mark benavides wife

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. When she pushed back, he was true to his word. Benavides is accused of having sex with his clients in exchange for legal services. He was in the wrong no matter what people did.. 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. Early life. 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. The women said the alleged encounters took place at his law office, motels, his car and the courthouse, according to the affidavit. He said he made amends to his family, and what does his wife tell you? The jury found him guilty of crimes, not cheating.. He was so resistant to the idea he had done anything wrong, Steege said. It's an understatement to call it cheating if its a criminal act, Norton replied. More: S.A. teen who refused arranged marriage suffered 6 months of beatings, search warrant shows. The jury entered deliberations at 1:18 p.m. She was charged with possession of marijuana when police found the drug in a car she was riding in but she didn't have it on her person. The woman said a friend referred her to Benavides in 2008 for legal representation. Its not fair for them to live in any kind of guilt. 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. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. 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. Former San Antonio attorney Mark Benvides sits in the 186th District Court in this March 23, 2017, photo. He wouldnt help me for anything, she said. S.A. animal sacrifice was Santera practice, but was it illegal? Menchaca was allegedly beaten with baseball bats, dismembered and grilled on a barbecue pit in 2014. More: Uresti, Cain found guilty on all charges in end to salacious month-long fraud trial. He is accused of having sex with his clients in exchange for legal services. When I saw him first, he was arrogant and untreatable. 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. Benavides, a former San Antonio lawyer, was convicted Tuesday of trafficking and having sex with clients in exchange for legal services. He threatened that if they did not, he would withhold legal services, sabotage their cases and make sure they went to prison. 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. Meredith Chacon, also prosecuting, branded Benavides 'a pimp in a suit' during her closing arguments. Benavides, a former San Antonio lawyer, was convicted Tuesday of trafficking and having sex with clients in exchange for legal services. 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. Linda Benavides testifies Friday during the punishment phase of the trial of her husband, Mark Benavides, in Floresville. RJ Marquez has been at KSAT since 2010. } {"duration": "400ms","fill": "both","iterations": "1","direction": "alternate","animations": [{"selector": "#scrollToTopButton","keyframes": [{"opacity": "0","visibility": "hidden" And so, I think its hard to know how many women out there were subjected to this kind of undue influence, Young said. The case is being heard at the Wilson County under a change of venue from Bexar County, with Senior District Judge Dick Alcala presiding. She told jurors Feb. 1, 2018, that she and Uresti would have sex in his law office. Dont be so rough. Benavides can also be heard in the video making sexually explicit commands and telling her to Come back here.. Shes pleased that the conviction is now off her record, thanks to the DAs and public defenders offices. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. The two agencies, normally on opposing sides, are working together to ensure justice for the victims of disbarred lawyer Mark Henry Benavides, who was once a candidate for state district judge. Benavides was convicted in 2018 for six counts of human trafficking for trading sex for legal services. The jurors were so shocked by the clip that the judge sent them out for a break. This jury understood that.. He will serve at least 30 years before he is eligible for parole. By His sentences will run concurrently, and he will be eligible for parole in 30 years. Six accusers testified he forced them to have sex, making them believe it would keep them out of jail or lessen their legal problems. The jury found Benavides guilty of all six counts and sentenced him to 80 years in prison. Several additional indictments have been added since. He lied to you, sitting here. Menchaca was allegedly beaten with baseball bats, dismembered and grilled on a barbecue pit in 2014. Benavides, a former San Antonio lawyer, was convicted Tuesday of trafficking and having sex with clients in exchange for legal services. One of thevideos was so graphic that a female juror fainted as the panel left the courtroom last week. , updated In this2018 file photo he sits in Judge Dick Alcalas courtroom to address his other pending. She later was excused and an alternate was seated. What I saw yesterday (Benavides testimony), was a totally different man. Read more of her stories here. 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. May 25, 2022 . She hired attorney Mark Benavides, who she said began demanding sex, threatening that if she didn't "play with him" he would ensure she and her son, who had an unrelated case in another court, would be send to prison. What I saw yesterday (in Benavides testimony) was a totally different man. 