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. 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. The case was tried in Wilson County on a change of venue from Bexar County, with Senior District Judge Dick Alcala presiding. Fundraiser honors San Marcos child who was struck, killed CPS Energy sells circular Villita Assembly Building. Mark Henry Benavides was convicted Tuesday of continuous trafficking of persons for having sex with clients he represented on prostitution or drug cases. Manage Settings Boshoy Mina Elkhaliny, was arrested on Jan. 8, 2018 for allegedly beating, raping and holding Kaila Kutzik captive for days. But hes a good person. The woman said Benavides kept trying to meet with her after that episode, but she was afraid.
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. He was in the wrong no matter what people did.. More: Urestis alleged ex-mistress admits to relationship with his business partner. She said Benavides told her to say 'bye' to the camera after they finished. I looked at you three times, sir, and you were asleep, Norton told Steege. Its the reason she agreed to speak out about what happened, despite her continuing fear of Benavides. In the end, she had to hire another lawyer, because Benavides was behind bars by the time her case came up. The victim responded, I started caring for him as a person because I didnt have anybody at the time. She said Benavides would pick her up from her home, take her to the River Inn Motel at Guadalupe and South Frio streets downtown, tell her what to do and which sexual positions he wanted, and use a handheld video recorder to capture the encounters from start to finish. More: Uresti, Cain found guilty on all charges in end to salacious month-long fraud trial. More: Urestis alleged ex-mistress admits to relationship with his business partner. He lied to you, sitting here. He also writes a weekly Spurs newsletter. Mark Benavides looks back at his wife and parents Friday as he is escorted out of the courtroom after being sentenced to 80 years for continuous trafficking of persons. His sentences will run concurrently, and he will be eligible for parole in 30 years. Animal sacrifice unveiled at San Antonio home: Mark Benavides, 48, is charged with continuous trafficking of persons, accused of having sex with clients in prostitution cases in exchange for legal services. 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. It's an understatement to call it cheating if its a criminal act, Norton replied. RELATED:Expert: Guilty ex-S.A. attorney displayed arousal to violent sex. Rory Tingle For Dailymail.com
He faces two charges of sexual assault of a child, one charge of sexual assault and two charges of continuous trafficking of persons, according to court records. Benavides was convicted of having sex with female clients in exchange for his legal services. Detectives recovered 246 mini DVDs containing hundreds of videos in which he was seen directing the women during often violent sex. Cayley Mandadi, a Trinity University cheerleader, died on Oct. 31, 2017 after falling unconscious in a car traveling to Houston. As he walked out, Benavides, 48, glanced at his parents and mouthed I love you to his wife. Benavides was first arrested in November 2015, charged with compelling prostitution from at least nine female clients. Benavides wife, Linda, took the stand on Friday and asked the jury to please be fair.. Mark A. Cantu, III v. Commission for Lawyer Discipline . He cheated. The trial against former San Antonio attorney Mark Benavides began Tuesday with a graphic start. When I saw him first, he was arrogant and untreatable. Linda Benavides testifies Friday during the punishment phase of the trial of her husband, Mark Benavides, in Floresville. Mark Benavides (left) sits beside defense attorney Liza Rodriguez during his trial in the Wilson County District Court and Justice Center in Floresville on Thursday. Alison Dahlberg, director of the DAs Conviction Integrity Unit, has worked with Michael Young, chief defender for the Bexar County Public Defenders Office, to identify potentially hundreds of victims of Benavides and re-evaluate their criminal cases. Even though her record has been expunged, shes still trying to get her drivers license back and pay off fines and fees associated with the original charge. The woman who had been charged with drug possession encouraged victims to make that call. Six women he had represented in prostitution or drug cases testified he coerced them into having sex to keep them out of jail or lessen their legal troubles, and videotaped the encounters, which were shown to the jury. She has worked at five daily newspapers in Texas, including The Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram and the Denton Record-Chronicle. She said she knew Benavides cheated, but said the couple have two children and she still supported him. Prosecutor Jay Norton said this case was about forced sex, not just about legal services.. On Tuesday, prosecutors in a Texas court played footage of Benavides forcing one such client to have anal sex with him, KSAT reported. Please be fair. She remembers thinking, If I dont go along with this dude, hes going to screw me in other ways. More: Uresti, Cain found guilty on all charges in end to salacious