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Former reality TV star Anna Benson pleaded guilty Tuesday morning to a July 7 attack on her estranged husband, former MLB pitcher Kris Benson. (Associated Press)
Anna Benson pleads guilty to attack on estranged husband
ZACH DILLARD |
Published: Tuesday, November 05, 2013, 2:10pm
MARIETTA, Ga. — Anna Benson has played many roles over the past 10 years — reality TV star, wife of former MLB pitcher Kris Benson, model — but her role on Tuesday morning as "Cobb County Jail Inmate L" was mostly one of whispering detachment.
Benson, 37, stood before Superior Court Judge C. LaTain Kell Sr., and reluctantly pleaded guilty to a rather bizarre attack on Kris back in July, earning herself 15 years probation as part of a plea agreement with state prosecutors. The former star of VH-1's reality show "Baseball Wives" faced a maximum of 25 years in prison and a $200,000 fine stemming from five separate charges related to the attack.
Instead, the plea deal only recognizes two of those five charges — aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime — and assesses Benson with a docket full of probationary measures.
In the presentation of their case, prosecutors said Kris arrived at his home in the Drewsbury Court subdivision in Smyrna, Ga., around 8 p.m. on July 7 to find Anna wearing a bulletproof vest and armed with a hunting gun, a large knife, an expandable metal baton and a loaded ammunition belt. The defense said Anna was unaware that her estranged husband would be at the house — "She did not go there with intent," Benson's attorney Ashleigh Merchant said — though the defense claims it obtained text messages stating otherwise.
Prosecutors said Anna began demanding $30,000 before barging into the home, making threats and smashing a computer.
Kris Benson, who pitched for five different teams from 1999-2010, eventually left the house and called the police. Upon arriving at the home, officers found Anna smoking a cigarette on the back porch. She was arrested and has been serving time in a Cobb County jail ever since. As part of its case's background, the state described what it called "a history of violence" for Anna, and it was an allowed point of emphasis during the hearing despite objections from the defense on grounds of relevancy.
In addition to 15 years probation, with the last five subject to suspension upon successful completion of the first 10, Anna will be entered directly into a psychiatric and substance abuse program. The out-of-state program offers 60-90 days of inpatient care on a variety of fronts, Merchant said, including parenting and anger issues.
Location of the program's facility was not made available.
Benson will be required to waive HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) rights which will allow the state to access her progress reports in the program.
"The treatment team will determine what's needed," said Merchant, who briefly described Anna's rough childhood during proceedings and stated that the program is designed to uncover many of the "core issues" concerning her recent legal trouble.
A restraining order was also put in place stating that Anna cannot come within 500 yards of Kris nor can she enter the subdivision in which he resides or owns a residence.
Prosecutors and Judge Kell made it a point of extreme emphasis that Benson is not permitted the contact the family — not through email, phone, text, third party — at least until the inpatient portion of the comprehensive program is completed. Further stipulations on visitation rights between Anna and their four children are contingent upon the couple's divorce proceedings currently taking place in Forsyth County. She is also not permitted to make any public comments concerning the arrest or subsequent events.
Any new felonies or substantial incidents, particularly those relating to arrests or domestic disputes, may be considered a violation of probation.
However, Benson avoids additional jail time and is not required to pay any fines outside of the fees associated with the probation and supervision fees.
In the end, though, neither party sounded particularly pleased with the legal outcome.
Prosecutors made the court well aware that Kris, who was not in attendance, was not "overly excited" about the details of the plea agreement. Assistant Cobb County District Attorney Don Geary described Kris as having a "great concern" for the safety and well-being of him and his family.
"Kris Benson asks that if the court feels this can't, to the greatest extent possible, provide his family with the safety and the potential future safety, he asks the court not to accept the plea," Geary said. "What he wants the court to do, ultimately, is to consider his interests and the interests of his family and provide him with the best safety we can in this case. We think, the state believes, this will accomplish it."
The court agreed with the state, though not without hiccup.
When Judge Kell, in reading Benson her plea deal aloud, asked her, "Are you, in fact, guilty?," there was an extended pause in the wood-paneled courtroom. Benson eventually pitched her head to the side and sighed loud enough for those in the back row to hear before giving her final answer.
"Yes."
