The plea hearing for stabbing suspect Anthony Hernandez was
postponed Tuesday.
The plea hearing for stabbing suspect Anthony Hernandez was postponed Tuesday.
Hernandez, 23 of Morgan Hill, was scheduled to enter a plea to accusations that he tried to kill the father of his girlfriend. The hearing was rescheduled for June 8, 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.
One of Benoit’s stab wounds cut a major artery, police said. After the stabbing, Hernandez allegedly retrieved a .45-caliber hand gun from has car and pointed it at Benoit and threatened 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 to the scene about 9:40 p.m., in response to 911 calls from other residents in the apartments, 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 Benoit. Hernandez added that he thought Benoit came to the residence to “cause trouble.” He said Benoit tried to hit Hernandez with his fists before Hernandez 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.
