The plea hearing for stabbing suspect Anthony Hernandez was
postponed at South County Courthouse.
The plea hearing for stabbing suspect Anthony Hernandez was postponed at South County Courthouse.
Hernandez, 23 of Morgan Hill, was scheduled to plead to accusations that he tried to kill the father of his girlfriend Tuesday. The hearing was continued to June 22, according to Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office spokeswoman Amy Cornell.
Police said Hernandez stabbed Matthew Benoit, 36, seven times in the upper back with a folding pocket knife. The victim said the attack was unprovoked, but Hernandez told police he acted in self-defense as Benoit tried to hit him first. The incident happened April 29 at the Villa Teresa apartment complex on Berry Court in northwest Morgan Hill.
After the stabbing, Hernandez allegedly retrieved a .45-caliber hand gun from his car and pointed it at Benoit while threatening to kill him, but he did not shoot him. He then returned to his car and put the gun away, and tried to flee the area on foot, police said.
When police arrived about 9:40 p.m., they saw Hernandez and arrested him.
Hernandez and the victim knew each other prior to the incident, according to police files. Police think they were arguing about the suspect’s relationship with his girlfriend – the victim’s daughter – before the stabbing.
Benoit said the attack was unprovoked, and he was outside in the apartment complex’s grassy court talking to his daughter when Hernandez came outside and stabbed him after a brief exchange of unfriendly words. The victim’s 14-year-old son, who went to the apartment complex with his father, told police that Hernandez pointed the gun at him as well.
In statements to police, Hernandez said he did not point the gun at anyone or threaten to kill anyone, and he only retrieved the gun from his car to protect against retaliation from the bleeding victim. Hernandez said the suspect thought Benoit was coming to the residence to “cause trouble,” and he tried to hit Hernandez with his first before the suspect stabbed him, according to police files.
The files do not indicate what Hernandez, his girlfriend and Benoit were talking or arguing about before the stabbing happened. Hernandez, a former U.S. Marine, told police that he felt that Benoit did not want his daughter to be dating him.
Benoit was transported to San Jose Regional Hospital the night of the incident, and was released several days later.
Hernandez is charged with attempted murder. If convicted, he faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison, Cornell said.
