The jurors looked so uncomfortable that District Judge Dick Alcala sent them out for a break, and as they exited, a woman on the jury fainted at the door. Just this month, Benavides was indicted again for continuous trafficking of persons in connection with alleged incidents with four of the women from 2012 to 2015. Its not something thats far in the past, Morales said. Benavides was arrested in November 2015 and charged with compelling prostitution in cases involving at least nine female clients. He transported, coerced, threatened and made them feel they had no choice. While questioning the woman under cross-examination, defense attorney Monica E. Guerrero tried to suggest that their interactions remained friendly after his initial arrest. Its worth life, ladies and gentlemen, Chacon said in her closing argument. Mark Benavides is currently serving an 80-year prison term after he was convicted in 2018 of trading sex for legal services from women he was representing. Benavides is facing a minimum sentence of 25 years and a maximum of life in prison on each count. 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Summary: After watching a graphic video of a sexual encounter between a former San Antonio attorney and one of his victims, a juror passed out. 1.1 Mark R. Benavides lawyer profile in Plano, Texas - Law.net; 1.2 Wife of Mark Benavides testifies - Twitter; 1.3 'I thought I was alone' victims of disgraced - Alton Telegraph; 1.4 Prosecutors: "Pornographic" DVDs show former lawyer with 1.5 Lawyer cries as he is sentenced to 80 years - Express Digest More: Jury find woman who killed nephew guilty of murder, Ronald Cortes, for the San Antonio Express News, Marvin Pfeiffer, Staff / San Antonio Express-News, More: Jury'sguilty verdict sends convicted killer into frenzy in San Antonio courtroom, William Luther, Staff / San Antonio Express-News, psychologist at upscale apartment complex near downtown, Kin Man Hui, Staff / San Antonio Express-News. Woman held captive in Stone Oak home: What started as a theft investigation quickly became a violent sex assault case. Under cross-examination, Norton asked Steege whether he reviewed police reports and videos Benavides took of sexual encounters with his clients. iago physical appearance; renaissance musical instruments for sale; sarah marie johnson today; subaru temperature light flashing red and blue; how to use rear camera on face scan 2k22; philadelphia cheesecake crumble recipe; . Cruz, Abbott and others react to Castro's cancer diagnosis, Rep. Joaquin Castro diagnosed with cancer, undergoes surgery, San Antonio's first car elevator is ready to start accepting cars, Buc-ees planning new travel centers in Wisconsin, Florida. Woman held captive in Stone Oak home: What started as a theft investigation quickly became a violent sex assault case. SAN ANTONIO Former attorney Mark Benavides has been sentenced to 80 years for six counts of continuing trafficking of persons. Six months later, she was charged with driving under the influence, and she hired him to represent her. I was never alone with him after that, she said. Mark Henry Benavides, 48, broke down in tears on Friday as he heard the sentence and mouthed 'I love you' to his wife, who is still staying with him A former San Antonio attorney has been. FLORESVILLE, Texas Closing arguments were set to begin Friday afternoon in the punishment phase of the trial for former San Antonio attorney Mark Benavides. District Judge Dick Alcala noticed that the jurors were looking distraught so he ordered a break. He is accused of having sex with his clients in exchange for legal services. Steege said he had not. We are asking you for 25 years, she said. More: San Antonio woman gunned down by estranged relativedies two weeks after shooting. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Mott died Aug. 8, 2015 and was to be cremated Aug. 15, 2015. Mark Benavides, a powerful Democrat who ran for the 186th District Court in 2014 during the Obama administration, was accused by federal law enforcement of trading his legal services as an attorney for sex with . He ran for judge and he used that as part of his operation, his judicial candidacy, as coercion, Young said. Linda Benavides (front), who is the wife of Mark Benavides, and his mother, Olga Benavides, are emotional after he was given 80 years after being convicted for continuous trafficking of persons on Friday. He transported, coerced, threatened and made them feel they had no choice. On ExpressNews.com: Four pending sex cases against convicted ex-San Antonio attorney dismissed. She said they would go to a motel in San Antonio, where he told her what to do sexually while recording the encounter. Officials said the women were. When Norton asked her if her husband committed