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Wounded punter shaken up as accused assailant appears in court |
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Written by asap
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Monday, 06 November 2006 |
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 Northern Colorado punter Rafael Mendoza left a courtroom visibly shaken Monday after he faced his former backup punter who is accused of knifing Mendoza in an ambush two months ago.
Mendoza declined comment as he walked to his truck with his fiance minutes after Mitch Cozad made his first court appearance. He did not respond to an e-mail from The Associated Press, but he previously said he was steeling himself for this day and that it would be difficult to see his alleged attacker.
"It will bring back a lot of flashbacks and memories from the night it happened," Mendoza told The AP during an interview last week. "It will be hard to look at him. It's even hard just looking at pictures of him."
 ABOUT THE ALLEGED ATTACKER
Cozad, of Wheatland, Wyo., is charged with attempted first-degree murder and second-degree assault in the Sept. 11 attack on Mendoza. Police say they believe Cozad attacked Mendoza to capture his starting job. He was dressed in a black suit, white shirt and white tie, was smiling with his defense team. He and his attorney declined to comment as they left court. The 21-year-old faces up to 48 years in prison if convicted. He is free on $500,000 bail. The judge on Monday set two future hearings.
MENDOZA'S SITUATION
Police said Mendoza was ambushed in a dimly lit parking lot at his apartment complex and suffered a 3- to 5-inch deep knife wound in his kicking leg. Mendoza said it's hard for him to go home at night unless he's with friends or talking on his cell phone, and that he's always looking over his shoulder.
On the field: Mendoza has returned to the team and had a 75-yard punt two weeks ago, but he walks with a limp, finds sitting painful and has changed his punting style because he cannot extend his leg as far as he did before the attack.
IN HIS WORDS
"Ever since he stabbed me, my biggest worry was that I'd have hatred for the guy. The legal system will take its course. He'll pay for what he did. I just can't live with hate. I'm still trying to forgive him. But I'm not going to fully forgive him until he's found guilty and I won't have to worry about it anymore." -- Mendoza
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