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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Honorable John Gallardo Benavides, the first |
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Mexican American district court judge in Bexar County, passed away |
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on January 19, 1980, at the age of 60, and the life of this |
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trailblazing jurist remains an enduring source of inspiration; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on April 17, 1919, John Benavides was an |
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eighth-generation Texan whose forebears arrived in San Antonio from |
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the Canary Islands; he graduated from Brackenridge High School in |
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the midst of the Great Depression and went on to serve in the |
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federal Soil Conservation Service; and |
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WHEREAS, During World War II, Mr. Benavides was commissioned |
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as a second lieutenant in the air force; he served as an |
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intelligence officer in China with the famed 25th Fighter Squadron, |
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14th U.S. Air Force, known as the "Flying Tigers," under the |
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leadership of General Claire Chennault, and his notable |
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accomplishments included establishing safe houses behind enemy |
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lines in Burma; he would later be buried with full military honors; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, After the war, Mr. Benavides set his sights on a |
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career in law, and he eventually gained a broad understanding of the |
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legal system through work as a prosecutor, as a defense attorney, |
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and as a justice of the peace; while in private practice, he was |
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known to waive his fees for clients who could not afford |
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representation, and his sense of fairness was also evident during |
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his prosecutorial career, when he fought to change the laws to make |
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it illegal to try an offender first as a juvenile and later as an |
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adult; and |
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WHEREAS, During more than a decade as a prosecutor, |
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Mr. Benavides tried more than 280 jury cases and established a 95 |
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percent conviction record in around 50 murder trials; his successes |
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in the courtroom elevated his reputation in the legal community, |
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and on October 1, 1969, he was appointed by Governor Preston Smith |
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to Bexar County's 187th District Court, a significant milestone for |
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Mexican Americans in the county; and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Benavides enjoyed the love |
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and support of his wife, Olivia Benavides, whom he married in 1951; |
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he was the proud father of two children, John Anthony and Patricia |
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Ann; and |
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WHEREAS, Judge John Benavides contributed immeasurably to |
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his country and his community through a lifetime of distinguished |
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service, and he leaves behind a legacy that will long be remembered; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Judge John Gallardo |
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Benavides and the unique contribution he made to the history of |
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Bexar County; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Judge John |
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Benavides. |