Michael Benton Jail Calls
06/07/07
Mother: "If you go down for this, I hope you take Jesse with ya because if you were involved in this I know it was Jesse that took you there."
Benton: “No, it wasn’t”
Like Vrooman, Benton knew he could use Jesse as leverage to negotiate a lighter sentence and his parents encouraged him despite knowing Jesse had nothing to do with it.
Note: Prosecutors had to disclose an arrangement they made for Michael Benton to have a contact visit with his parents before his December 12, 2007 negotiation proffer session. Prosecutors were vague about the date. (27553)
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01/07/08
Benton: “Well I let him know that I don’t appreciate being dicked around by f**king ah, whoever’s calling the shots here, you know? ‘Cause I’ve been nothing but f**king more than lenient to f**king everything that they’ve asked for.”
Father: “Well, it sounded like you were backing out of everything that was offered.”
03/01/08
Father: I was thinking last night after I talked to you, you know, if they want to keep bouncing you around, have them take a f**king year off your time, two years off your sentence, three years off your sentence. You know what I’m saying?
Benton: Yup.
Father: You want to make it worth my while? Okay, knock some f**king time off.
You’re the one that’s sticking your f**king neck out, you know?
Benton: Yeah, exactly.
Father: You’re the one that’s got to be bounced around and put in the f**king hole for 6 months to a year. Take some time off
my sentence and I’ll be glad to go. You know what I’m saying?
Benton: Yeah, exactly.
Father: Bring it down to 15 years. I’m almost gonna put these a**holes in the f**king electric chair for you a**holes. You know?
Benton: Yeah, exactly.
Father: Especially Jesse - You’re the only one that’s gonna be able to get f**king Jesse.
Benton: Yup. Yup.
Father: You’re the only one he talked to, so...
Benton: Yup...
Father: You want some f**king help? I want help too...!
Benton: Yeah, exactly.
Father: You want me to move? I’ll move, you’re gonna knock off about 5 years off my time.
Benton: Exactly.
Michael Benton’s Mother
“You f**ked up one more time.”