Former MMA star Cain Velasquez, accused of attempted murder after allegedly trying to shoot a man accused of molesting one of his close family members, was denied bail again during a court proceeding Monday morning.
Before announcing her ruling, the judge said there was a reckless disregard for human life on the day of the shooting.
Patrick Steinfeld, the lawyer for Paul Bender, said Velasquez shot Bender on Feb. 28 as Velasquez chased Bender, his wife and stepson, Harry Goularte, for seven miles. Goularte is charged with molesting Velasquez's close family member at the Goularte's day care center.
"The family is fearful of Cain Velasquez being released," Steinfeld said.
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Bender told the judge, "I believe he will finish what he started. I am fearful for my life."
"Not only are they fearful for their lives from Cain Velasquez, there's been individuals that have followed them and individuals that have sat outside their home waiting for them to leave, so they are very fearful," Steinfeld said.
Velasquez supporters say Goularte is the one who should be locked up instead of free on bail.
"You’re innocent until proven guilty if you’re a child molester but not against the alleged crimes that Cain is supposedly behind bars for," Velasquez supporter Erica Trinchero said.
Velasquez's lawyer, celebrity attorney Mark Geragos, proposed a $1 million bond and his client would wear an ankle monitor and remain in an unlocked facility in Texas or a locked facility in California.
The judge refused, saying Velasquez is a danger.
It's the same judge who last year released a suspected murderer on $100,000 bond.
"I'm not going to comment on the hypocrisy of this system," Geragos said. "There’s a lot of things going on here, the least of which is sympathy for the Goularte family."
