered most of the people," stated Santa Clara County Assistant District Lawyer Angela Bernhard.
On the Corridor of Justice in downtown San Jose, Velasquez's spouse Michelle had no remark, however requested for pals and supporters to attend the listening to Wednesday afternoon. A crowd of a number of dozen supporters arrived, sporting "#FreeCain" t-shirts, and blasted the decide in Goularte's case.
"I feel it's unacceptable that our justice system let this man free. It is unacceptable," stated Erin McNabb, a household buddy of Velasquez.
Canny stated Goularte's launch was based mostly on California's zero bail regulation and was applicable for the state of affairs.
Velasquez faces one rely of tried homicide, one rely taking pictures at an occupied automobile, three counts of assault with a firearm, three counts of assault with a lethal weapon, willfully discharging a firearm from a automobile and carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit felony.
Velasquez was compelled by accidents to retire from the MMA in 2019. Throughout his profession, he earned UFC heavyweight championship titles in 2010 and 2012.