Former reality TV star Anna Benson pleaded guilty Tuesday morning to a July 7 attack on her estranged husband, former MLB pitcher Kris Benson. (Associated Press)
Anna Benson pleads guilty to attack on estranged husband
ZACH DILLARD |
Published: Tuesday, November 05, 2013, 2:10pm
MARIETTA, Ga. — Anna Benson has played many roles over the past 10 years — reality TV star, wife of former MLB pitcher Kris Benson, model — but her role on Tuesday morning as "Cobb County Jail Inmate L" was mostly one of whispering detachment.
Benson, 37, stood before Superior Court Judge C. LaTain Kell Sr., and reluctantly pleaded guilty to a rather bizarre attack on Kris back in July, earning herself 15 years probation as part of a plea agreement with state prosecutors. The former star of VH-1's reality show "Baseball Wives" faced a maximum of 25 years in prison and a $200,000 fine stemming from five separate charges related to the attack.
Instead, the plea deal only recognizes two of those five charges — aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime — and assesses Benson with a docket full of probationary measures.
In the presentation of their case, prosecutors said Kris arrived at his home in the Drewsbury Court subdivision in Smyrna, Ga., around 8 p.m. on July 7 to find Anna wearing a bulletproof vest and armed with a hunting gun, a large knife, an expandable metal baton and a loaded ammunition belt. The defense said Anna was unaware that her estranged husband would be at the house — "She did not go there with intent," Benson's attorney Ashleigh Merchant said — though the defense claims it obtained text messages stating otherwise.
Prosecutors said Anna began demanding $30,000 before barging into the home, making threats and smashing a computer.
Kris Benson, who pitched for five different teams from 1999-2010, eventually left the house and called the police. Upon arriving at the home, officers found Anna smoking a cigarette on the back porch. She was arrested and has been serving time in a Cobb County jail ever since. As part of its case's background, the state described what it called "a history of violence" for Anna, and it was an allowed point of emphasis during the hearing despite objections from the defense on grounds of relevancy.
In addition to 15 years probation, with the last five subject to suspension upon successful completion of the first 10, Anna will be entered directly into a psychiatric and substance abuse program. The out-of-state program offers 60-90 days of inpatient care on a variety of fronts, Merchant said, including parenting and anger issues.
Location of the program's facility was not made available.
Benson will be required to waive HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) rights which will allow the state to access her progress reports in the program.
"The treatment team will determine what's needed," said Merchant, who briefly described Anna's rough childhood during proceedings and stated that the program is designed to uncover many of the "core issues" concerning her recent legal trouble.
A restraining order was also put in place stating that Anna cannot come within 500 yards of Kris nor can she enter the subdivision in which he resides or owns a residence.
Prosecutors and Judge Kell made it a point of extreme emphasis that Benson is not permitted the contact the family — not through email, phone, text, third party — at least until the inpatient portion of the comprehensive program is completed. Further stipulations on visitation rights between Anna and their four children are contingent upon the couple's divorce proceedings currently taking place in Forsyth County. She is also not permitted to make any public comments concerning the arrest or subsequent events.
Any new felonies or substantial incidents, particularly those relating to arrests or domestic disputes, may be considered a violation of probation.
However, Benson avoids additional jail time and is not required to pay any fines outside of the fees associated with the probation and supervision fees.
In the end, though, neither party sounded particularly pleased with the legal outcome.
Prosecutors made the court well aware that Kris, who was not in attendance, was not "overly excited" about the details of the plea agreement. Assistant Cobb County District Attorney Don Geary described Kris as having a "great concern" for the safety and well-being of him and his family.
"Kris Benson asks that if the court feels this can't, to the greatest extent possible, provide his family with the safety and the potential future safety, he asks the court not to accept the plea," Geary said. "What he wants the court to do, ultimately, is to consider his interests and the interests of his family and provide him with the best safety we can in this case. We think, the state believes, this will accomplish it."
The court agreed with the state, though not without hiccup.
When Judge Kell, in reading Benson her plea deal aloud, asked her, "Are you, in fact, guilty?," there was an extended pause in the wood-paneled courtroom. Benson eventually pitched her head to the side and sighed loud enough for those in the back row to hear before giving her final answer.
"Yes."
