Samuel Woodward, accused of Blaise Bernstein's murder, is set to go on trial. Prosecutors are calling it a hate crime.
SANTA ANA, Calif. — More than 6 years later University of Pennsylvania student Blaise Bernstein was killed and a Southern California man has been charged with stabbing. in an act of hatred He is scheduled to go to trial.
Opening statements are scheduled for Tuesday. murder case A match against Samuel Woodward, now 26 years old from Newport Beach, California. He pleaded not guilty.
Woodward is charged with stabbing Bernstein to death. He was a 19-year-old gay Jewish college sophomore who was home for winter break visiting his family. The two young men previously attended the same high school in Orange County.
Bernstein went missing in January 2018 after going out with Woodward to a park in Lake Forest, California. Bernstein's parents discovered her glasses, wallet and credit cards in her bedroom the next day after she missed a dentist appointment. Regarding the text messages and phone calls, prosecutors wrote in court documents:
A few days later, Bernstein's body was found buried in a shallow grave in a park.
After getting in touch with Bernstein on Snapchat, Woodward picked him up at his parents' home. I stabbed him nearly 20 times. Officials said he suffered injuries to his face and neck.
DNA evidence links Woodward to murder, his cell phone was kept A treasure trove of anti-gay, anti-Semitic, and hate group materialssaid the authorities.
A year earlier, Woodward had attempted to become a member of the Atomwaffen Division, a neo-Nazi group that advocates white supremacy, according to prosecutors' briefs. The suspect has kept diary entries, including a “diary of hatred,” in which he records threats he has made against homosexuals online, according to the preliminary documents.
Authorities said a folding knife with a bloody blade was found in Woodward's room at his parents' home in the upscale Newport Beach neighborhood. Woodward was arrested two days later.
Woodward has pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder with a hate crime enhancement.
The Orange County Register reported that at the time of his arrest, Woodward told investigators that he was angry because Bernstein kissed him the night he disappeared.
His mother, Jeanne Bernstein, told CBS News that his death was beyond difficult in every imaginable way. “It's very disappointing for us to think about the future without Blaze,” Gene Bernstein said.
The case took several years to reach trial, as questions arose over Woodward's mental state and his repeated changes in defense attorneys. Mr. Woodward was deemed competent to stand trial in late 2022.
One of Mr. Woodward's previous lawyers said his client had Asperger's syndrome, a developmental disorder that commonly causes difficulties in social interactions, and had struggled with his sexuality.
Mr Woodward's lawyer, Ken Morrison, urged the public not to jump to conclusions about the case.
“For the past six years, the public has read and heard the prosecution's version of events, and it is fundamentally wrong,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in an email. “I caution everyone to respect our country's judicial process and wait until a jury can see, hear, and evaluate all the evidence.”
The Orange County District Attorney's Office declined to comment on the case ahead of trial.
Summarize this content to 100 words SANTA ANA, Calif. — More than 6 years later University of Pennsylvania student Blaise Bernstein was killed and a Southern California man has been charged with stabbing. in an act of hatred He is scheduled to go to trial.Opening statements are scheduled for Tuesday. murder case A match against Samuel Woodward, now 26 years old from Newport Beach, California. He pleaded not guilty. Woodward is charged with stabbing Bernstein to death. He was a 19-year-old gay Jewish college sophomore who was home for winter break visiting his family. The two young men previously attended the same high school in Orange County.
Left: Samuel Woodward | Right: Blaise Bernstein (Credit: Orange County Sheriff's Office)
Bernstein went missing in January 2018 after going out with Woodward to a park in Lake Forest, California. Bernstein's parents discovered her glasses, wallet and credit cards in her bedroom the next day after she missed a dentist appointment. Regarding the text messages and phone calls, prosecutors wrote in court documents:
A few days later, Bernstein's body was found buried in a shallow grave in a park. After getting in touch with Bernstein on Snapchat, Woodward picked him up at his parents' home. I stabbed him nearly 20 times. Officials said he suffered injuries to his face and neck.
DNA evidence links Woodward to murder, his cell phone was kept A treasure trove of anti-gay, anti-Semitic, and hate group materialssaid the authorities. A year earlier, Woodward had attempted to become a member of the Atomwaffen Division, a neo-Nazi group that advocates white supremacy, according to prosecutors' briefs. The suspect has kept diary entries, including a “diary of hatred,” in which he records threats he has made against homosexuals online, according to the preliminary documents. Authorities said a folding knife with a bloody blade was found in Woodward's room at his parents' home in the upscale Newport Beach neighborhood. Woodward was arrested two days later. Woodward has pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder with a hate crime enhancement.
The Orange County Register reported that at the time of his arrest, Woodward told investigators that he was angry because Bernstein kissed him the night he disappeared.His mother, Jeanne Bernstein, told CBS News that his death was beyond difficult in every imaginable way. “It's very disappointing for us to think about the future without Blaze,” Gene Bernstein said.The case took several years to reach trial, as questions arose over Woodward's mental state and his repeated changes in defense attorneys. Mr. Woodward was deemed competent to stand trial in late 2022.One of Mr. Woodward's previous lawyers said his client had Asperger's syndrome, a developmental disorder that commonly causes difficulties in social interactions, and had struggled with his sexuality. Mr Woodward's lawyer, Ken Morrison, urged the public not to jump to conclusions about the case. “For the past six years, the public has read and heard the prosecution's version of events, and it is fundamentally wrong,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in an email. “I caution everyone to respect our country's judicial process and wait until a jury can see, hear, and evaluate all the evidence.” The Orange County District Attorney's Office declined to comment on the case ahead of trial.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/blaze-bernstein-samuel-woodward-trial-hate-crime/ Samuel Woodward, accused of Blaise Bernstein's murder, is set to go on trial. Prosecutors are calling it a hate crime.