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. Please be fair. Elizabeth Zavala is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. The former attorney faces two charges of sexual assault of a child, one charge of sexual assault and another charge of continuous trafficking of persons, according to court records. Officials said the call will be kept confidential. Benavides faces up to 99 years or life in prison. San Antonio teen beating: A San Antonio 16-year-old who refused an arranged marriage endured six months of beatings at the hands of her parents before running away from her San Antonio home, according to court documents. To read more from Elizabeth, become a subscriber. The second victim whose record has been expunged met Benavides when she was at the Bexar County Courthouse with her son, who was facing an assault charge. I saw a humbled man rather than an arrogant man, he said. His kids love him so much,' she told the jury while crying. Marvin Pfeiffer /For the San Antonio Express-News. Prosecutor Jay Norton said this case was about forced sex, not just about legal services.. 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. Mark married Crystal A Valdez on month day 2009, at age 28 at marriage place, Texas. Jurors were shown a video recorded by one of Benavides alleged victims showing a violent sexual encounter. Steege said he saw a dramatic change in Benavides, from arrogant and entitled when they first met, to humble and treatable. "Theres others out there, I know. When I saw him first, he was arrogant and untreatable. 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. The jury entered deliberations at 1:18 p.m. Many of the acts were recorded, and now, upon further review of the case, prosecutors said they found more victims in need of justice. A witness described the crime scene as a "horror move" in testimony. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. 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. Linda Benavides said that although he was unfaithful, she didn't leave her husband of nearly 11 years after his arrest because she supports him. 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. Before Benavides was taken away, the judge increased his bail to $150,000 on each of the remaining four cases pending against him. They found him guilty of force, fraud and coercion, Norton said. Its not fair for them to live in any kind of guilt, she said. 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. This jury understood that., RELATED: S.A. company responds after woman finds 'teeth' in barbacoa. She said they would go to a motel in San Antonio, where he told her what to do sexually while recording the encounter. Please be fair. The woman said that, eventually, Benavides stopped talking to her about her drug case except to urge her to plead guilty. } View Non-AMP Version Copyright 2017 JDJOURNAL, Disbarred San Antonio Attorney Mark Benavides Trial Delayed, San Antonio Lawyer Compelled Clients for Sex, Woman Says She Traded Sex for Legal Services, Disney Star, Caroline Sunshine, Joins White House as a Press Assistant , East Palestine Train Derailment Draws Lawyers: Information Sessions and Client Sign-Ups Increase, Prosecutors Highlight Ex-Lawyer Murdaughs Financial Misdeeds and Inconsistencies in Murder Trial Cross-Examination, Consovoys Boutique Law Firm Returns to Supreme Court in Student Loan Lawsuit. Mark A Benavides, born Circa 1971 Mark A Benavides was born circa 1971. 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. We are asking you for 25 years, she said. He ran for judge and he used that as part of his operation, his judicial candidacy, as coercion, Young said. 'He cheated. FLORESVILLE, Texas Closing arguments were set to begin Friday afternoon in the punishment phase of the trial for former San Antonio attorney Mark Benavides. Benavides, 50, was convicted in 2018 of six counts of human trafficking and coercing his clients to have sex with him. Bob Owen, Staff / San Antonio Express-News. It took the panel about six hours to decide on the sentences for the six counts of continuous trafficking of persons. She was granted probation and successfully completed it. Benavides will serve 80 years for each count but the time will. At the end, she said, he would ask her to say bye to the camera. There are women we did speak to that did not want to participate," said Meredith Chacon, a prosecutor. He wanted to meet up.. Officials said the women were extorted by Benavides to take plea deals for crimes they didnt commit. Since then, he has been named in multiple-count indictments. This is a carousel. The latest indictment is the fifth open case against Benavides. Before Benavides was taken away, the judge increased his bail to $150,000 on each of the remaining four cases pending against him. RJ Marquez has been at KSAT since 2010. Bendavid was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to a Belgian-born mother and a Moroccan-Jewish father. 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. Linda Benavides, Marks wife, testified on Friday morning and asked the jury to please be fair.. Women who employed him as their lawyer in prostitution cases told police that Benavides coerced them into having sex to help lessen their legal problems or to get their cases dismissed, an arrest warrant affidavit filed before the original indictments states. And he did.. 