Las Vegas Sun

April 24, 2024

War Machine facing additional charges following court appearance

War Machine Appears in Court

L.E. Baskow

Jon Koppenhaver appears briefly in court as he faces felony charges, including assault with a deadly weapon, lewdness, coercion and multiple counts of battery on Wednesday, September 3, 2014. L.E. Baskow

Mixed martial arts fighter War Machine will face two additional counts in connection with the alleged Aug. 8 assault of his ex-girlfriend, a judge ruled today.

War Machine, whose birth name is Jonathan Koppenhaver, was facing 32 counts including attempted murder and sexual assault with a deadly weapon. He now faces two additional counts including sexual assault and battery with substantial bodily harm, Judge Melanie Andress-Tobiasson ruled. Koppenhaver will have to stand trial on all 34 charges.

Koppenhaver appeared in court for the first time today since an incident on Oct. 14, when Clark County Detention Center officials said he attempted to commit suicide by strangling himself. He was stopped by a jail guard, according to jail officials.

The court heard testimony from ex-girlfriend Christy Mack and Corey Thomas, who was at Mack's home when the alleged crimes occurred.

Mack and Thomas testified that Koppenhaver arrived unexpected in the early morning hours of Aug. 8 at Mack's Las Vegas house, turned on the lights and found the two in bed together.

They said that is when Koppenhaver began to attack Thomas, who testified that he suffered a dislocated shoulder, broken nose and additional injuries as a result of the incident.

Mack said Koppenhaver allowed Thomas to leave before beating and sexually assaulting her.

She told the court she suffered a broken nose, shattered eye socket, lacerated liver, left leg injury and dental damage.

Koppenhaver has denied attacking Thomas, insisting he acted in self defense.

Mack testified that Koppenhaver had been violent before the Aug. 8 incident, choking her and threatening to kill her.

The 34 counts Koppenhaver now faces include charges from before then.

His attorney, Brandon Sua, said Koppenhaver plans to plead not guilty.

Koppenhaver is next scheduled to appear in court Nov. 20 at 1 p.m. in this case, though he also has a separate parole violation case.

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