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

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@Mica - when you get a chance could you tell me what time the pretrial hearing starts on 1/27/23?

TIA! :)
 
Luna20 said:
What’s the latest? I can’t believe it’s dragging on like this. I don’t understand why it would take so long.
Click to expand...

Looks like the trial was delayed, in part, due to mental competency issues. On Oct. 21st mental health experts determined Woodward is competent to stand trial. Pre-trial hearing is still scheduled for 1/27/23.
 
<modsnip - quoted post removed - wrong case>

Niner what in the heck is going on with justice for Blaze??! I just don’t get it.
 
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Luna20 said:
Niner what in the heck is going on with justice for Blaze??! I just don’t get it.
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<modsnip - quoted post removed - wrong case>

On Blaze's case - Woodward had a competency hearing & was found competent (10/21/22) to stand trial. Has a pretrial hearing on 1/27/23.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Friday, January 27th:
*Pretrial Hearing (@ 8:30am 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.
Could be sentenced from 26 years to life in prison without parole.
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. No further dates.
Court hearings from 2/2/18 thru 7/15/22 reference post #59 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...lake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-3
9/1/22 Update: PC1368 Mental Health Competency hearing on 10/21/22. 10/21/22 Update: Judge Julian Bailey stated that Woodward was declared mentally competent to stand trial Friday. According to the report, two mental health experts — one chosen by the defense & one chosen by the prosecution — assessed Woodward & found that he was competent to stand trial. While the findings from Woodward's evaluation were not disclosed in court, it is known that a defendant must be capable of understanding court proceedings & be able to assist with their own defense in order to be considered mentally fit to stand for trial. A pretrial hearing was set for 1/27/23. A date for the jury trial has not yet been scheduled.
 
So glad the hearing happened and there's new dates to look forward to one more step towards justice.

Some new articles finally after such a long drought of news:
www.advocate.com

Gay Jewish Student's Alleged Neo-Nazi Murderer Faces Judge

On Friday, suspect Samuel Woodward will likely learn his trial schedule.
www.advocate.com www.advocate.com
forward.com

Five years later, a gay Jewish student’s alleged killer is going to trial

Blaze Bernstein’s family hopes justice will come soon in a case that prosecutors have presented as a crime of homophobia.
forward.com forward.com
 
Friday, May 12th:
*Pretrial Hearing (@ 9am 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.
Could be sentenced from 26 years to life in prison without parole.
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 is set to begin on 9/8/23.
Court hearings from 2/2/18 thru 9/1/22 reference post #71 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...lake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-4
10/21/22 Update: Judge Julian Bailey stated that Woodward was declared mentally competent to stand trial Friday. According to the report, two mental health experts — one chosen by the defense & one chosen by the prosecution — assessed Woodward & found that he was competent to stand trial. While the findings from Woodward's evaluation were not disclosed in court, it is known that a defendant must be capable of understanding court proceedings & be able to assist with their own defense in order to be considered mentally fit to stand for trial. A pretrial hearing was set for 1/27/23. A date for the jury trial has not yet been scheduled.
1/27/23 Update: Pretrial hearing was held. Next pretrial hearing on 5/12/23 & trial has now been set to begin on 9/8/23.
 
Niner said:
Friday, May 12th:
*Pretrial Hearing (@ 9am 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.
Could be sentenced from 26 years to life in prison without parole.
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 is set to begin on 9/8/23.
Court hearings from 2/2/18 thru 9/1/22 reference post #71 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...lake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-4
10/21/22 Update: Judge Julian Bailey stated that Woodward was declared mentally competent to stand trial Friday. According to the report, two mental health experts — one chosen by the defense & one chosen by the prosecution — assessed Woodward & found that he was competent to stand trial. While the findings from Woodward's evaluation were not disclosed in court, it is known that a defendant must be capable of understanding court proceedings & be able to assist with their own defense in order to be considered mentally fit to stand for trial. A pretrial hearing was set for 1/27/23. A date for the jury trial has not yet been scheduled.
1/27/23 Update: Pretrial hearing was held. Next pretrial hearing on 5/12/23 & trial has now been set to begin on 9/8/23.
Click to expand...
Hallelujah! I cannot believe this poor family had to wait so long.
Where did you hear this information?
Do you know if the pre-trial hearing will be televised? And the trial itself?
 
toevlugsoord said:
Hallelujah! I cannot believe this poor family had to wait so long.
Where did you hear this information?
Do you know if the pre-trial hearing will be televised? And the trial itself?
Click to expand...

I get my info on hearings from @jash - and I have NO idea if this will be televised. Sorry!
 
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