Ex-lawyer convicted in sex-for-legal-services scandal

Mark Benavides

FLORESVILLE, Texas — A Texas jury has found a San Antonio lawyerguilty of having sex with clients in return for his services.

The Wilson County jury deliberated about four hours inFloresville, Texas, before convicting Mark Henry Benavides onTuesday of sexual assault and compelling prostitution.

The jury had viewed sex videos Benavides had made of hissessions with female clients. One of rough sex with a client was sographic, a female juror fainted. The trial』s punishment phase is tobegin Wednesday morning. Benavides faces up 25 to 99 years inprison, but his attorneys have asked jurors for probation.

The trial was moved from nearby San Antonio after defenseattorneys argued pretrial publicity had prejudiced potentialjurors.