In the conversation, Bewers said Benge gave Bodenheimer 17 reasons "why the case was worthless," but out of apparent want of Venezia's political support, she awarded Demma $4,275.

Benge was first elected in May 2001 and inherited Demma's case stemming from a 1998 car wreck in Metairie which he claimed caused a cracked tooth - a claim later deterimined to be false.