UpAgainstEvil's blog
Thank you to all that still follow my story and write in to share your own story.
Posted April 19th, 2011 by UpAgainstEvilI'm blown away by how many women have faced similar divorce and custody issues and that even three years after publishing this book, women are still writing to share their stories and ask for help. Some of these women's abusers were even local San Antonio authority figures who hold great power in the community. Unfortunately, the legal system is so back logged and under-staffed that victims remain to be unheard and innocent children grow up being pulled back and forth between homes.
Something to think about...
Posted October 26th, 2010 by UpAgainstEvilYou CANNOT continue to do the same things in life and expect different results. This is the joke definition of what the true meaning is of insanity. However true that definition is, it doesn’t seem to resonate well with a lot of people in their everyday thinking.
The fact is that when we are faced with difficult challenges in life (and we all are) it’s how you handle and deal with these challenges that show the world your TRUE character. How you behave in private versus how you behave in public when people are watching shows the world your TRUE character. How you treat other human beings, current spouses, former spouses, your very own children, shows the world your TRUE character. Isn’t it time that character was something you no longer had to hide and be ashamed of, but could openly display to the world and that others would hope to emulate? read more »
Knowing that what has been, doesn't have to continue.
Posted October 6th, 2010 by UpAgainstEvilOthers are paying attention
Posted May 25th, 2009 by UpAgainstEvilThe legal community may have closed it's eyes to the truth so far, but not everyone has...
The Examiner.com is one of the most well-respected information sites on the internet, with hundreds of contributors around the country. Because of my experiences and the truth about which I write, they have chosen me to be the San Antonio Divorce Support Examiner.
You can reach my column and past articles by going to www.Examiner.com/x-4524-San-Antonio-Divorce-Support-Examiner
I hope that the advice and knowledge that is provided helps enlighten the community to the hidden world of abusers, whether emotional, verbal, financial, physical, sexual, or legal abuse.
Please pass the word.
This Week's Interesting Events
Posted April 1st, 2009 by UpAgainstEvilThis past week, while trying to communicate with my ex-husband, Benton Tower, in order to prepare the summer visitation schedule for my children, a repeat of the past 6 years showed itself clearly. The only difference was that this time all was done in written form from beginning to end. Therefore, a record of it is clear. There was nothing out of the ordinary or any different from any past attempts to have civilized and cooperative co-parenting communication. It seems that even after more than 6 years since our divorce and more than 2 years since his perjury in court which allowed him to keep possession of our children and to gain fallacious child support, he still is not satisfied with his lack of control of my life. His attempts to continue his abuse and control seem to be the only thing he has going for him these days. Let me show you how my efforts to be civil and kind are received by Benton and then how he twists them and attempts to throw them back in my face without any regard for his behavior or it's affect on our children. My letters to Benton are in bold. His are in regular type. Both are "copy/paste" verbatim. If necessary, I am prepared to post pdf copies of all.
March 23, 2009- My Email to Benton.
Benton,
The boys want to go to summer camp however, Christian’s is across Father’s Day weekend so that will be up to you whether or not he gets to go. He did not get to attend last summer as he was in New York and Washington DC on his school trip. The boys always have a great time and I believe it’s good for them to get away and explore on their own in a Christian-based environment. Please give this consideration for the boy’s sake.
The website for registration is www.Communitybible.com or you can print out the paperwork and send it in with the boys to church for them to drop off. Let me know if you need help with obtaining the paperwork as I’m sure the church will be sending some home and I can make sure you get it.
MAKE THIS A SUMMER TO REMEMBER AT CAMP TEJAS
Community Bible Church Next+Gen Summer Camps:
Session 1 – 3rd & 4th grade – June 6-9* - Cost: $295
Session 2 – 5th & 6th grade – June 9-13* - Cost: $325
Session 3 – 7th & 8th grade – June 14-18* - Cost: $340
Session 4 – 9th – 12th grade – June 18-22* - Cost: $340
*Registration is based on the grade completed in the ’08-’09 school year
Register by April 20th & save $50 off registration cost!
For fundraising information contact the Next+Gen Events Ministry at
(210) 496-5096 or nextgenevents@communitybible.com
Important Camp Dates
Early Registration Begins - February 14
Late Registration Begins - April 20
Final Payment Due - May 24th
Parents Meetings - May 31st
Two days later, on March 25, 2009-I received this response from Benton.
Jennifer,
I would like to bring you up to date on some issues with the children.
1. Attached to this email are the bills and future work that Matthew will need on his teeth. There is $540.00 that you owe from Matthew's previous orthodontic bill that I have already sent you. Matthew will be needing more othrodontic work and teeth pulled before school starts next year. I am also sending you the bill for the boys teeth cleaning and would appreciate it if you would pay your half.