a crime, Benavides said she was not allowed to hear the testimony, so I am not aware of what has happened, except what I heard on the news.. Prosecutors proved that Benavides made women he was representing for alleged crimes, including DUI, minor drug offenses and prostitution, to have sex with him in exchange for legal services. }] The jury found him guilty of crimes, not cheating.. Benavides is being tried in Wilson County on a change of venue from Bexar County because of intense media coverage. W&P Porter bowl review: A container that makes office 10 beach essentials to pack for a spring break vacation, HOKA dropped a brand new version of their most popular shoe, You can still overpack the smaller Monos check-in suitcase. Norton told the jury that this wasnt Benavides trial alone, that it was shared with every single person who took the stand and told their stories. He attended Unionville High School and was subsequently accepted into National Theatre School of Canada, graduating in 2004.. Career. Copyright 2018 by KSAT - All rights reserved. Animal sacrifice unveiled at San Antonio home: Each case is expected to be tried separately. To learn more about the case against Benavides, read these articles: Lawyers from various law firms, including MotleyRice, Morgan & Morgan, and Cory Watson, are flocking, Disbarred lawyer Alex Murdaugh took the stand on Thursday to deny murdering his wife and, J. Michael Connolly is set to debut his argument in the US Supreme Court in, {"duration": "400ms","fill": "both","iterations": "1","direction": "alternate","animations": [{"selector": "#scrollToTopButton","keyframes": [{"opacity": "1","visibility": "visible" "I'm asking you to have mercy and give me the minimum," Benavides said while crying. Mark Henry Benavides was convicted Tuesday of continuous trafficking of persons for having sex with clients he represented on prostitution or drug cases. The woman pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possession of marijuana. Benavides sentenced to 80 years for coercing clients into having sex, Author says stakes are high in Alamo makeover project. More: Couple get $8 million for loss of daughters body from San Antonio funeral home. Benavides was arrested in November 2015 while he was running for Bexar County District judge, and was indicted in April 2016. Murder-suicide at upscale apartment complex:Tania Rendon-Santiago was killed at her apartment complex in the 1800 block of Broadway Street in an apparent murder-suicide on March 12. He is facing up to 99 years in prison. Its rattlesnake season in Texas. Benavides had sex with women he represented in criminal cases, according to an arrest warrant affidavit following an investigation by the Bexar County District Attorney's Office and the San. What I saw yesterday (in Benavides testimony) was a totally different man. Heres what you need to know. It's an understatement to call it cheating if its a criminal act, Norton replied. Her testimony came a day after Benavides took the stand. I felt like he wasnt even trying to help me anymore, but I already had given him $3,000 and I couldnt afford another lawyer, she said. His kids love him so much, she told the jury through tears. Uresti divorce: A week after state Sen. Carlos Urestis conviction in a salacious trial that included vivid testimony about him carrying on an extramarital relationship, his wife filed for divorce. Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Benavides wife, Linda, took the stand on Friday and asked the jury to please be fair.. Steege said he had not. Mark Benavides (center) confers with defense attornies Monica E. Guerrero (right) and Liza Rodriguez (left) during his trial in the Wilson County District Court and Justice Center in Floresville on Thursday. Prosecutors said Benavides will be back in a courtroom to face additional charges. Many of the acts were recorded, and now, upon further review of the case, prosecutors said they found more victims in need of justice. When he started throwing my son in there, I started taking him serious He started to get aggressive. Mark Benavides (right) and defense attorney Liza Rodriguez are in court Thursday during the punishment phase of his trial in Wilson County District Court and Justice Center in Floresville. 'He cheated. She told Benavides she did not want to have sex with him, but he still made me, she said. Read more of her stories here. He did. A 51-year-old victim of now-disbarred attorney Mark Benavides pauses during an inteview at her San Antonio home on June 18, 2020. Ex-attorney Mark Benavides found guilty on all 6 counts of continuous trafficking of persons KSAT 12 193K views 4 years ago WATCH: Meteorologist Justin Horne gives his early weather forecast. I saw a humbled man rather than an arrogant man, he said. Benavidesapologized Thursday and asked for forgiveness as he testified. By
