Josh Thomson: Justice system failed Cain Velasquez, ‘breaks my heart to see him have to go through this’

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Josh Thomson has been supporting good friend Cain Velasquez ever since he was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

Velasquez was arrested Feb. 28 after allegedly shooting a man while targeting another man, 43-year-old Harry Goularte, accused of molesting his family member who is a minor.

Velasquez, the former UFC heavyweight champion, faces charges of attempted murder (one count), shooting at a motor vehicle or aircraft (one count), assault with a firearm (three counts), assault with a deadly weapon (three counts), willfully discharging a firearm from a vehicle (one count), and carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a felony (one count).

Velasquez has remained jailed since Feb. 28. Goularte, on the other hand, has been out on bail since shortly after his arrest.

“It breaks my heart to see him have to go through this,” Thomson told MMA Junkie. “I think that the justice system failed his son in this situation. They failed him as a law-abiding citizen and then he went out and took it into his own hands. It’s really sad, but hopefully something happens that we can start remedying this situation nationwide, not just locally.

“We can’t be letting pedophiles out, sex offenders out with no bail, especially back to a daycare-type setting where this guy lives. And so it’s sad. It really is, but all you can do is support him and be there for him and his wife and his kids and his family and wish them all the best and just be there if they call. That’s all we can do.”

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If found guilty of attempted murder, Velasquez faces a minimum of 20 years and up to life in prison. He faces additional time if found guilty of other counts. On Tuesday, Velasquez was granted a continuance at the request of lawyer Mark Geragos, who said he planned to file a motion for Velasquez’s release before his next scheduled May 6 hearing.

Thomson was among dozens in attendance to show support for Velasquez.

“I’m hoping that the laws change,” Thomson said. “I’m hoping that they stop allowing sex offenders out. I hope that they stop allowing them to be released with no bail. I’m hoping that the state does something to take that into consideration and start changing that. The bottom line is he’s gonna try and get some sort of – there’ll probably be some sort of plea, they’re probably trying to get him to plea because there has to be some sort of repercussions for what he did. But if it goes all the way to court, the outcome could not go in his favor also.

“So there’s a lot to be discussed, and he’s in a really bad position when it comes to making sure that his family could continue to be taken care of and what’s he gonna do. Is he gonna see his kids grow up? Do you take it all the way to court? Do you plea out and hopefully get out sooner? I don’t know. I don’t know what the answer is. I don’t think anyone does.”

Goularte did not attend his plea hearing this past Wednesday in South County Morgan Hill (Calif.) Courthouse and joined the hearing virtually. He faces a felony charge of lewd acts with a minor child. Both the prosecution and defense asked Judge Le Jacqueline Duong for a continuance in the case. The judge approved the request and set Goularte’s plea hearing for June 6.

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