Man vindicated in harboring case files lawsuit against City; claims conspiracy

By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
editor@sbnewspaper.com

Alfonso Benavides

Alfonso Benavides

A lawsuit has been filed against the City of San Benito alleging local police of false imprisonment, malicious prosecution and conspiracy, among other claims against municipal officials.

The suit, which was filed Wednesday, May 7 in the 357th State District Court, names Alfonso Benavides as the plaintiff. The defendants named are the City of San Benito, outgoing-Mayor Joe H. Hernandez, City Manager Manuel Lara, San Benito Police Department Operations Chief Martin Morales Jr., Assistant Operations Chief Michael Galvan, Officer Greg Monroe, Detective Michael Cortez and Sergeant Isaac Vasquez. Other defendants named are Justice of the Peace David Garza and Antonia Weaver, a resident of San Benito.

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2014/05/20/man-vindicated-in-harboring-case-files-lawsuit-against-city-claims-conspiracy/

20 comments

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  1. The KINGS LINCH MOB got to BIG for their BRITCHES and now they are gonna PAY. Lets see how long they can hold it together before the Finger Pointing starts.

      • WeThePeople on May 31, 2014 at 12:00 am
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      The finger pointing has already begun in earnest! All of the wannabees and haters are NOW trying to get friendly with the new Mayor. Comical to watch.

    • Reform San Benito on May 22, 2014 at 5:38 pm
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    Hope Commissioner Gonzales’ granddaughter is well!

    • Denny Crane, Jr. on May 22, 2014 at 5:14 pm
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    Yo “Big Griff”…There is a technical word for individuals like you that like to complain ABOUT other people’s opinion. The word is “INTERNET TROLL”.

    ”In Internet slang, a troll is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, either accidentally or with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response … “

    I am quite sure that you are familiar with the First Amendment to the United State Constitution which codifies the “freedom of Speech” as a “constitutional right”. It allows you and me and Pepito and every other citizen of this country to voice their opinion whether you or anybody else agrees or disagrees with it.

    Thousands of Americans (47,355 “combat deaths” during the Vietnam War) have made the ultimate sacrifice to allow you and I the privilege of “Freedom of Speech”. It is this guaranteed “Freedom of Expression” that allows all individuals to “JUST RUN THEIR MOUTHS”. This freedom is not reserved for individuals “running for office”. Otherwise, I would have to see your name on the ballot so you could complain against other people’s opinion.

    In regards to your snide remark about being on the “HARBORING/POLITIQEROS side”, I will remind you that the charge of “harboring” leveled against Mr. Benavidez was summarily dismissed by the judge. He never should have been charged in the first place.

    Here is the Headline Link Case against Mayor’s accuser dismissed June 21, 2013 where coincidentally you were blogging by just plain old griff. If you must insist on making derogatory and/or unsubstantiated comments, at the very least use your real name and don’t hide behind anonymity. I guess you are not as “Big” as you claim to be.

    So keep “Shaking your head” and “laughing your **** off” but “KARMA is still a *****” and “Justice will still be served cold.

    SEMPER FI

      • WeThePeople on May 23, 2014 at 10:45 am
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      Thank you Denny Crane, Jr. for bringing the previous story to light. Everyone in town should link on your web link from June 2013, and read carefully.
      A year before this lawsuit several blog comments were questioning if there was a conspiracy to target and violate the rights of Mr. Benavides. If one reads the comments from the referenced 2013 SB News story, all of a sudden a conspiracy by the City doesn’t seem far-fetched. In fact, it seems very likely.

      I still believe my comments from 2013:
      After following the SB News on these stories and reading the blogs for some time, although many claim there was no special treatment given to Mr. Hernandez, I am not sure that is true. There is a whole lot more than meets the eye here, and I believe Reform SB and Memo Rodriquez are really on to something. Did several people conspire in these matters? I believe so. Isn’t that called RICO? Is there really ‘Equal Justice for All’; even for Benavides.

      San Benito News story from June 21, 2013:
      https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2013/06/21/case-against-mayors-accuser-dismissed/

    • And Justice For All on May 22, 2014 at 4:38 pm
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    Cynthia, my apologies for having assumed that Mr. Gonzalez had not attended because Mrs. Sanchez had won. Apparently, I am one of those who spoke without knowing the facts. I do hope and pray that Mr. Gonzalez’s granddaughter is doing well. I hope that everyone will take a moment to ponder the moment. Do we know all the facts? Is Mr. Benavides entitled to justice? Did the city administration want to intimidate Mr. Benavides because he filed a grievance against the mayor? Is this right? Someday it may be one of our relatives that is unjustly arrested; would we want someone to come to his defense, or because he was wearing a shirt of a candidate, as Disappointed wrote, he is not entitled to justice? Please let us not keep hating. Let us come together and make San Benito a wonderful place to be for us, for our children and for our grandchildren. The race is over. It is time to work together to make good things happen. I hope that all of you will join in this endeavor.

