Cain Velasquez Pleads Not Guilty In Attempted Murder Case

Cain Velasquez’s attempted murder case continues.

On Friday, the former UFC heavyweight champion pleaded not guilty to the charges, his attorney Mark Geragos told ESPN.

The attempted murder and 10 gun-related charges against Velasquez stem from an incident earlier this year where the former fighter allegedly pursued Harry Goularte in a car chase, shooting and hitting Goularte’s stepfather, Paul Bender, who sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Velasquez has been in jail since February 28.

Reports say that Velasquez targeted Goularte because he allegedly molested a young relative of Velasquez at a daycare – owned by Goularte’s mother — that might have happened “100 times.” Some reports have added that it is Velasquez’s four-year-old son.

Goularte was released from custody on February 25 without bail. He is facing a charge of lewd or lascivious acts on a child under 14 years old.

Goularte and Velasquez are being tried by the same office, which Geragos says causes a conflict and is serving “two masters.”

Velasquez was denied bail for the third time nearly a month ago. Geragos had requested bail after he said Velasquez was willing to post a $1 million bond to be with his family during the ongoing trial.

But the judge denied it likely for the previous reasoning, which was Velasquez “doesn’t respect human life.”

“They’re trying to desperately run away from the fact that the system failed Cain,” Geragos said.

“They don’t want to get into that. They want to try a case that’s divorced from reality.”

There will be a motion hearing for Velasquez’s case on August 29. A pre-trial hearing for the case is also booked for September 26. Geragos expects to get witnesses to testify, but will not be calling on Goularte.

If the case is not dismissed, the trial could start before the end of the year. Velasquez is facing possible life in prison.

Goularte pleaded guilty to his charge and is next due on September 20.