Defense expert Mark Steege, a sex therapist who testified he has treated hundreds of sex offenders in 35 years, said he evaluated Benavides in April 2017. Menchaca was allegedly beaten with baseball bats, dismembered and grilled on a barbecue pit in 2014. And he did.. Personal Life, Parents and Family Details : Mark was born on October 1st, 1969. It dragged on for nearly four years. ', Norton said: 'They found him guilty of force, fraud and coercion.'. Youre hurting me. Benavides admission of the DVDs' existencewas recorded at police headquarters in November 2015, when detectives interviewed him. I thought I was alone. More: Uresti, Cain found guilty on all charges in end to salacious month-long fraud trial. Both said Benavides actions cast a cloud over the entire legal profession in Bexar County. Prosecutor Meredith Chacon said although the state wanted for the judge to stack the sentences and have them run one right after the other, they decided to withdraw that motion at this time. The juror was replaced by an alternate. Things changed the day she had a court appearance on her drug charge. mark benavides wife. He wasnt playing around. The case was later dismissed for a lack of evidence and Elkhaliny was set to be released from county jail without having to pay bail. 14:01 GMT 07 Apr 2018 FLORESVILLE A juror hearing a sex case against a former San Antonio attorney fainted after seeing video of a sexual encounter involving the defendant as his trial opened Tuesday. The Express-News generally does not identify victims of sexual assault. There would be threats by Benavides to the women that If you dont plea, Im going to make sure you go to jail., Ex-SA lawyer Mark Benavides takes stand during sentencing phase of sex crimes trial. In her closing argument, defense attorney Liza Rodriguez said Benavides is not the person jurors saw only in the snippets of video the state put together for them to watch. But Benavides said he believed the encounters were consensual and testified that trading sex in exchange for legal services was never discussed. Rodriguez MARVIN PFEIFFER/mpfeiffer@express-news.net, Marvin Pfeiffer, Staff / San Antonio Express-News, More: Jury find woman who killed nephew guilty of murder, Ronald Cortes, for the San Antonio Express News, More: Jury'sguilty verdict sends convicted killer into frenzy in San Antonio courtroom, William Luther, Staff / San Antonio Express-News, psychologist at upscale apartment complex near downtown, Kin Man Hui, Staff / San Antonio Express-News, Texas chain with San Antonio bakeries files for bankruptcy, How a viral chicken fried steak briefly closed down Mr. Juicy, Puerto Rican restaurant finds new life in former Rosario's spot, Report: San Antonio Rep. Joaquin Castro diagnosed with cancer, 'Spreading the love': Buc-ee's begins plans for world domination, Massive pirate-themed San Antonio park delays opening date, TX DPS duped into shipping at least 3,000 Texas drivers license, Spoon, Billy Currington, and more set for New Braunfels shows, Jury deadlocks in murder case involving San Antonio man whose remains were grilled, San Antonio woman gunned down by estranged, Details emerge in murder-suicide involving, Suspect in death of Trinity University cheerleader arrested on charges of murder, sexual assault, S.A. teen who refused arranged marriage suffered 6 months of beatings, search warrant shows. Defense expert Mark Steege, a sex therapist who testified he has treated hundreds of sex offenders in 35 years, said he evaluated Mark Benavides in April 2017. Prosecutor Michelle Chacon questioned the victim, who explained that she had sex with Benavides in July 2014 for her bond on the day he became her court-appointed attorney. The sentences will be served at the same time. FLORESVILLE A Wilson County jury on Friday sentenced a former San Antonio attorney to 80 years in prison on each of the six counts he faced for coercing clients into sex. Benavides forced six women he had represented in prostitution or drug cases to have sex with him in return for legal help. Mark Benavides, a former San Antonio lawyer, appears in the Wilson County Courthouse on Tuesday, March 27, 2018, in Floresville, TX. Investigators seized 246 mini DVDs that contained hundreds of videos of Benavides and the former clients engaged in various sex acts, in which he could be heard directing the women and telling them what to do and say. The case was later dismissed for a lack of evidence and Elkhaliny was set to be released from county jail without having to pay bail. Ordered a break a violent sex assault case the past, Morales said questioning the under! 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