Court denies Cain Velasquez writ of habeas corpus
Once again, former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez finds himself in an uphill legal battle that has no indication of a decision resulting in his favor.
According to a report from Nolan King of MMA Junkie, the Sixth Appellate Court of California denied a petition for writ of habeas corpus in an order issued Wednesday. A writ of habeas corpus orders the custodian of an individual in custody to produce the individual before the court to make an inquiry concerning his or her detention, to appear for prosecution or to appear to testify.
The 246-page appeal filed by the legal team of the incarcerated former champion “challenged past rulings of Santa Clara County Judge Shelyna Brown denying Velasquez bail, was denied summarily, meaning without explanation,” according to the report.
Velasquez is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing November 7 in San Jose, California. His alleged shooting target, accused child molester Harry Goularte, will have a pre-trial hearing of his own November 14 according to the MMA Junkie report. Goularte faces one felony charge of lewd acts with a minor, allegedly Velasquez’s 4-year-old son.
Velasquez, 40, faces 20 years to life in prison if found guilty. Goularte, who is currently out on bail, faces up to eight years if found guilty. Both Velasquez and Goularte have pleaded not guilty.
A civil lawsuit filed by the Velasquez family against the Goularte family is in the preliminary stages with the next hearing scheduled for March 2023.
