Ex-SA lawyer Mark Benavides takes stand during sentencing phase of sex crimes trial

Mark Benavides' mother defends convicted son on witness stand

SAN ANTONIOTHE LATEST:

Mark Benavides has taken the stand in his own defense.

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Benavides said the women who testified against him blew him kisses during his lunch break at jail.

"They were teasing and waving and blowing kisses to me," he said.

He said he "started to become increasingly interested in pornography.”

He said his first sex video was recorded with his wife, Linda, whom he cheated on "from the beginning."

He said he would label the DVDs he recorded of his sexual encounters with codes indicating the content and so that he could go back and watch them later and "remember who was who."

"I kept them locked in that filing cabinet," he said. "It was my personal pornography collection."

He said his collection of recorded encounters was a result of a sex addiction.

When asked if he ever paid anyone for sex, he said he did -- and named several of the women whom he paid. 

This account is being updated.

KSAT's Paul Venema is also live Tweeting Benavides' testimony.

PREVIOUSLY:

The mother of a former San Antonio lawyer who was found guilty of trading sex for legal services took the witness stand Thursday early afternoon in his defense.

Olga Benavides defended her son, saying she didn't think he was guilty of the charges.

Click below to read highlights of her testimony as tweeted by KSAT 12 court reporter Paul Venema, who is covering the trial in Floresville.

The defendant is expected to take the witness stand in his own defense at some point.

Be sure to keep it on KSAT.com and KSAT 12 News for the latest on the trial.

 


About the Authors

Paul Venema is a courthouse reporter for KSAT with more than 25 years experience in the role.

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