Cain Velasquez was denied bail and will remain jailed until his next court appearance.
The former UFC heavyweight champion was slapped with attempted murder charges (among other things) after shooting at suspected child molester Harry Goularte last week in Santa Clara, Calif., hitting and wounding Goularte’s 63 year-old stepfather in the process.
Goularte has been charged with abusing an unnamed relative of Velasquez but was promptly released on his own recognizance, requiring only an ankle bracelet and an oath to remain above board until trial. That didn’t sit well with celebrity attorney Mark Geragos, who slammed the decision to free Goularte but keep Velasquez.
“Is there anybody out there who finds it to be beyond the pale that a father was not consulted when they released the perpetrator back into the public with zero dollar bail, yet they’re holding Cain with no bail,” Geragos asked supporters outside the courthouse. “This is why people are disgusted — and rightfully so — with the criminal justice system.”
Letters from UFC President Dana White, teammate Khabib Nurmagomedov, WWE wrestler Rey Mysterio Jr., and nearly 30 others did little to sway the court’s decision.
Geragos is no stranger to high-profile defense cases, having previously represented pop singer Michael Jackson, hip hop stars “Nate Dogg” and “Puff Daddy,” international arms dealer Sarkis Soghanalian, and former Congressman Gary Condit, just to name a few.
In addition, Geragos is only the second lawyer to be honored as “Lawyer of the Year” in both criminal and civil arenas and was named “One of the 100 Most Influential Attorneys in California” three years in a row by California Law Business Magazine.
Velasquez is due back in court on April 12.