Mitch Cozad’s life should not be ruined but he still must be punished for stabbing his rival to get a starting spot on the University of Northern Colorado football team, a district judge said Tuesday.
“It’s a sad state of affairs for this community for someone to stab someone else for the status of a game,” Judge Marcelo Kopcow said.
Kopcow then sentenced Cozad to seven years in prison for second-degree assault for his attack on teammate Rafael Mendoza on Sept. 11, 2006.
Cozad, UNC’s backup punter, was convicted in August of stalking and then stabbing Mendoza in his punting leg outside of Mendoza’s apartment in Evans. Witnesses said Cozad was jealous of Mendoza – UNC’s starting punter – and wanted him out of the picture.
The same jury that convicted Cozad of second-degree assault also acquitted Cozad of attempted murder.
Cozad spoke little during Tuesday’s sentencing hearing, saying his lawyers will appeal his conviction. Cozad only told Kopcow he was sorry for the trauma endured by Mendoza’s family and his own.
“I will continue to be a model inmate during my sentence and my appeal,” Cozad said.
A family friend, a former coach and his fiance spoke at Cozad’s sentencing, all asking Kopcow for leniency. They cited his lack of a criminal record and his hard-work ethic.
Mendoza, however, asked for the maximum 16 year sentence for Cozad, saying he no longer trusts people because of what Cozad did. “I trusted Mitch once and he did this to me,” Mendoza said.
Mendoza’s mother, Florence Mendoza, also said it was difficult to forgive Cozad. “It’s hard to believe there are people out there who would do this for greed and jealousy,” she said.
Monte Whaley: 720-929-0907 or mwhaley@denverpost.com.
