Found Deceased CA - Blaze Bernstein, 19, Lake Forest, 2 Jan 2018 #8 *Arrest*

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Tuesday, February 20th:
*Trial continues (Day 4) (@ 9:30am PT) – CA – Blaze Bernstein (19) (Jan. 2, 2018, Lake Forest; found Jan. 9, 2018; he was stabbed 19 times in his neck; 14 times on the left, 5 on the right & 1 stab wound in his left knee) – *Samuel Lincoln Woodward (20/now 25) arrested & charged (1/17/18) & arraigned (11/9/18) with 1 count of felony murder with a hate crime enhancement for killing someone because of their sexual orientation & sentencing enhancement-personal use of a knife. Plead not guilty (again on 11/9/18). $5M bail, bail revoked (11/9/18). In custody of the Theo Lacy jail.
Trial was set to begin on 7/15/22 with jury selection was vacated for competency evaluation. Found competent (10/21/22) to stand trial.
Trial began on 2/7/24 with jury selection & ended on 2/8/24.
Trial began on 2/13/24.
Court hearings from 2/2/18 thru 2/2/24 & Jury selection Days 1-2 (2/7-2/8/24) reference post #175 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...lake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-9
2/13/24 Tuesday, Trial Day 1: No info available. Trial continues on Wednesday, 2/14/24.
2/14/24 Wednesday, Trial Day 2: No info available. Trial continues on Thursday, 2/15/24.
2/15/24 Thursday, Trial Day 3: No info available. Trial continues on Tuesday, 2/20/24.
 
Finally... a new article!

www.ocregister.com

Jury selection underway in OC murder trial of Samuel Woodward, accused of killing classmate Blaze Bernstein

Prosecutors say Woodward stabbed his former Orange County School of the Arts classmate to death more than 6 years ago.
www.ocregister.com www.ocregister.com

Jury selection has begun in the murder trial of Samuel Woodward...

In recent weeks, lengthy pre-trial discussions between attorneys and the judge presiding over the case have largely focused on exactly which allegedly homophobic and racist material found in Woodward’s possession can be shown to jurors during the trial.

Large groups of prospective jurors have been called in to receive a questionnaire asking about their background and about the issues expected to come up during the trial. They are to return to court in the coming days — after the attorneys and judge have had time to look over the completed questionnaires — for direct questioning.
...
The date for the beginning of the actual trial will depend on how long it takes to select a jury.
 
Correction on my notes...

Wednesday, February 21st:
*Final Jury Selection begins (@ 9:30am PT) – CA – Blaze Bernstein (19) (Jan. 2, 2018, Lake Forest; found Jan. 9, 2018; he was stabbed 19 times in his neck; 14 times on the left, 5 on the right & 1 stab wound in his left knee) – *Samuel Lincoln Woodward (20/now 25) arrested & charged (1/17/18) & arraigned (11/9/18) with 1 count of felony murder with a hate crime enhancement for killing someone because of their sexual orientation & sentencing enhancement-personal use of a knife. Plead not guilty (again on 11/9/18). $5M bail, bail revoked (11/9/18). In custody of the Theo Lacy jail.
Trial was set to begin on 7/15/22 with jury selection was vacated for competency evaluation. Found competent (10/21/22) to stand trial.
Jury selection set to begin on 2/21/24. Trial will begin when jury is selection-no date predicted.
Court hearings from 2/2/18 thru 2/2/24 reference post #183 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-10
2/21/24 Update: In recent weeks, lengthy pretrial discussions between attorneys & the judge presiding over the case have largely focused on exactly which allegedly homophobic & racist material found in Woodward’s possession can be shown to jurors during the trial. Large groups of prospective jurors have been called in to receive a questionnaire asking about their background & about the issues expected to come up during the trial. They are to return to court in the coming days — after the attorneys & judge have had time to look over the completed questionnaires — for direct questioning on 2/21/24. The date for the beginning of the actual trial will depend on how long it takes to select a jury.
 