2. There is bill from Chilren First Pediatrics from 2006 that I have been paying on for the past two years. I have never taken Matthew in for Strep Throat. I would appreciate it if you would reimburse me the half of the 325.00 of the orginal bill. There is an attachtment of the bill encluded in the email.
3.The divorce decree does state on or about pg 22 that you are still responsible for half of all medical and dental bills over and beyond child support.
4. As you know, Christian is on the Golf team at Churchill. We had to pay a 450.00 golf fee for him to be able to practice at Joe Corusoes for the year.
And this will be a recurrent fee every year. This cost is over and beyond normal school related expenses and I would appreciate it if you would pay half of the 450.00 so that Christian can remain in golf.
5. Christian wants to take Drivers Ed this summer. The days that he is wanting to take the class is June 8th thru June 29th and he will be taking the class with Tommy. The cost of the Drivers Ed is $343.00, please pay your half for Christian. Enclosed is the schedule.
6. Summer visitation schedule. After talking it over with the boys, they came up with the following schedule. They want you pick them up on Fri. June 5th and drop them off on Sunday June 7th at 6pm. This will allow Christian to start Drivers Ed on the 8th. Christian's last day of Drivers Ed is the 29th and you can pick him up after class to start your time with the boys. They would like to do 2 three week sessions at the beginning of summer followed by 2 two week sessions and spend the last week of summer with me to prepare for school.
7. On April 24th, I need the boys home at 7:30a. I can pick them up or you can drop them off, what ever is easiest for you.
8.Please put money in the children's lunch accounts at school.
It also included 5 attachments which he refers to in his email and below is a quick email I sent him for clarification on the summer schedule.
March 26, 2009-I sent the following email to Benton.
Summer 2009 Possession Schedule
Benton,
March 31, 2009
Since I was unable to get any response or correspondence from you in regard to my questions about summer visitation schedule for the children, I have written the following schedule. It is pretty much the schedule you stated, as I wanted to cooperate with what works best for the boy’s schedule. However, I was still hoping for a response and acknowledgment of my correspondences to you via email and text message, both which were sent six days ago on Thursday the 26th.
I will already have the children on Thursday, June 4th, as it is my regular visitation time according to the divorce decree. I have the boys on Thursdays during the school year and Thursday is a school day. Unless, I hear from you allowing me to keep them through Friday daytime (see my earlier email and text) I will return them to your home at 7:30am as per page 14, second part of item #2. Then I will pick them up again at 6pm on that same Friday the 5th at your home and will return them at 6pm on Sunday the 7th. You mentioned this exact timing in your email to me on Wednesday the 25th, but, you omitted my standard possession on Thursday.
Please recall that on May 25, 2006, which was also a (last day of school) Thursday, and was my standard possession time with the children. You illegally took the children out of school early and left town with them. You did so with strict and deliberate intention solely to emotionally harm me and to take my time away from my children. You were angry that you had been served with court papers the night before and you chose to use unethical and illegal means to show your anger. I did not call the police to report the children taken in 2006 in order to not put any additional stress on them due to your behavior. However, please do not make that mistake again this year, as I will be forced to report you if they are not at their schools when I arrive to pick them up.
I (or Art) will pick up both children on June 29, 2009 at 9am from your home. I will take Christian to his last day of driver’s education. That is not a problem. You or Polli may pick them up at our home on July 20th at 9am, as per the first part of item #2 on page 14.
I (or Art) will again pick up both children on August 3, 2009 at 9am from your home. Then, you or Polli may pick them up again on August 17th at 9am at our home. Both of these time periods were at your request and I am honoring that schedule.
I’m sorry that you were unwilling to work with me this summer to allow for a more consistent summer schedule of every other two weeks, as we have done over the past two summers.
Jennifer Williams
Dear Readers, please pay close attention to the tone of the correspondence and how, even though I work very hard to remain cordial and civily direct in my correspondences to Benton, he continues to speak down to me, dictate to me, and give me orders in his correspondence. Now for anyone who questions or doubts who the abuser is...reread the book and the entire blog, and then get back with me. Who's abusing and taking advantage of whom, here? Let me share one more very important piece of information...the legal system DOES NOT CARE! The abuse to me, to my children, and to Benton's current wife, the perjury in court, the lies, the manipulation, the deceit...it's all been brought to the authorities' attention and they have continually responded with, "We are so sorry, but there is nothing we can do". Please tell me why we have police, lawyers, judges, a legal system, DA's, and a courthouse, if there is nothing they can do? I believe it's because there is nothing they WANT to do, because then they would have to admit that they, the police, the DA's office, and Judge Martha Tanner, made a huge mistake and are now contributing to the continued abuse of my children and me. One day, the children will be grown and none of this will matter. However, none of us deserves to be forced to continue to live in an abusive situation, just because a judge is embarrassed to correct her wrongs in siding with an emotionally and physically abusive man.
