A Monday hearing for Anthony Hernandez, 23 of Morgan Hill, was
postponed.
A Monday hearing for Anthony Hernandez, 23 of Morgan Hill, was postponed.
The hearing to set a date for Hernandez’ trial on an attempted murder charge, related to an altercation in which he stabbed the father of his girlfriend seven times, was rescheduled for May 9 at South County Courthouse in Morgan Hill, according to Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office spokeswoman Amy Cornell.
Hernandez is accused of stabbing Matt Benoit, 36, seven times in the back with a pocket knife April 29, 2010. The incident happened outside the Villa Teresa apartment complex on Berry Court.
Police also said after the stabbing – the result of a verbal altercation that escalated – that Hernandez retrieved a handgun from his car and pointed it at Benoit, threatening to kill him.
Benoit told police he stopped by the complex, where Hernandez lived with his girlfriend, to visit his daughter.
After a brief exchange of unfriendly words between the two, Hernandez stabbed Benoit several times, 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.
Benoit said the stabbing was unprovoked.
If convicted, Hernandez faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. He remains in Santa Clara County Jail in lieu of $3 million bail while he awaits further hearings.