month-long fraud trial. Benavidesapologized Thursday and asked for forgiveness as he testified. He was in the wrong no matter what people did, said a 32-year-old woman who was one of Benavides' victims. Prosecutors said Benavides will be back in a courtroom to face additional charges. juror fainted as the panel left the courtroom last week. Mark W Benavides, born Circa 1969 We know there are women that that did not want to talk. He paid more attention; we spent a lot more time with the kids, she told the court. The jury found him guilty of crimes, not cheating.. On ExpressNews.com: Four pending sex cases against convicted ex-San Antonio attorney dismissed. When prosecutor Jay Norton asked her if her husband committed a crime, Benavides said she couldnt say, because she was not allowed to hear testimony. I thought I was alone. SAN ANTONIO - Though former attorney Mark Benavides is serving an 80-year prison term for trading his legal services for sex, his case is still under review by the Bexar County District. According to court documents, the district attorney's office cited insufficient evidence in dropping the charges. When she asked why he was filming, he said it was just for him, she told the court. Please be fair. The trial started last week and included testimony from all six accusers. Steege said he had not. 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. Calling him a master manipulator and liar, prosecutors had asked the jury to send Benavides to life in prison for having sex with clients in exchange for legal services. Their testimony established a pattern Benavides would pick them up from their homes or from jail, then take them to a hotel or a meeting room behind the courtroom to have sex. Man cleared in River Walk death: A judge issued a ruling Thursday, March 8, 2018, that prevented a manslaughter trial of Mark Daniel Lewis (left), accused of causing transgender woman Kenne McFadden to drown along the River Walk last year. Linda Benavides, who is the wife of Mark Benavides, receives his belt and necktie Friday from a sheriffs deputy after he was sentenced to 80 years as punishment after being convicted for continuous trafficking of persons. | ezavala@express-news.net | @elizabeth2863, Benavides sentenced to 80 years for coercing clients into having sex, Man dies following hit-and-run on San Antonio's Westside, Canyon Lake animal shelter faces claims of neglect, abuse. Benavides faces up to 99 years or life in prison. Lopez was found guilty of the murder by the jury on June 5, 2018 and struggled against deputies moments after being convicted of the 2014 killing of Menchaca. Menchaca was allegedly beaten with baseball bats, dismembered and grilled on a barbecue pit in 2014. Six accusers testified he forced them to have sex, making them believe it would keep them out of jail or lessen their legal problems. He has applied for probation, according to court records. Do you think the charges should be lumped into one trial? It's an understatement to call it cheating if its a criminal act, Norton replied. Due to the large amounts of publicity surrounding the case, the trial was moved from Bexar County to Wilson County. "Theres others out there, I know. His mother, Olga Benavides, defended her son on the witness stand, saying she didn't think he was guilty of trafficking charges. Julie Mott trail: A jury awarded Sharlotte and Timothy Mott $8 million on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018 after they found Mission Park Funeral Chapels and Cemeteries negligent in the loss of their daughters body. 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. Required fields are marked *. During the trial, some of the graphic and sexually explicit encounters were played for the jury. 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. More: 'A classic sociopath: Abused victims of Stone Oak playboy speak out after years of violence. Benavides, a former San Antonio lawyer, was convicted Tuesday of trafficking and having sex with clients in exchange for legal services. SAN ANTONIO Officials from the Bexar County District Attorneys Office and the Bexar County Public Defenders Office are urging potential sex crime victims of a disbarred San Antonio lawyer to come forward. Woman held captive in Stone Oak home: What started as a theft investigation quickly became a violent sex assault case. Before the state and defense rested their cases, Linda Benavides told the jury Friday morning that although he was unfaithful, she didnt leave her husband of nearly 11 years after his arrest because she supports him. Several of clients claimed that Benavides promised them he'd help them, and even get the cases thrown out altogether if they slept with him, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. Defense attorney Monica E. Guerrero said Benavides admitted he lost his moral compass, and although he deserves to be punished, she asked for mercy. Lleanna Uresti cited adultery among the reasons for seeking to end the couples nearly six-year union, according to the petition filed March 2, 2018. Mott died Aug. 8, 2015 and was to be cremated Aug. 15, 2015. What I saw yesterday (in Benavides testimony) was a totally different man. Under direct questioning by prosecutor Meredith Chacon, the woman told the jury she had sex with Benavides the day he became her court-appointed attorney around July 2014, for her bond. Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Benavides will have to serve 30 years before becoming eligible for parole. Benavides still faces two charges of sexual assault of a child, a charge of sexual assault and another charge of continuous trafficking of persons. Under questioning by defense attorney Monica E. Guerrero, Benavides said her husbands demeanor changed after his arrest in 2015. Benavides forced six women he had represented in prostitution or drug cases to have sex with him in return for legal help. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. The next day, employees discovered her body missing from a damaged casket. Senior District Judge Dick Alcala confers with prosecuting and defense attorneys after watching sex tapes of former San Antonio lawyer Mark Benavides in the Wilson County Courthouse on Tuesday, March 27, 2018, in Floresville, TX. Before Benavides was taken away, the judge increased his bail to $150,000 on each of the remaining four cases pending against him. She was incredulous. Prosecutors said Benavides' conviction has tainted some 5,000 cases and convictions he was involved in. I was never alone with him after that, she said. Linda Benavides, wife of ex-SA attorney Mark Benavides, asks jury to please be fair. One of the women, now 32, covered her eyes and stifled tears as she recounted her ordeal. His kids love him so much,' she told the jury while crying. Jurors were shown a video recorded by one of Benavides alleged victims showing a violent sexual . Benavides admission of the DVDs' existencewas recorded at police headquarters in November 2015, when detectives interviewed him. He wasnt playing around. 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. Mark Steege, a sex therapist, testifies Friday during the punishment phase of the trial of Mark Benavides in Floresville. But the experience left her deeply scarred. FLORESVILLE, Texas Closing arguments were set to begin Friday afternoon in the punishment phase of the trial for former San Antonio attorney Mark Benavides. , updated We are asking you for 25 years, she said. Since then, the Conviction Integrity Unit reviewed evidence in the case and identified more than 50 women he represented and whose cases may have been tainted. A Wilson County jury found Benavides guilty on Tuesday. I started caring for him as a person because I didnt have anybody at the time. 07:32 GMT 08 Apr 2018. She told jurors Feb. 1, 2018, that she and Uresti would have sex in his law office. He transported, coerced, threatened and made them feel they had no choice. SAN ANTONIO Former attorney Mark Benavides has been sentenced to 80 years for six counts of continuing trafficking of persons. Jurors also viewed a separate DVD of Benavides trying to get his brother to destroy sex videos at his home as the investigation was underway. Mark Howerton, the victims boyfriend of four weeks, was jailed on Feb. 28, 2018, facing charges of murder and sexual assault. 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. During the trial,San Antonio Police Department Detective Manual Morales testified that police found a filing cabinet at Benavides' home containing 246 of what the detective called "pornographic DVDs" that showed Benavides having sex with women who police said were Benavides' clients. Woman held captive in Stone Oak home: What started as a theft investigation quickly became a violent sex assault case. What I saw yesterday (in Benavides testimony) was a totally different man. His kids love him so much, she told the jury through tears. It took the panel about six hours to decide on the sentences for the six counts of continuous trafficking of persons. Texas ranch that's half the size of Rhode Island still S.A. developer buys hotel property near Market Square, UTSA, TaskUs swings to profit as it continues growing globally, Murder charge dropped in S.A. toddlers drive-by death, Strong storms ahead of cold front to bring severe weather risk, As avian flu endures, Texas farmers try to protect flocks. I'm unaware, other than what's on the news.. She further testified, Sometimes he would ask me my name, how old I was, and ask, What are you going to do? Her reply was, Im going to f*** my lawyer., During cross-examination, defense attorney Monica E. Guerrero suggested that the interactions were friendly even after his arrest. The jury entered deliberations at 1:18 p.m. Her parents, Abdulah Fahmi Kala Al Hishmawi, 34, and Hamdiyah Sabah Al Hishmawi, 33, were arrested on Friday, March 23, 2018. A 32-year-old woman victimized by a San Antonio attorney said she was 20 when she was arrested on a marijuana possession charge as a result of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Shes pleased that the conviction is now off her record, thanks to the DAs and public defenders offices. 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. In halting sobs, Benavidesapologized and asked for forgiveness as he testified. At first, I thought he was playing around, recalled the woman, now 51. Personal Life, Parents and Family Details : Your email address will not be published. S.A. animal sacrifice was Santera practice, but was it illegal? 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