Please write to Judge Martha Tanner at 100 Dolorosa, 4th floor, San Antonio, TX 78205 and call her at 210-335-2501. read more »
Binding Abuse
Posted February 20th, 2009 by UpAgainstEvilIn the State of Texas, if one signs a legal document while intoxicated, under the influence of drugs, mentally handicapped, or under extreme duress, there may be grounds to have that contract declared null. However, if a woman who has suffered years of emotional and verbal abuse signs a divorce decree under the coercive hand of her abuser, why does she not have the same legal defense?
Emotional and verbal abuse causes brainwashing, creating a sense of powerlessness and dependency. This leads the person to use closed logic, having been forced through fear and intimidation to not question their abuser’s decisions. Abusers are master-manipulators who extort compliance. An abuser will threaten financial disaster and child removal in order to get Mom’s cooperation, while structuring their affairs so to appear to be the good guy. read more »
According to the National Domestic Hotline website, “Domestic Violence can be defined as a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner. Abuse is physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person... behaviors that frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure or wound…” Therefore, how can one, while under it, be held to a legally binding contract? If one is kidnapped, being kept under the watchful manipulation of the abuser, becoming brainwashed to the point of staying with their captor without restraints… does that mean they are no longer abused? Do they deserve what happens if they are forced into a legal contract while enslaved? Are they bound by it? Lawmakers, explain the difference between that person and a woman who lives 24/7 being belittled, controlled, embarrassed, manipulated, deceived, and overpowered emotionally, physically, financially and sexually? Such is now the case in the great State of Texas.Letter to Attorney Robert Zepeda
Posted February 2nd, 2009 by UpAgainstEvilDear Mr. Robert Zepeda,
The purpose of this letter is to ask you to wrestle with “right” vs. “legal ethics”. Let me confirm that you are an exceptional attorney. I watched you take the case of an abusive, lying, client, William Benton Tower, and you went up against a board certified attorney, Hector Mendez (who charged 50% more than you did) who was armed and you destroyed him in court. You out-worked, out-argued, and “out-lawyered”, my attorney. The saddest part is that your courtroom victory also cost my two sons and me our lives together. The question remains: At what price is your victory?
On the day that a different attorney, Russell Amsberry, was also beaten by you, your son and lawyer, John Zepeda, sighed loudly with relief when Judge Tanner denied our motion when yet another attorney, Steven Benke, had failed to serve notice to you in a timely fashion regarding our Motion for a New Trial. John knew, and knows, that if we could get back in front of even the uncaring Martha Tanner, your case would crumble. You know that, too.
Now, Mr. Zepeda, I ask you to consider these points. When did you know that Benton Tower, Kathy Tower, Adrian Lopez, and Manuel Hernandez, had determined to fabricate lies on the witness stand? If Benton kept this from you during the entire trial, then I have two observations. First, that is par for the course. Benton is exceptional at lying, as you certainly know from his treatment of his current wife, Polli Tower, as well as from my book. If you have doubts, simply look up the definition of pathological liar and apply that definition to what you know about Benton. Second, he conned you, too. As good as you are at what you do, that makes him better at what he does; lying. The next question is, “At what point does client representation take a back seat to truth?” If you were fooled, you now know the truth. Why do I know that you know? Because you have not filed suit against me for defamation with this website and my book, Up Against Evil. I have named names, given dates, provided written documentation. You watched your client and his THIRD wife file divorce papers against each other and you have a copy of the Protective Order against Benton accusing him of domestic violence. If you don’t, you may print a copy from this site. Simply click on Blog, above, and look under the heading, “Is There Soon To Be A THIRD Ex-wife Who Could No Longer Take The Abuse?” My book detailed personal information that only Benton and Polli could know, unless someone else was told by one of them. Two months after publication, Polli left feigning assault. Oh yes, she swore under oath that it was true, didn’t she. She knows that she had a piercing. She knows the dates of her move-in with Benton, the days he “visited” me. Did she put two and two together and say, “He IS a lying, cheating, manipulative, scumbag?” Why else would she want to leave based upon the carefully choreographed performance at the February 2007 trial that they are “a loving family”?
