Ex-UFC heavyweight world champion Cain Velasquez is expected to face trial this January following a sixth and final trial setting date scheduled for December 6. During a pre-trial hearing at the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice in California, Judge Daniel T. Nishagaya heard from both the prosecution and defense before setting the early December […]
Ex-UFC heavyweight world champion Cain Velasquez is expected to face trial this January following a sixth and final trial setting date scheduled for December 6.
During a pre-trial hearing at the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice in California, Judge Daniel T. Nishagaya heard from both the prosecution and defense before setting the early December return date with the trial expected to get underway in mid-to-late January 2024.
“I am willing to give this another setting date with the understanding I will be intending to set a trial date in the middle-to-later part of January, on Dec. 6,” Nishagaya said (h/t MMA Junkie).
Velasquez, 40, has already pleaded not guilty to a slew of charges, the most serious being attempted murder after the former MMA fighter allegedly led a vehicle carrying three individuals on a high-speed chase in February 2022. Velasquez reportedly fired multiple shots into the automobile, striking the driver in the process.
If Found Guilty, Cain Velasquez Could Face Life in Prison
The individual Cain Velasquez is said to have been targeting in the incident is Harry Goularte, a man accused of molesting Velasquez’s then-four-year-old son at a daycare owned and operated by his mother, Patricia Goularte. Paul Bender, Goularte’s stepfather, was the one driving during the alleged incident and sustained non-life-threatening injuries after being struck by one of the bullets.
Goularte had been arrested prior to the alleged incident with Velasquez and will return to court on November 15 for his own trial setting where he faces a single charge of lewd acts with a minor under the age of 14.
Velasquez spent eight months behind bars before being released in November 2022.
“Thank you to everybody who (supported me),” Velasquez said upon his release. “I love all of you. (I want to) just always continue to be better as a person, always do good things, just make something positive of this terrible situation. My family and I are going to do that. We’ll do something good.”
If found guilty, Cain Velasquez could face a minimum of 20 years to life in prison.
Former MMA fighter Jonathan Paul Koppenhaver — better known to his fans as War Machine — plead not guilty yesterday to the 34 felony counts he is facing related to the August 8th beating of his ex-girlfriend Christy Mack and her friend Corey Thomas, as well as previous attacks on Mack dating back to May 2013. Koppenhaver entered his pleas at Nevada’s Clark County District Court, and will remain incarcerated until his trial begins in February.
Last month, Koppenhaver’s lawyer was looking to make a plea deal to avoid a life sentence. Then, Koppenhaver tried to kill himself in jail, and his defense strategy apparently changed. The charges that Koppenhaver currently faces include felony battery causing substantial bodily harm, sexual assault, burglary, strangulation, attempted sexual assault, and preventing or dissuading a witness or victim from reporting a crime.
Former MMA fighter Jonathan Paul Koppenhaver — better known to his fans as War Machine — plead not guilty yesterday to the 34 felony counts he is facing related to the August 8th beating of his ex-girlfriend Christy Mack and her friend Corey Thomas, as well as previous attacks on Mack dating back to May 2013. Koppenhaver entered his pleas at Nevada’s Clark County District Court, and will remain incarcerated until his trial begins in February.
Last month, Koppenhaver’s lawyer was looking to make a plea deal to avoid a life sentence. Then, Koppenhaver tried to kill himself in jail, and his defense strategy apparently changed. The charges that Koppenhaver currently faces include felony battery causing substantial bodily harm, sexual assault, burglary, strangulation, attempted sexual assault, and preventing or dissuading a witness or victim from reporting a crime.
(If you didn’t hit her, explain what happened to her eyebrows then, smart guy.)
Brett Rogers will appear in Dakota County District court today in Minnesota where he will attempt to explain to the jury in the case that everyone who saw him drunkenly beating the shit out of his wife is full of BS.
You may recall that “The Grim” was picked up at his Apple Valley home and charged with multiple domestic assault-related felonies back in July after a neighbor called police after witnessing the heavy-handed former Strikeforce heavyweight using his wife’s face as a focus mitt.
According to the police report, the witness stated that he looked out his window and saw Rogers standing over top of his wife in their backyard punching her in the head repeatedly. After the attack, the neighbor says he saw the victim get up and that she was bleeding and missing a tooth. Rogers nine and 10-year-old daughters told another neightbor and officers who attended the scene that they witnessed the assault, which they said wasn’t a one-time occurrence, and their account of the attack matched the other witness’. When officers located Mrs. Rogers a short time later she denied the attack at first, but soon admitted what had happened.
(If you didn’t hit her, explain what happened to her eyebrows then, smart guy.)
Brett Rogers will appear in Dakota County District court today in Minnesota where he will attempt to explain to the jury in the case that everyone who saw him drunkenly beating the shit out of his wife is full of BS.
