After a two-day pre-trial hearing that lasted nearly 13 hours, a Santa Clara County (Calif.) judge granted bail to the former UFC heavyweight champion on Tuesday. Velasquez’s release terms include a $1 million bail, GPS monitoring, and compliance with a long list of conditions, including no weapons, TBI/CTE outpatient treatment, counselling, search and seizure restrictions, and a protective order to stay at least 300 yards away from alleged victims Harry Goularte, Patricia Goularte, and Paul Bender.
Prosecutor Aaron French of the District Attorney’s Office has long argued that Velasquez’s actions were reckless, citing the time of day, the frequency of traffic, and the proximity to a charter school. French also stated that he believed Velasquez was capable of “completing the job.”
Velasquez, 40, has been imprisoned for more than eight months on multiple charges, including attempted murder, for allegedly shooting at a car carrying Goularte, a man accused of molesting Velasquez’s 4-year-old son, and striking Goularte’s stepfather in the arm with a bullet.
Mark Geragos, his defence attorney, had previously requested bail three times but was denied each time. A writ petition filed with a California appellate court was also denied. Geragos expressed relief following the judge’s decision. The pre-trial hearing was initially scheduled to provide a judicial review of whether there was probable cause for the charges to proceed to trial. The DA called five police officers as witnesses on Monday, painting a picture of their perspectives on the alleged incident.
Officers who interacted with Velasquez confirmed his cooperation throughout the process, including pulling over his vehicle and placing himself on the ground prior to lights and sirens, admitting to possessing a firearm, and submitting to potential insight into his motive. These details appear to have struck a chord with Judge Bocanegra.
While the prosecution dominated the proceedings on Monday, Velasquez and Geragos were given the opportunity to present their own exhibits and motions on Tuesday. Velasquez has worked with the WWE and has been in a match with Brock Lesnar where he fought on behalf of Rey Mysterio.
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