    • The Negotiator on May 22, 2014 at 3:12 pm
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    I second that, very well said and justice for all. I come from the time when a hand shake was all you needed to make a deal and your word actually meant something. A time when manners and respect for one another weren’t just taught,they were actually put into practice. I’m not saying it was perfect, but a simpler time, I hope and pray that today’s generation can look past all the hate and find peace with whomever was elected to run our city and school board.

    • Cynthia on May 22, 2014 at 3:03 pm
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    To the people that seem to think they know it all, Mr Gonzales was not at Ms Sanchez swearing in because he was with his granddaughter at Driscoll Children’s Hospital and he let Ms Sanchez know ahead of time, so there would be no misunderstanding . But you people love to open your mouth before knowing the truth and not that he has to explain anything to you,Mr Gonzales congratulated Ms Sanchez on Tuesday and thanked her for coming. So grow up and find out the facts first.

    • And Justice for All on May 21, 2014 at 10:57 pm
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    As I read some of the comments from people who are either so full of anger because their candidate lost or because they are so full of hate, it makes me wonder if this world has progressed in individual character. Our parents, God bless their soul, worked day and night to make a better life for us and a better community for our state. They were God fearing and they were hard workers. No they weren’t literate. But they had a lot of common sense. They voted but never hated, they respected all the candidates and were respectful to the winners whether or not it was their candidate. How sad, that this world evolved into hating. Joe lost. He was a Mayor and he was a good man; but he is no longer the Mayor but he can still be a good man. He showed very poor character, as did Mr. Tony Gonzalez, by not attending the swearing in ceremony for our newly elected Mayor. Remember, we live in a democracy. When the race ends, we come together and work together. I hope that we can start to unify our citizens to participate in our meetings and not to be afraid of administration. During the campaign, I heard so many people say, I will vote for Celeste, but I can not put a sign for her because Joe is very vindictive. Is that the type of government you want. If Mr. Benavides was unjustly arrested and put in jail, does he not deserve justice. Are we going to allow government to decide who we incarcerate. If you are a friend of Joe’s, you don’t get arrested, but if you do something against him you get arrested. Is that fair. And it is so unfair for someone to make a comment without knowing all the facts. But I guess ignorance is bliss and a lot of people in San Benito live in a blissful state. I wish they would become more informed, by reading and attending meetings. Maybe then their comments would make some sense. Read the lawsuit and see if it has merit. Remember Mayor Joe bypassed all rules and regulations and put a snowcone stand in his property and then removed the evidence when it was reported. He violated the law by removing all evidence of a crime scene. Is this the government the people of San Benito wanted. I know 942 citizens did. What a shame. Let us have a government where there will equal justice for all.

      • Reform San Bneito on May 22, 2014 at 2:04 pm
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      Very well said, Justice! When justice is not dispensed equally, regardless of status, it becomes something else entirely — it becomes lawlessness.

    • Big Griff on May 21, 2014 at 10:52 pm
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    Hey Karma…I’m just a regular citizen that thankfully does not live in SB, and I have no ties to any one or anything having to do with politics. My comments come from the AWESOME SHOW YOU ALL SAN BENITIANS give to the rest of the valley..my comments that were deleted by Mike Rod. explained more of what i was trying to state. Either way…my issue is with these individuals( Pepito and now this character)that always have some thing to gripe about but are never on a ballot or running for office…THEY JUST RUN THEIR MOUTHS…!! Hey Karma guess your on the HARBORING/ POLITIQEROS side….LOVING THE COMEDY SHOW YOU ALL PUT ON FOR US HERE IN THE VALLEY…..!!!! SMH…LMBO…!!!

    • ReformSanBenito2 on May 21, 2014 at 2:14 pm
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    If this lawsuit has merit then, best of luck to the plaintiff. The skeletons in the closet at the San Benito PD will hopefully, be discovered and made public. This department lacks transparency in their doings and its’ culture is of arrogance. Of course, not the department as a whole but of those select few. By the way, what was the outcome of Municipal Court Judge B. Yudesis’ “preferential treatment complaint?”