Thursday, February 22nd:
*Final Jury Selection continues (Day 2) (@ 9:30am PT) – CA – Blaze Bernstein (19) (Jan. 2, 2018, Lake Forest; found Jan. 9, 2018; he was stabbed 19 times in his neck; 14 times on the left, 5 on the right & 1 stab wound in his left knee) – *Samuel Lincoln Woodward (20/now 25) arrested & charged (1/17/18) & arraigned (11/9/18) with 1 count of felony murder with a hate crime enhancement for killing someone because of their sexual orientation & sentencing enhancement-personal use of a knife. Plead not guilty (again on 11/9/18). $5M bail, bail revoked (11/9/18). In custody of the Theo Lacy jail.
Trial was set to begin on 7/15/22 with jury selection was vacated for competency evaluation. Found competent (10/21/22) to stand trial.
Jury selection began on 2/21/24. Trial will begin when jury is selection-no date predicted.
Court hearings from 2/2/18 thru 2/21/24 reference post #186 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-10
2/21/24 Jury Selection (Day 1): Jury selection continues on Thursday, 2/22/24.
 
jash said:
Finally... a new article!

www.ocregister.com

Jury selection underway in OC murder trial of Samuel Woodward, accused of killing classmate Blaze Bernstein

Prosecutors say Woodward stabbed his former Orange County School of the Arts classmate to death more than 6 years ago.
www.ocregister.com www.ocregister.com

Jury selection has begun in the murder trial of Samuel Woodward...

In recent weeks, lengthy pre-trial discussions between attorneys and the judge presiding over the case have largely focused on exactly which allegedly homophobic and racist material found in Woodward’s possession can be shown to jurors during the trial.

Large groups of prospective jurors have been called in to receive a questionnaire asking about their background and about the issues expected to come up during the trial. They are to return to court in the coming days — after the attorneys and judge have had time to look over the completed questionnaires — for direct questioning.
...
The date for the beginning of the actual trial will depend on how long it takes to select a jury.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the update. Now we know what's been so hush-hush going on.
 
So... are they still in jury selection? Maybe when the trial has offficially started we will have news or even a livestream? I am surprise there is nothing there since the case had a lot of coverage at the time!
 
Monday, Feb. 26th:
*Final Jury Selection continues (Day 3) (@ 9:30am PT) – CA – Blaze Bernstein (19) (Jan. 2, 2018, Lake Forest; found Jan. 9, 2018; he was stabbed 19 times in his neck; 14 times on the left, 5 on the right & 1 stab wound in his left knee) – *Samuel Lincoln Woodward (20/now 25) arrested & charged (1/17/18) & arraigned (11/9/18) with 1 count of felony murder with a hate crime enhancement for killing someone because of their sexual orientation & sentencing enhancement-personal use of a knife. Plead not guilty (again on 11/9/18). $5M bail, bail revoked (11/9/18). In custody of the Theo Lacy jail.
Trial was set to begin on 7/15/22 with jury selection was vacated for competency evaluation. Found competent (10/21/22) to stand trial.
Trial began on 2/7/24 with jury selection & ended on 2/8/24.
Jury selection began on 2/21/24. Trial will begin when jury is selection-no date predicted.
Court hearings from 2/2/18 thru 2/21/24 reference post #186 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-10
2/21/24 Jury Selection Day 1: Jury selection continues on Thursday, 2/22/24.
2/22/24 Jury Selection Day 2: No info available. Jury selection continues on Monday, 2/26/24.
 
Tuesday, February 27th:
*Final Jury Selection continues (Day 4) (@ 1:30pm PT) – CA – Blaze Bernstein (19) (Jan. 2, 2018, Lake Forest; found Jan. 9, 2018; he was stabbed 19 times in his neck; 14 times on the left, 5 on the right & 1 stab wound in his left knee) – *Samuel Lincoln Woodward (20/now 25) arrested & charged (1/17/18) & arraigned (11/9/18) with 1 count of felony murder with a hate crime enhancement for killing someone because of their sexual orientation & sentencing enhancement-personal use of a knife. Plead not guilty (again on 11/9/18). $5M bail, bail revoked (11/9/18). In custody of the Theo Lacy jail.
Trial was set to begin on 7/15/22 with jury selection was vacated for competency evaluation. Found competent (10/21/22) to stand trial.
Trial began on 2/7/24 with jury selection & ended on 2/8/24.
Jury selection began on 2/21/24. Trial will begin when jury is selection-no date predicted.
Court hearings from 2/2/18 thru 2/21/24 reference post #186 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-10
2/21/24 Jury Selection Day 1: Jury selection continues on Thursday, 2/22/24.
2/22/24 Jury Selection Day 2: No info available. Jury selection continues on Monday, 2/26/24.
2/26/24 Jury Selection Day 3: No info available. Jury selection COULD be continued on Tuesday, 2/27/24.
 
www.ocregister.com

Jury selection underway in OC murder trial of Samuel Woodward, accused of killing classmate Blaze Bernstein

Prosecutors say Woodward stabbed his former Orange County School of the Arts classmate to death more than 6 years ago.
www.ocregister.com www.ocregister.com

Feb. 27, 2024
Jury selection has begun in the murder trial of Samuel Woodward, accused of stabbing his former Orange County School of the Arts classmate Blaze Bernstein to death more than six years ago and burying his body near a Foothill Ranch park.
[.....]
In recent weeks, lengthy pre-trial discussions between attorneys and the judge presiding over the case have largely focused on exactly which allegedly homophobic and racist material found in Woodward’s possession can be shown to jurors during the trial.