Now, Mr. Zepeda, you have represented your client well. It is time for you to leave a legacy of truth and honor to your son and his future legal practice. It is time for you to go to Judge Martha Tanner and tell her, “Jennifer Williams told the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and my client and his witnesses lied.” You MAY not have known it during the trial. I would love for a review board to research that. But, sir, you do know it now. You know that I don’t deserve to have my boys damaged for life by my lying, cheating, mean, abusive, ex-husband. I don’t deserve to have my financial future ruined by an unjust judgment to pay your fees. That has already occurred due to the wrongful and exorbitant child support that you orchestrated. I don’t deserve to have my raping ex-husband to continue to prosper in my abuse while he continues to ruin my children.
Now we come to THE problem. What does a righteous attorney do with "right" vs. "legal ethics"? Does he continue to represent a repeat abuser? Does he continue to try to collect an unrighteous judgment? Or does he do that which he KNOWS is right in freeing a mother and her sons from tyranny? The choice is truly yours. When it is time for you to leave this world, will your family, friends, colleagues, and even adversaries, say, “What an honorable man Robert Zepeda was!”? Even more importantly, will the Judge that you face after you are gone say it? read more »
Why hasn't anyone responded with any details?
Posted December 11th, 2008 by UpAgainstEvilFor over a month now the challenage has been out there to provide me with details about the abuse I suffered at the hands of my ex-husband and how I supposedly did not tell the entire story. The facts are in the free book with all the details. No one has come forth to file suit against me for defamation or slander because everything I wrote is the truth which my Ex, his mistress/wife, and their attorney do not want in court. The anonymous person who sent the previous blog comment claiming that I wasn't willing to admit the truth and that I needed to tell the readers the whole story, has been given more than a month to provide any information that I supposedly omitted. They have not come forward because they know that they have nothing credible to add or to challenge.
This anonymous person apparently works in the medical field since the blog comment came through the Baptist Health Care internet service provider during the night shift of 11/04/08 at 12:52 a.m. At that moment, someone was on the site within the Baptist Health Care System (see below) ON THE PAGE FOR INTERESTING COMMENT-6 at 12:52:06 a.m. The only people that I know who are medical professionals are 1) Benton Tower, my ex-husband who works at Methodist Children's Hospital unless he's working at Baptist as well and I doubt that very much. 2) Polli Tower, his mistress/wife who I last heard was working at various hospitals around town when and where she is needed. Given those two possibilities, I wonder who the author was. If ever challenged in court, we will find out who was working that evening and who was online there. Could Polli be trying to save face after confronting Benton about this book and trying to leave him after he hit her and she fled for her safety? The public record shows that she filed a protective order and they filed for divorce, but this soon was all dismissed as she seems to have fallen for his manipulation and has come back home to him.
Neither party will admit the truth because they have been telling the lies and playing the cheating part for so long now that too much rides on not backing down. But if I were in their position and someone wrote a tell all book about me that was "ficticious and slanderous", I would have them in court so fast their heads would spin. However, in this case, no one, not even their attorney, has said Boo about this book, because they all know that they can't risk this kind of evidence getting into court.
What say you now, Benton, Polli, Robert, Adrian, Manuel, and Kathy?
70.243.68.68 (Baptist Health System)
Texas, Houston, United States, 0 returning visit
Could I Be Proven Wrong?
Posted November 6th, 2008 by UpAgainstEvilOn November 4, 2008 an anonymous person posted a comment to the blog entry titled, "Today's Interesting Events" on June 16, 2008. This is their comment:
"Up against evil? You need to tell your readers the whole story first of how you lost custody of your children before you have them examine your issue. If they knew all the events leading up to your court case, then they would have a better knowledge of what is going on,and really understand why justice was served. Stop fooling yourself. But I guess as the guilty party, you don't like taking responsibility for your actions, that you have to blame others. What comes around goes around. Even sugar daddy couldn't help you out of this one."
I sent a reply to the comment but wanted to make sure that my response was not overlooked. Therefore, I have also added my reply to this blog.
"Thank you for your comment. I have to ask, "To which events you are referring?" Please assist in refreshing my memory so that I can tell the story accurately. No one else has come forward to mention any missed details or errors, so I welcome assistance if something has escaped my memory. If you will provide details, I will be happy to update the account."
Latest news
Posted October 24th, 2008 by UpAgainstEvilA few weeks ago the Bexar County Courthouse posted that the divorce proceedings for Benton and Polli had been dropped. They also posted that Polli had dropped the Protective Order against Benton. I guess it's easier to live in denial and abuse than to face the consequences of seeing and believing in the truth and doing what is right and just.
The next time she needs a protective order from his abuse or they file for divorce again (because there may very well be a next time), who's going to believe her then? Isn't that usually the case in abusive marriages such as this one?
Adultery, cheating, lying, stealing, manipulation, control, perjury and domestic violence never lead to a happy ending.
I pray everyday that God saves Benton and changes his heart.