For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 16
IN
"House of Cards"
in Beaver County
Ellen C. Brotman
While defending a client,
Kendraneshia Barnett, on
drug charges, Benyo ended
up facing criminal charges of
his own. What was Benyo's
alleged crime? Admitting
into evidence a conversation
recorded by Barnett on her
cell phone in violation of 18
Pa.C.S. §5703(1), i.e., without
the permission of the other
participant in the conversation.
16
For The Defense | Vol. 1, Issue 3
the Summer of 2015, Gerald V.
Benyo Jr., a criminal defense attorney in Beaver County, Pennsylvania,
found himself in a Kafkaesque situation.1
While defending a client, Kendraneshia
Barnett, on drug charges, Benyo ended up
facing criminal charges of his own. What
was Benyo's alleged crime? Admitting into
evidence a conversation recorded by Barnett
on her cell phone in violation of 18 Pa.C.S.
§5703(1), i.e., without the permission of the
other participant in the conversation.
Naturally this conversation was not just
any ordinary conversation - this was a conversation that revealed a potential abuse
of power and political skullduggery that
rivalled the intrigue on "House of Cards."
The recorded conversation at issue here
demonstrated that an employee of the Public
Defender's Office, Dionna Steele, along with
Assistant District Attorney Frank Martocci
were conspiring to either bribe or extort
Barnett to get her to set Benyo up on a drug
sting. Perhaps not so coincidentally, around
that time, Benyo and Martocci had just both
announced their intention to run for District
Attorney. Notwithstanding what we hope
are unique circumstances, Commonwealth
vs. Benyo has some valuable lessons for our
brave new world, a world where everyone
carries a video camera and a microphone in
their back pockets.
The plot unfolded: in 2014, while Benyo
was representing Barnett, Steele had a
mutual acquaintance send Barnett a message
about Steele's ability to assist Barnett with
her drug charges. When Steele and Barnett
met, Steele told Barnett that if Barnett would
act as a confidential informant and engage
Benyo in a drug transaction, ADA Martocci
would reduce her drug charges. Steele confirmed that such an arrangement would be
backed by Martocci, as the prosecutor in the
drug case. Steele also advised that Barnett's
son, who was also facing charges, could similarly benefit. On the other hand, if Benyo
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016
Contents
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 1
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 2
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - Contents
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 4
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 5
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 6
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 7
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 8
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 9
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 10
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 11
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 12
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 13
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 14
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 15
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 16
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 17
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 18
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 19
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 20
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 21
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 22
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 23
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 24
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 25
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 26
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 27
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 28
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 29
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 30
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 31
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 32
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 33
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 34
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 35
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 36
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 37
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 38
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 39
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 40
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 41
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 42
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 43
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 44
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 45
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 46
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 47
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 48
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 49
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 50
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 51
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 52
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 53
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 54
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 55
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 56
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 57
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 58
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 59
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 60
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 61
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 62
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 63
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 64
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 65
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 66
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 67
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 68
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 69
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 70
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 71
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 72
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 73
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 74
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 75
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 76
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 77
For the Defense - Volume 1, Issue 3 - 2016 - 78
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol9_issue1_2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol8_issue4_2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol8_issue3_2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol8_issue2_2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol8_issue1_2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol7_issue4_2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol7_issue3_2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol7_issue2_2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol7_issue1_2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol6_issue4_2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol6_issue3_2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol6_issue2_2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol6_issue1_2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol5_issue4_2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol5_issue3_2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol5_issue2_2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol5_issue1_2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol4_issue4_2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol4_issue3_2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol4_issue2_2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol4_issue1_2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol3_issue4_2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol3_issue3_2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol3_issue2_2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol3_issue1_2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pacdl/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol2_issue4_2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pacdl/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol2_issue3_2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pacdl/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol2_issue2_2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pacdl/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol2_issue1_2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol1_issue4_2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol1_issue3_2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol1_issue2_2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol1_issue1_2016
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com