2008 Woodie Awards
Cozad gets 7 years in prison for stabbing
Staff and Wire Report
Issue date: 10/3/07 Section: News
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"Clearly, this was deliberate to hurt him, and you succeeded," Weld County District Judge Marcelo Kopcow told Cozad as he announced the sentence.
"The goal is to not ruin your life," Kopcow said. "I would like you to succeed in your life."
Prosecutors said Cozad ambushed Mendoza on the night of Sept. 11, 2006. Mendoza was left with a deep gash in his kicking leg but later returned to the team.
Mendoza, who is a senior and starting punter for the Bears, said he was satisfied with the decision.
"As a victim you want more, but considering his previous record - he didn't have one - so I wasn't expecting the full 16 years," Mendoza said.
Mendoza also said he is convinced that Cozad has no remorse after all that has happened.
"The thing that stood out to me was that after the verdict was read and after the sentencing today, there was no emotion on his part and it was kind of disturbing," Mendoza said. "He never accepted what he did. He's still pointing the finger, he's still denying the whole thing and that is what disturbs me.
"Personally, I don't think he'll ever change."
Throughout the trial in August, Cozad showed little emotion in the courtroom; however, according to Mendoza it was a different story outside of the courtroom. Mendoza said Cozad would smirk at him whenever they ran into each other around the courthouse.
"He'd see me and give me a little smirk, it would kind of scare me, you know like 'how crazy is this guy,'" Mendoza said.
Despite his personal feelings toward Cozad, Mendoza said he is happy he can fully focus on football and school.
As for Cozad, who was convicted in August of second-degree assault, but acquitted of the more serious charge of attempted first-degree murder, he faced up to 16 years in prison.
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