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. Mark Benavides (from left) listens as defense attorneysLiza Rodriguez and Monica E. Guerrero confer during the prosecution phanse of his trial in the Wilson County District Court and Justice Center in Floresville on Thursday, April 5, 2018. He will serve at least 30 years before he is eligible for parole. document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); Hearst Communications Inc. I thought I was alone victims of disgraced San Antonio lawyer Mark Henry Benavides get a second chance, (Josie Norris /Staff Photographer | Express-News), Photo: Billy Calzada /San Antonio Express-News, (Josie Norris, The San Antonio Express-News / Staff Photographer | Express-News), Benavides sentenced to 80 years for coercing clients into having sex, Four pending sex cases against convicted ex-San Antonio attorney dismissed, Jury being picked to hear S.A. ex-lawyers sex case. 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. His accusers said those sexual encounters took placeon days when they had court dates, and sometimes would occurin jury and witness rooms in the courthouse. Born and reared in San Antonio, she graduated from Fox Tech High School in 1981 and has been a newspaper journalist since she graduated from Texas Woman's University at Denton in 1985. Charges against ten of eleven people arrested for animal cruelty in March, involving what one official described as some sort of unknown ritual involving dismembered goats and chickens, were later dropped. But he's a good person. 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. 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.. Your email address will not be published. He did. When Norton asked if he saw a change in Benavides from his testimony, Steege said he did. Mark Benavides was scheduled to appear . } {"duration": "400ms","fill": "both","iterations": "1","direction": "alternate","animations": [{"selector": "#scrollToTopButton","keyframes": [{"opacity": "0","visibility": "hidden" Mark Henry Benavides will have to serve at least 30 years before he is eligible for parole. Mark Henry Benavides was immediately taken into custody Tuesday night in Floresville, where the trial was heard. 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. Its not fair for them to live in any kind of guilt. He's covered a variety of stories and events across the San Antonio area, and is the lead reporter for KSAT Explains. Officials said the call will be kept confidential. 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. As the jurors were exiting the courtroom, one juror fainted. A 51-year-old victim of now-disbarred attorney Mark Benavides pauses during an inteview at her San Antonio home on June 18, 2020. 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 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. Mark Henry Benavides was convicted Tuesday of continuous trafficking of persons for having sex with clients he represented on prostitution or drug cases. Steege said he saw a dramatic change in Benavides, from arrogant and entitled when they first met, to humble and treatable. The sentences will be served at the same time. The woman pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possession of marijuana. 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. Benavides, a former San Antonio lawyer, was convicted Tuesday of trafficking and having sex with clients in exchange for legal services. At first, Benavides would text or call her when he was lonely or bored, she said. On ExpressNews.com: Benavides sentenced to 80 years for coercing clients into having sex. "Theres others out there, I know. Early life. He did. Her testimony came a day after Benavides took the stand. He was so resistant to the idea he had done anything wrong, Steege told the jury. Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. More: Jury deadlocks in murder case involving San Antonio man whose remains were grilled. 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: Man accused in death of trans woman wont face trial. This jury understood that., RELATED: S.A. company responds after woman finds 'teeth' in barbacoa. Mark Benavides, a former San Antonio attorney, is accused of having sex with his clients in exchange for his legal services Prosecutors in a Texas court played footage of Benavides forcing. S.A. animal sacrifice was Santera practice, but was it illegal? Manage Settings 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. He has applied for probation, according to court records. He transported, coerced, threatened and made them feel they had no choice. This is a carousel. Mark Howerton, the victims boyfriend of four weeks, was jailed on Feb. 28, 2018, facing charges of murder and sexual assault. 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; . When you drill down deeper and what weve seen in the cases, its actually extortion, said lead Bexar County Public Defender Michael Young. Under cross-examination, Norton asked Steege whether he reviewed police reports and videos Benavides took of sexual encounters with his clients. Each case will be tried separately. Heres what you need to know. More: Man accused in death of trans woman wont face trial. FLORESVILLE, Texas Closing arguments were set to begin Friday afternoon in the punishment phase of the trial for former San Antonio attorney Mark Benavides. Mark Benavides leaves the courtroom as his trial recesses for lunch in the Wilson County District Court and Justice Center in Floresville on Thursday, April 5, 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. It took the panel nearly four hours to find Benavides, 48, guilty on all six counts. Benavides, a former San Antonio lawyer, was convicted Tuesday of trafficking and having sex with clients in exchange for legal services. I thought I was alone. Cayley Mandadi, a Trinity University cheerleader, died on Oct. 31, 2017 after falling unconscious in a car traveling to Houston. Marvin Pfeiffer /For the San Antonio Express-News. Benavides is facing a minimum sentence of 25 years and a maximum of life in prison on each count. Her parents, Abdulah Fahmi Kala Al Hishmawi, 34, and Hamdiyah Sabah Al Hishmawi, 33, were arrested on Friday, March 23, 2018. 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. At the end, she said, he would ask her to say bye to the camera. RJ Marquez has been at KSAT since 2010. She said she wont ever be able to forget what Benavides did to her. He attended Unionville High School and was subsequently accepted into National Theatre School of Canada, graduating in 2004.. Career. He's covered a variety of stories and events across the San Antonio area, and is the lead reporter for KSAT Explains. Benavides was convicted Tuesday of continuous trafficking of persons and faces 25 to 99 years or life in prison. By
Officials have not mentioned Santera, but those arrested were reportedly practitioners of that religion. Rodriguez argued that Benavides did not kill someone and should not be sent away for life. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. Marisol Morales is a case manager with the Bexar County Public Defender's Office working with victims of now-disbarred attorney Mark Benavides. 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. But Benavides said he believed the encounters were consensual and testified that trading sex in exchange for legal services was never discussed. The juror was replaced by an alternate. Its a very important function and a priority in our office, said District Attorney Joe D. Gonzales. 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