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. Benavides was found guilty Tuesday on six counts of continuous trafficking of persons. Its the reason she agreed to speak out about what happened, despite her continuing fear of Benavides. When Norton asked if he saw a change in Benavides from his testimony, Steege said he did. Linda Benavides, wife of ex-SA attorney Mark Benavides, asks jury to please be fair. While the video played, the victim cried with her hands over her face in the courtroom as she can be heard in the video pleading for Benavides to stop. The defense has already filed an appeal. A Wilson County jury found Benavides guilty on Tuesday. Its rattlesnake season in Texas. He attended Unionville High School and was subsequently accepted into National Theatre School of Canada, graduating in 2004.. Career. Prosecutors said rather than tack on more prison time for Benavides, who is eligible for parole in about 28 years, theyre more interested in making sure the clients he represented are receiving due justice for their cases. Dismemberment trial: The murder trial of Gabriel Moreno, accused of killing Jose Luis Menchaca, began on Feb. 26, 2018. He also covers the Spurs for on-air and digital platforms. She was incredulous. Benavides was convicted of having sex with female clients in exchange for his legal services. Benavides accusers testified during the first phase of the trial that Benavides would take them to a motel and record videos of those encounters. Please be fair. Do you think the charges should be lumped into one trial? Misael started at KSAT-TV as a photojournalist in 1987. But Benavides said he believed the encounters were consensual and testified that trading sex in exchange for legal services was never discussed. When she had to see him, she would bring her mother along. 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. I was never alone with him after that, she said. 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. Uresti was found guilty of defrauding investors in the now-defunct company FourWinds Logistics, which bought and sold sand used in fracking for oil production before it collapsed in 2015. Under cross examination, Norton asked Steege whether he reviewed police reports and videos Benavides took of sexual encounters with his clients. Steege said he saw a dramatic change in Benavides, from arrogant and entitled when they first met, to humble and treatable. The victim responded, I started caring for him as a person because I didnt have anybody at the time. 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. Its something that is very present for them.. He is now treatable.. Woman held captive in Stone Oak home: What started as a theft investigation quickly became a violent sex assault case. At first, I thought he was playing around, recalled the woman, now 51. More: Man accused in death of trans woman wont face trial. SAN ANTONIO Former attorney Mark Benavides has been sentenced to 80 years for six counts of continuing trafficking of persons. Benavides is facing a minimum sentence of 25 years and a maximum of life in prison on each count. And he did.. Cayley Mandadi, a Trinity University cheerleader, died on Oct. 31, 2017 after falling unconscious in a car traveling to Houston. }] Copyright 2018 by KSAT - All rights reserved. Benavides filmed videos of the violent sexual encounters, one of which was so graphic that a female juror fainted after viewing it in court. Benavides is being tried in Wilson County on a change of venue from Bexar County because of intense media coverage. He was in the wrong no matter what people did, said a 32-year-old woman who was one of Benavides' victims. He cheated. More: Urestis alleged ex-mistress admits to relationship with his business partner. Her parents, Abdulah Fahmi Kala Al Hishmawi, 34, and Hamdiyah Sabah Al Hishmawi, 33, were arrested on Friday, March 23, 2018. More: Couple get $8 million for loss of daughters body from San Antonio funeral home. Benavides will serve 80 years for each count but the time will. He did. Benavides was convicted Tuesday of continuous trafficking of persons and faces 25 to 99 years or life in prison. Prosecutors said Benavides will be back in a courtroom to face additional charges. More: S.A. animal sacrifice was Santera practice, but was it illegal? SAN ANTONIO -- The former lawyer convicted of exchanging legal services will be heading to prison after additional cases against him were dropped on Tuesday. 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. On Tuesday, prosecutors in a Texas court played footage of Benavides forcing one such client to have anal sex with him, KSAT reported. Texas Democrat, Attorney Mark Benavides, has been found guilty on six counts of sex trafficking and torture by a judge in San Antonio. It took the panel nearly four hours to find Benavides, 48, guilty on all six. Your lawyer is supposed to help you, not hurt you.. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. He faces 25 to 99 years or life in prison. The 48-year-old, who has since been disbarred, was first arrested in November 2015 accused of using force or coercing at least nine female clients into prostitution. She agreed to tell her story on the condition that she not be . Gabriel Moreno, accused of having sex with female clients in exchange for legal representation where he her. His law office $ 150,000 on each of the remaining four cases pending against him was true to word! County jury found Benavides guilty of crimes, not hurt you.. Next! 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