    • Peske 70 on May 21, 2014 at 10:23 am
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    Joe must cut your hair. Give her time to clean up his mess. Why don’t you help joe remove his political signs all of Celeste’s are down. Mr editor how much time do they have to remove political signs?

    • Disappointed on May 21, 2014 at 9:15 am
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    I saw this guy wearing a Celeste Sanchez campaign shirt standing next to George Gomez (also wearing a Celeste Sanchez shirt) the ex Chief of Police and now he is suing the City she is the Mayor of?????
    Watch out Moms and Dads. You can’t report you kid as a runaway because you will get sued by people who just want to make a buck. Shame on you Ms. Cassidy. Or are you trying to force the City to take you back again as the city attorney. Shame on all of you. You too supported Celeste Sanchez. You sure weren’t supporting Mayor Joe Hernandez. I hope these guys counter sue you and they get paid. The runaway Mom could sure use your money. Ja Ja Ja Celeste, get a hold of your crew and set them straight.

      • WeThePeople on May 21, 2014 at 11:32 am
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      WOW! Thank God we live in a democracy! Shame on those named if the lawsuit has merit!
      Let’s see what happens. If these people are culpable and violated the civil rights of this person, so be it. Given the antics of some of them in the recent past, I wouldn’t doubt it!
      I don’t know all of the facts but I am sure there is more than meets the eye here. GAME ON.

      • Illogical Assertions on May 21, 2014 at 1:48 pm
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      Disappointed, I’m wondering how you make the leap between a citizen suing the city for acts that occurred under the old mayor and assert the suit as a reflection on the newly elected mayor. If I’m not mistaken, the acts this citizen alleges in his suit occurred when Ms. Sanchez had nothing to do with city government. Perhaps if the old mayor was righteous in his actions the citizen might have worn his shirt for re-election and not sued him and the city. To claim a citizen should not sue a city because he supports a candidate who wins is illogical, especially since the suit appears to have been filed before his candidate won. To blame the candidate is illogical. To blame an attorney for representing an alleged injured party is also illogical, since that’s what lawyers do. To assert that Cassidy is using this as leverage to be city attorney is — you guessed it — illogical, since citys don’t hire attorneys who sue them.

      We are all disappointed, Disappointed, that our city is being sued once again. This is just one of dozens of lawsuits filed against this city under this administration. Understandably you’re disappointed. We all should be disappointed that our city not only hasn’t grown in years under the last mayor and his administration, but it is also the target of multiple lawsuits based on their actions. That’s very disappointing indeed!

        • WeThePeople on May 22, 2014 at 12:52 am
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        I agree, everyone is disappointed with these past years of outrageous behavior. That’s why Joe didn’t even get a thousand votes. If any of the allegations in this lawsuit are true, it may be time for some more changes! The current commission was there when this was going on, so THEY will need to answer a lot of questions!
        It looks like the haters will blame this on the new Mayor, but I am sure she is expecting a lot of that.

    • Big Griff on May 21, 2014 at 7:17 am
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    HOLY HELLLLL….NOT THIS CHARACTER AGAIN…!!!! Pepe Elotes right hand man…both of them always wanting to be in the lime light. TRY….getting a job, move on , occupy your time with something else. Your always blaming the system for everything. Always wanting to make a quick buck under the Lawsuit umbrella. Just cause you stand and come out on pics cause your a POLITIQUERO …DOESNT MAKE YOU THE ACTUAL CANDIDATE FOR THAT SEAT. ..YOU DONT HOLD THE AUTHORITY..THEY DO !!! KARMA is what got you and you just didn’t know how to handle it…SMH (shaking my head)

      • Big Griff on May 21, 2014 at 9:33 am
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      Come on Mike Rod. there was nothing wrong with the rest of the stuff that a stated…let it be known. CAUSE I KNOW YOUR THINKING THE SAME THING MIKE….LOL

      • Karma is a ***** on May 21, 2014 at 11:21 am
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      Your comment seems to apply to your buddy Joe Hernandez

      …..”always wanting to be in the lime light”….(like removing Jack Garcia’s name from the Veterans Memorial plaque and replacing it with his name)

      …….”always blaming the system for everything”…..nothing he does wrong (like failure to pay his property taxes)…is ever his fault

      ….won’t accept the fact he lost the election and just “move on and occupy your time with something else”….

      I hope it does go to trial and all these individuals testify “under oath”.

      Justice is best served cold!

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