Large groups of prospective jurors have been called in to receive a questionnaire asking about their background and about the issues expected to come up during the trial. They are to return to court in the coming days — after the attorneys and judge have had time to look over the completed questionnaires — for direct questioning.
[.....]
The amount of time it has taken since the killing to get to trial has frustrated family members and supporters of Bernstein.

Like nearly all other ongoing criminal cases, the Woodward trial was delayed due to court closures and restrictions during the Coronavirus pandemic. There was also a several-month delay last year when the court had to decide whether Woodward was mentally competent to stand trial. And there have been multiple changes to the defense, with Woodward’s current attorney coming onto the case a little more than a year ago.

The date for the beginning of the actual trial will depend on how long it takes to select a jury.
 
Wednesday, February 28th:
*Final Jury Selection continues (Day 5) (@ 1:30pm PT) – CA – Blaze Bernstein (19) (Jan. 2, 2018, Lake Forest; found Jan. 9, 2018; he was stabbed 19 times in his neck; 14 times on the left, 5 on the right & 1 stab wound in his left knee) – *Samuel Lincoln Woodward (20/now 25) arrested & charged (1/17/18) & arraigned (11/9/18) with 1 count of felony murder with a hate crime enhancement for killing someone because of their sexual orientation & sentencing enhancement-personal use of a knife. Plead not guilty (again on 11/9/18). $5M bail, bail revoked (11/9/18). In custody of the Theo Lacy jail.
Trial was set to begin on 7/15/22 with jury selection was vacated for competency evaluation. Found competent (10/21/22) to stand trial.
Trial began on 2/7/24 with jury selection & ended on 2/8/24.
Jury selection began on 2/21/24. Trial will begin when jury is selection-no date predicted.
Court hearings from 2/2/18 thru 2/21/24 & Jury Selection Days 1-3 (2/21-2/26/24) reference post #194 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-10
2/27/24 Jury Selection Day 4: Large groups of prospective jurors have been called in to receive a questionnaire asking about their background and about the issues expected to come up during the trial. They are to return to court in the coming days — after the attorneys and judge have had time to look over the completed questionnaires — for direct questioning. No other info available. Jury selection COULD be continued on Wednesday, 2/28/24.
 
Thursday, February 29th:
*Final Jury Selection continues (Day 6) (@ 1:30pm PT) – CA – Blaze Bernstein (19) (Jan. 2, 2018, Lake Forest; found Jan. 9, 2018; he was stabbed 19 times in his neck; 14 times on the left, 5 on the right & 1 stab wound in his left knee) – *Samuel Lincoln Woodward (20/now 25) arrested & charged (1/17/18) & arraigned (11/9/18) with 1 count of felony murder with a hate crime enhancement for killing someone because of their sexual orientation & sentencing enhancement-personal use of a knife. Plead not guilty (again on 11/9/18). $5M bail, bail revoked (11/9/18). In custody of the Theo Lacy jail.
Trial was set to begin on 7/15/22 with jury selection was vacated for competency evaluation. Found competent (10/21/22) to stand trial.
Jury selection began on 2/21/24. Trial will begin when jury is selection-no date predicted.
Court hearings from 2/2/18 thru 2/21/24 & Jury Selection Days 1-4 (2/21-2/27/24) reference post #196 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-10
2/28/24 Jury Selection Day 5: No info available. Jury selection COULD be continued on Thursday, 2/29/24.
 
mynewsla.com

Mistrial Declared in Blaze Bernstein Case, Delaying Jury Selection - MyNewsLA.com

A mistrial was declared Thursday in the trial of the man charged with killing a former high school classmate in what prosecutors have alleged was a hate crime because the victim was gay when the defendant had an outburst during jury selection. Attorneys will return to court Tuesday to discuss...
mynewsla.com mynewsla.com

Jury selection and pretrial motions have been grinding on for weeks...but it appears jury selection could begin again next week, setting back testimony only about a couple of weeks.

Woodward had some sort of an outburst in court that prompted his attorney to motion for a mistrial, which was granted by Orange County Superior Court Judge Kimberly Menninger.
 
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