He was in the wrong no matter what people did, said a 32-year-old woman who was one of Benavides' victims. His sentences will run concurrently, and he will be eligible for parole in 30 years. She later was excused and an alternate was seated. RJ Marquez has been at KSAT since 2010. Read more of her stories here. The 48-year-old former attorney is accused of continuous human trafficking and having sex with clients in prostitution cases in return for legal services. She claims he forced her to have anal sex. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Elizabeth Zavala is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. S.A. animal sacrifice was Santera practice, but was it illegal? 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. When he started throwing my son in there, I started taking him serious He started to get aggressive. Her parents, Abdulah Fahmi Kala Al Hishmawi, 34, and Hamdiyah Sabah Al Hishmawi, 33, were arrested on Friday, March 23, 2018. 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. I looked at you three times, sir, and you were asleep, Norton told Steege. 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. As he walked out, Benavides, 48, glanced at his parents and mouthed I love you to his wife. 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. Mark W Benavides, born Circa 1969 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. 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.. Their accounts paint a harrowing picture of how the justice system went awry in their cases. At the time of Mark's court proceedings, Linda requested the jury to "please be fair as his kids love him so much." He took me to a small room down a back hallway, and at that point he told me if I didnt perform a sexual act on him right then and there, he would not only kill my case, but try to worsen my case, she said, her voice trembling, even 12 years later. Benavides will serve 80 years for each count but the time will. Both said Benavides actions cast a cloud over the entire legal profession in Bexar County. Benavides was arrested in November 2015 while he was running for Bexar County District judge, and was indicted in April 2016. He attended Unionville High School and was subsequently accepted into National Theatre School of Canada, graduating in 2004.. Career. 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. Benavides' wife, Linda, took the stand on Friday and asked the jury to "please be fair." She said she knew Benavides cheated, but said the couple have two children and she still supported. Mark A. Cantu, III v. Commission for Lawyer Discipline . The sexual encounters would take place in his law office, his car, at motels, or at the courthouse. "I'm asking you to have mercy and give me the minimum," Benavides said while crying. 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 speak up. Ex-SA lawyer's mother defends convicted son on witness stand. 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. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. He also writes a weekly Spurs newsletter. Menchaca was allegedly beaten with baseball bats, dismembered and grilled on a barbecue pit in 2014. She has been excused from the trial and an alternate was put in her place. More: S.A. animal sacrifice was Santera practice, but was it illegal? Animal sacrifice unveiled at San Antonio home: Rodriguez argued that Benavides did not kill someone and should not be sent away for life. 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. }] More: S.A. animal sacrifice was Santera practice, but was it illegal? There are 30+ professionals named "Mark Benavides", who use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. 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 who had been charged with drug possession encouraged victims to make that call. Woman held captive in Stone Oak home: What started as a theft investigation quickly became a violent sex assault case. This is a carousel. He is now treatable.. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); For requests, complaints, suggestions or queries, contact us via E-mail below, Diane McIver Wikipedia Biography Family, Wedding, Age, Funeral, Dolores Avery Age, Death Dead or Alive 2023 Wikipedia, Young, Bio, RachelJeffs Husband, Net worth, Age, Children Kids Wiki Biography , Eddie Ray Routh Now 2023, Wikipedia, Die, Mother, Death, Age, PTSD, Dalia Dippolito Age, Wiki, Husband, Teeth, Family Son, Mom, Bio Now, Teresa Halbach Wiki, Family Tree, Brother, Bio Steven Avery Case , Elizabeth Yardley Wiki, Age, Birthday, Married, Family (Personal Life) Bio, Tex McIver Age, Wife Wikipedia Bio Appeal Updates, Ranch. He is accused of having sex with his clients in exchange for legal services. He is a calculating and manipulating liar, she told the jury. She was 20 when she found herself facing possible prison time. The witness pointed out Benavides in court and also identified him in photographs by his tattoos Asian writings on the back of each forearm and a large image of the scales of justice down the center of his back. He ran for judge and he used that as part of his operation, his judicial candidacy, as coercion, Young said. 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. The evidence against Benavides included portions of 246 videos the lawyer recorded of himself having sex with his clients. Salacious Uresti testimony: Denise Cantu, a Harlingen woman whom Uresti helped obtain a $2.5 million legal settlement over the deaths of two of her children in a 2010 vehicle wreck, told jurors that the lawmaker became her financial adviser, confidante, friend and eventually lover. 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. 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Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. } {"duration": "400ms","fill": "both","iterations": "1","direction": "alternate","animations": [{"selector": "#scrollToTopButton","keyframes": [{"opacity": "0","visibility": "hidden" Cop killer trial: Shaun Puente was found guilty on March 21, 2018 for fatally shooting San Antonio Police Department Officer Robert Deckard during a highway chase in Atascosa County on Dec. 8, 2013 that started after Puente, according to witnesses, committed two armed robberies in San Antonio. Benavides, a former San Antonio lawyer, was convicted Tuesday of trafficking in persons and having sex with clients in exchange for legal services. Benavides, 50, was convicted in 2018 of six counts of human trafficking and coercing his clients to have sex with him. Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Six women he had represented in prostitution or drug cases testified he coerced. On Tuesday, prosecutors in a Texas court played footage of Benavides forcing one such client to have anal sex with him, KSAT reported. More: Man accused in death of trans woman wont face trial. District Judge Dick Alcala noticed that the jurors were looking distraught so he ordered a break. } 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. 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. Linda Benavides, Mark's wife, testified on Friday morning and asked the jury to "please be fair." She said she knew Benavides cheated, but said the couple have two children and she still. "I'm so sorry. I thought I was alone. He paid more attention; we spent a lot more time with the kids, she told the court. He did. Benavides still faces two charges of sexual assault of a child, a charge of sexual assault and another charge of continuous trafficking of persons. More: Jury deadlocks in murder case involving San Antonio man whose remains were grilled. Cop killer trial: Shaun Puente was found guilty on March 21, 2018 for fatally shooting San Antonio Police Department Officer Robert Deckard during a highway chase in Atascosa County on Dec. 8, 2013 that started after Puente, according to witnesses, committed two armed robberies in San Antonio. 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. In this2018 file photo he sits in Judge Dick Alcalas courtroom to address his other pending pending cases. At first, Benavides would text or call her when he was lonely or bored, she said. I felt young and dumb and powerless. He also covers the Spurs for on-air and digital platforms. A female juror fainted having just watched a sex tape of former San Antonio lawyer Benavides, in the Wilson County Courthouse on Tuesday, March 27, 2018, in Floresville, TX. This month, Benavides was indicted again on a charge of continuous trafficking of persons in connection with alleged incidents that involved four women between 2012 and 2015. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. 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. They found him guilty of force, fraud and coercion, Norton said. More: Man accused in death of trans woman wont face trial. 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. 'The jury found him guilty of crimes, not cheating.'. When I saw him first, he was arrogant and untreatable. 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. Mark married Olivia Perez on month day 2001, at age 30 at marriage place, Texas. Benavides, a former San Antonio lawyer, was convicted Tuesday of trafficking in persons and having sex with clients in exchange for legal services. They found him guilty of force, fraud and coercion, Norton said. Taken advantage of, really, the woman recalled. "Theres others out there, I know. 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. Michelle Fair Hilliker, seated at center, consoles a victim testifying in the Mark Benavides trial. She agreed to tell her story on the condition that she not be . Salacious Uresti testimony: Denise Cantu, a Harlingen woman whom Uresti helped obtain a $2.5 million legal settlement over the deaths of two of her children in a 2010 vehicle wreck, told jurors that the lawmaker became her financial adviser, confidante, friend and eventually lover. 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. 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. Steege said he saw a dramatic change in Benavides, from arrogant and entitled when they first met, to humble and treatable. More: San Antonio woman gunned down by estranged relativedies two weeks after shooting. The victim responded, I started caring for him as a person because I didnt have anybody at the time. the woman, 29, cried on the video. I started caring for him as a person because I didnt have anybody at the time. Benavides is accused of having sex with his clients in exchange for legal services. Her parents, Abdulah Fahmi Kala Al Hishmawi, 34, and Hamdiyah Sabah Al Hishmawi, 33, were arrested on Friday, March 23, 2018. 14:01 GMT 07 Apr 2018 She said they'd first had sex in July 2014 - on the same day that he was appointed by the court to work as her attorney. Benavides admission of the DVDs' existencewas recorded at police headquarters in November 2015, when detectives interviewed him. He wanted to meet up.. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. She said Benavides flirted with her and offered to help her incarcerated son. Benavides texted and called her, describing in explicit terms the sex acts he wanted her to perform. Benavides admitted that he had sex with all of the women named in the indictment and recorded their motel sexual sessions. Fridays ruling came amid a highly publicized trial that had to be moved to Floresville at the request of Benavides attorneys, who claimed that the case received too much publicity in San Antonio for him to get a fair trial. 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. And he did.. He still faces a possible charge for aggravated assault with severe bodily injury. Benavides accusers testified during the first phase of the trial that Benavides would take them to a motel and record videos of those encounters. He still faces a possible charge for aggravated assault with severe bodily injury. 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. 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. scott van pelt wife age. He lied to you, sitting here. 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. Benavides was convicted Tuesday of continuous trafficking of persons and faces 25 to 99 years or life in prison. He was so resistant to the idea he had done anything wrong, Steege said. 'Mark, it hurts!' Early life. She was later excused and replaced with an alternate. 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