An Iraq war veteran who stabbed his girlfriend’s father at a Morgan Hill residence pleaded no contest to two counts of assault with a deadly weapon in Santa Clara County Superior Court.
Anthony Hernandez, 24 of Morgan Hill, will continue to receive services through the county’s Veterans Court before his formal sentencing date, according to Santa Clara County deputy district attorney Dana Overstreet. He pleaded to the charges, which were reduced from an attempted murder charge, on Dec. 12.
Hernandez stabbed Matthew Benoit, 37 of Morgan Hill, seven times with a pocket knife outside the Villa Teresa apartment complex on Berry Court April 29, 2010. The stabbing was the result of an altercation that started out as verbal and escalated, according to police.
Benoit went to the apartment complex to see his daughter, who was living there with Hernandez at the time, he told police.
After a brief exchange of unfriendly words between the two, Hernandez stabbed Benoit several times in the back, police said. He reportedly told police that he thought the victim came to the apartment to “cause trouble.” Hernandez and other witnesses told police that he acted in self-defense.
He and Benoit knew each other prior to the stabbing, and Hernandez told police that he didn’t think Benoit approved of him and his daughter dating.
Benoit said the stabbing was unprovoked.
After the stabbing Benoit was lying injured in the grass outside the complex, where the altercation happened. Hernandez went to his car and retrieved a handgun out of the trunk. He pointed the weapon at Benoit and the victim’s 14-year-old son and threatened to kill them, authorities said.
Overstreet said pleading “no contest” is the same as a guilty plea. The two charges stem from Hernandez’ threats to the two victims – Benoit and his son.
Though he was initially charged with attempted murder, Hernandez now faces a maximum sentence of nine years in prison with the reduced charges, Overstreet said.
His next hearing is Jan. 23, 2012, when the probation department will prepare a report on Hernandez’ behavior and background in order to assist the court in determining the appropriate sentence, Overstreet said. A formal sentencing hearing has not been scheduled yet.
Hernandez is a veteran of the U.S. Marines and was deployed to Iraq where he served two tours, according to a previous attorney who represented him and witnesses who testified at a bail hearing last year. While overseas, Hernandez helped evacuate injured soldiers off the battlefield, among other duties, according to his former attorney Ingo Brauer.
As a young veteran who has become involved in the justice system, Hernandez is eligible for services and referrals offered through the local veterans’ court that are not available to non-veteran suspects, Overstreet said. The local veterans court was established with federal grant funding, and employs personnel from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and professionals who have experience working with veterans.
The program is specifically designed to help veterans returning overseas from recent military conflicts, Overstreet said.
“People from the veterans organizations will work with the veterans in terms of resolving the issues that might relate to them. They all have different problems,” ranging from alcohol and substance abuse to physical and psychological trauma suffered as a result of their experiences on the battlefield, Overstreet said.
Overstreet declined to comment on Hernandez’ military background or any specific treatment or services he might receive through the veterans court.
