Jury convicts Benitez of manslaughter

JEFFERSON COUNTY - A Jefferson County jury has convicted a 20-year-old of manslaughter in the death of a teenage high school student who was decapitated.

The jury began deliberating Thursday afternoon returned with the verdict shortly before 5 p.m. Friday in the trial of Jonathan Benitez.

He could face up to 20 years in prison following the punishment phase which begins at 10 a.m. Monday in Judge John Stevens' court.

Benitez was driving a Cadillac Escalade last May 15. Mandy Le was a passenger along with her sister and another person. Le was a student at Central High School.

Benitez hit a wire cable attached to a utility pole near the intersection of South Street and 5th. The 16-year-old Le was decapitated. Her sister saw what happened.

During closing arguments Thursday, the defense said what happened was a horrible accident and that Benitez swerved to avoid an accident and lost control.

Prosecutors say his behavior was reckless and it led to Mandy Le's death.