25 years behind bars: Kern County pays $13.5M after conviction overturned

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Vicente Benavides spent 25 years of his life behind bars and more than two decades on death row in San Quentin. Now, Kern County is paying Benavides $13.5 million after his conviction was thrown out.

The former farmworker was convicted in 1993 for the rape and death of a 21-month-old girl in Delano. He was sentenced to death. Years later, however, key medical evidence in the case unraveled.

Dr. Jess Diamond, an expert medical examiner, said he had not been provided with the child’s medical records at the time of his earlier review of the case. After seeing them, Diamond recanted his testimony and said he no longer believed the child had been sexually assaulted.

The California Supreme Court overturned the conviction and ordered a retrial. Benavides was released from San Quentin in October 2018.

Benavides filed suit against Kern County for wrongful conviction, and a settlement was reached recently. In an email to 23ABC, a county spokesperson wrote, “By resolving this matter at this time, the County avoids the multi-million-dollar costs of a lengthy federal jury trial.”

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