SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) — After greater than two and a half months, the murder trial against 26-year-old Samuel Woodward inches nearer to being despatched to a jury.
They’ll quickly resolve if Woodward killed his former Orange County Faculty of the Arts classmate, Blaze Bernstein, as a result of he was homosexual.
“It is a particular person centered on hate,” Senior Deputy District Legal professional Jennifer Walker stated throughout closing arguments.
“And the irony shouldn’t be misplaced on me that we’re attempting this case throughout Pleasure month, which additional exemplifies, everyone knows as a society, this is a matter,” she added.
Walker advised jurors they’ve all of the info to convict Woodward of first-degree homicide, together with a hate crime enhancement, based mostly off Woodward’s personal testimony and DNA proof.
“He was brutally murdered and buried inside an hour and a half,” she stated.
Walker acknowledged Woodward stabbed and killed, then buried, the 19-year-old after selecting him up from his residence on Jan. 2, 2018.
She argued Bernstein’s homicide was premeditated and Woodward was assured his physique would by no means be discovered.
“He already had his luggage, he was already speaking to Atomwaffen individuals about going some place else, and he thought he was going to get away with it. It is solely by the grace of God that rain occurred they usually discovered his physique,” Walker stated.
Nevertheless, the protection needs the jury to think about a lesser crime together with voluntary manslaughter.
Woodward testified smoking sturdy marijuana and going right into a state of terror after catching Bernstein touching him inappropriately and holding a cellphone.
Protection legal professional Ken Morrison beforehand stated Woodward feared he was being recorded and killed Bernstein.
He stated Woodward acted rashly and underneath intense emotion, which obscured his judgment.
Woodward denied killing Bernstein due to his sexuality.
He additionally stated his affiliation to Attomwaffen, a far-right neo-Nazi group, didn’t have something to do with the homicide.
Walker stated he dedicated a first-degree hate crime homicide and the one verdict the jury ought to contemplate is responsible.
“He isn’t as good as he thinks he’s and he is not smarter than you guys,” Walker stated. “You guys have been right here for 3 months trying, observing, listening, fastidiously and rigorously taking a look at the whole lot; and with these 28 stab wounds he took away a lovely life.”
The jury was despatched residence on Friday and can return Monday afternoon.
Morrison is ready to start his closing arguments.
The jury might start deliberating someday subsequent week. If convicted, Woodward faces life in jail.
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