Cain Velasquez granted new bail hearing for attempted murder charges

Cain Velasquez appeared in court on May 6 and was granted a new bail hearing.

Judge Jose Franco of San Jose, California, granted Velasquez a new bail hearing set for May 16. The hearing brings hope for his release after his previous attempt on March 7 was shutdown.

Since his arrest on February 28, the former two-time UFC heavyweight champion has been away from his family. Fans, friends, and relatives have spoken out about what they consider to be an "injustice".

Former UFC veteran Jake Shields tweeted his opinion of the court's decision:

Celebrity attorney Mark Geragos, who is representing the mixed martial artist, seems confident the hearing will end in their favor.

In a statement provided by NBC Bay area, Geragos said:

"I don’t think anyone believes for a second that Cain is a threat to the community. If anything, he’s part of the fabric of the community. I don’t think that he’s any worry whatsoever."

In addition to the bail hearing, Velasquez is scheduled to enter a plea on June 10.

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Cain Velasquez sends heartfelt message to daughter

Cain Velasquez and his daughter Coco [via Twitter]

Sadly for Velasquez's family, his daughter, Coco, had to celebrate her birthday without her father. On Friday, the 39-year-old tweeted a "Happy Birthday" message to his new 13-year-old.

Below is the heartwarming post on Twitter:

Velasquez has been in jail since his arrest and faces up to 20 years in prison up to a life sentence if found guilty of the numerous charges against him. Allegedly, the 39-year-old engaged in an 11-mile high-speed car chase in pursuit of a man he accuses of molesting a young relative of his.

The chase ended with an elderly man being shot, who happens to be a relative of Harry Goularte -- Velasquez's intended target. Goularte is currently on house arrest awaiting trial on sexual assault charges.

Many supporters showed up outside the courtroom on Friday rallying for his release, ridiculing the justice system for detaining him.

Family friend Erica Trinchero said:

"It’s hard, it’s difficult. He shouldn’t be there. This should never have happened. He shouldn’t be there. That’s why we’re here. It’s time to let Cain out. This is ridiculous. His family needs him. His friends need him. This is an incredible injustice."