LEON VALLEY, Texas -- A temporary restraining order against the City of Leon Valley is now in effect. This after a council memeber, accused of sexual harassment, took his case before a state district judge.
- Leon Valley Place 4 Rep. Benny Martinez accused of sexual harassment
- Restraining order against Leon Valley now in effect
- Martinez's fate likely to be determined next month
The approval of a temporary restraining order against the City of Leon Valley means that City Council's originally scheduled 3.12 hearing for Tuesday night will no longer happen.
Place 4 Rep. Benny Martinez is accused of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment at Leon Valley City Hall.
Six separate employees, including an elected official, filed complaints against Martinez.
PREVIOUS: Investigation Continues into Leon Valley Council Member's Behavior
"When you have this much negativity, you just don't want to get up out of bed in the morning. I've lost a lot of night's sleep. It's very, very trying and really hard to deal with," Martinez said.
Tuesday night’s previously scheduled hearing would have decided his fate. The restraining order blocks Leon Valley from attempting to remove Martinez from his seat, at least until a full court hearing can happen next month.
"I haven't done anything wrong. I guarantee I have not done anything wrong," Martinez said.
Only the City Council has authority over their members, according to the Leon Valley City Charter. It will be up to the City Council to decide to do nothing, forfeit or sanction the council member.
“This process, it includes the whole judicial process, is designed to address concerns, flesh out things that need to be fleshed out, determine if things aren't valid or not sustained or they are sustained. The city as a whole, I'm sure is going to have some mixed results,” said attorney Ryan Henry.
Leon Valley City Manager Kelly Kuenstler released a statement to Spectrum News regarding the next steps with this case:
"While it is customary not to comment on litigation, we can give a statement letting the public know about the process. A temporary restraining order freezes matters for only a short while in order to allow the parties to have a temporary injunction hearing. At the temporary injunction hearing, full testimony is typical and that allows the judge to have more of a complete picture of the issues in order to craft a more detailed order. The temporary injunction hearing is set for May 9th at 9:00 a.m."