You may recall that “The Grim” was picked up at his Apple Valley home and charged with multiple domestic assault-related felonies back in July after a neighbor called police after witnessing the heavy-handed former Strikeforce heavyweight using his wife’s face as a focus mitt.
According to the police report, the witness stated that he looked out his window and saw Rogers standing over top of his wife in their backyard punching her in the head repeatedly. After the attack, the neighbor says he saw the victim get up and that she was bleeding and missing a tooth. Rogers nine and 10-year-old daughters told another neightbor and officers who attended the scene that they witnessed the assault, which they said wasn’t a one-time occurrence, and their account of the attack matched the other witness’. When officers located Mrs. Rogers a short time later she denied the attack at first, but soon admitted what had happened.
Here is the account that she gave officers while being transported to a local hospital:
“Tiuana Rogers advised that she and her husband had been arguing that night. He became angry and grabbed her with both hands around her neck and squeezed. She was able to get away and went into the back yard. Her husband followed her and got her on the ground and began hitting her about her head and face, causing her to “black out.” By the time she arrived at the hospital, her ear had swollen and had a “cauliflower ear” look. Mrs. Rogers stated she did not want her husband charged with assault because she did not want to cause him trouble with his job.”
The report went on to state that Rogers’ daughters told the neighbor who was looking after them while their mother was in the hospital and their father was in jail that they were afraid to go home and that he had choked them too in the past. The day after the incident the investigating officer contacted the victim to meet with her to take photos of her injuries and was told that she would not comply with the request and that the assault was all her fault.
Rogers denied addressed the charges with a straight face a la Ike Turner during a recent episode of Inside MMA, referring to the altercation as a “misunderstanding” that was blown out of proportion by the media.
(Video courtesy of YouTube/HDNet)
Does Tiuana look scared to talk to anyone else?
Here’s the transcription of the interview (courtesy of Fight Opinion):
MURAD MOHAMMAD (ATTORNEY): “He’s facing a 3rd degree assault charge. He’s facing a terroristic threats charge, as well as a harassment and stalking charge. These allegations are serious allegations and we take them very seriously but we’re looking forward to addressing them in court.”
BRETT ROGERS: “I was told not to go into details.”
TIUANA ROGERS: “We’d just rather move forward and be positive.”
BRETT ROGERS: “The situation that occurred, it happened and it was more of a misunderstanding when I look at it. The papers can write whatever but we still going through the legal process.”
RON KRUCK: “Has there ever been a violence between you two?”
BRETT ROGERS: “Never. Our records are clean.”
*Editor’s note: Translation – She’s never told on me yet.
RON KRUCK: “After six years of marriage and three children together, Brett & Tiuana are committed to working together through their problems.”
BRETT ROGERS: “I’m confident that things are going to dropped, squared away and then we can move forward like we said. We’re a married couple, we have our ups and down just like everyone else.”
TIUANA ROGERS: “He’s a family man and a lot of people don’t see that with MMA fighters. They’re so quick to judge.”
MURAD MOHAMMAD (ATTORNEY): “The State is going to have some significant proof issues. The alleged victim is Brett’s wife and this is a family that’s been together for a long time, they love each other, and Miss Rogers at this point appears not willing to testify against Brett.”
*Editor’s note: If Tiuana changes her story, she can be charged with perjury. If she chooses not to testify, the testimony of officers on the scene whom she admitted the assault to and witnesses can be used as evidence.
RON KRUCK: “Looking to put their legal issues behind them, the Rogers are focusing on the future.”
BRETT ROGERS: “I want to get back in there and fight and move forward from all the BS that’s been going on in my life.”
TIUANA ROGERS: “We just enjoy being around each other and we just going to continue loving each other, loving our family, and just focus on moving forward and being positive.”
BRETT ROGERS: “You know, it’s just a lesson learned. Life is a roller coaster and it’s definitely a lesson learned.”
Seriously, Brett? Nobody is going to buy that bullshit. Be a man for once and admit you fucked up and quit trying to make excuses for your behavior.
Rogers’ trial was set for Tuesday of this week, but a scheduling conflict with his attorney led to a warrant mistakenly being issued for his arrest for not attending court. The warrant was puled when Rogers’ lawyer contacted the Dakota County Sheriff’s Department to clear up the misunderstanding.
History is in the making when the biggest UFC event in history so far takes Toronto, Canada by storm. UFC 129 is only days away and the anticipation for this card can be cut with a paring knife. The main event, showcasing one of the best …
History is in the making when the biggest UFC event in history so far takes Toronto, Canada by storm. UFC 129 is only days away and the anticipation for this card can be cut with a paring knife. The main event, showcasing one of the best pound-for-pound MMA fighters in the history of the sport, […]