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

[imstilla.grandma]

 

[Deleted member 341731]

Interesting they would release this right before Woodward is sentenced on October 22nd, they should have closed this with his sentence which I still strongly believe will be life without parole. Thank you for sharing this, I would have not searched for this until a few weeks later in November or December.

 

[Luna20]

Interesting they would release this right before Woodward is sentenced on October 22nd, they should have closed this with his sentence which I still strongly believe will be life without parole. Thank you for sharing this, I would have not searched for this until a few weeks later in November or December.

Thanks for the reminder. I had forgotten it was coming up.

 

[Niner]

Scheduled Hearings

Date	Time	Hearing Type - Reason	Courtroom
10/25/2024	09:00 AM	Sentencing and Firearms Relinquishment -	C30

Heard Hearings

Date	Time	Hearing Type - Reason	Courtroom	Hearing Status
07/03/2024	08:00 AM	Jury Trial -	C30	Heard

Interesting they would release this right before Woodward is sentenced on October 22nd, they should have closed this with his sentence which I still strongly believe will be life without parole. Thank you for sharing this, I would have not searched for this until a few weeks later in November or December.

Just wanted to make sure everyone has the correct date for sentencing. As you can see on Jash's post above from the Court site - it is on Oct. 25th - not the 22nd....

 

[Deleted member 341731]

Just wanted to make sure everyone has the correct date for sentencing. As you can see on Jash's post above from the Court site - it is on Oct. 25th - not the 22nd....

Thank you! I was confused when it said Oct 22 when Oct 25 had been previously stated. Thank you for confirming once again!

 

[LinasK]

Just wanted to make sure everyone has the correct date for sentencing. As you can see on Jash's post above from the Court site - it is on Oct. 25th - not the 22nd....

What does this mean "Firearms Relinquishment"? I thought that happens at the time of arrest.

 

[Niner]

What does this mean "Firearms Relinquishment"? I thought that happens at the time of arrest.

I thought so too! Do not know what it actually means... ??

 

[Mica]

What does this mean "Firearms Relinquishment"? I thought that happens at the time of arrest.

Maybe this…

This law requires an assigned probation officer to notify the court and prosecuting attorney about whether the offender properly relinquished all firearms indicated on the relinquishment form or by California’s automated database of firearm sale records.((Cal. Penal Code § 29810(c)(1)-(c)(2).)) Courts are generally required to verify that relinquishment occurred before final disposition of the defendant’s case.((Cal. Penal Code § 29810(c)(3).)) If the court finds probable cause that the defendant failed to relinquish all firearms, as required, the court must either order the search for and removal of the defendant’s firearms at any location where the judge has probable cause to believe the defendant’s firearms are located, or upon good cause shown by the defendant, extend the time for providing proof of relinquishment for up to 14 days.((Cal. Penal Code § 29810(c)(4). For the findings form used by the court for firearm relinquishment, see https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/cr210.pdf ))

 

[Niner]

Friday, October 25th:
*Sentencing 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 26) arrested (1/15/18) & 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. Orange County
Trial began on 4/9/24 & ended on 7/2/24.
Judge Kimberly K. Menninger presiding. Prosecutor DA Todd Spitzer & Senior Deputy DA Jennifer Walker; Defense attorney assistant public defender Kenneth S. Morrison (from the Orange County Public Defender’s Office).
State rested their case (I think) on 5/7/24. Defense began on 5/8/24 & ended on 6/27/24. Closing arguments started 6/28/24 & 7/1/24 with prosecutors & defense closing on 7/1 & 7/2/24 & rebuttal by State.
Jury started deliberations (Day 1) on 7/2/24 @ ~2:30pm to 5pm (?). Total deliberations: 2 1/2 hours. 7/3/24 (day 2): ~8am to ~12pm. Total deliberations: ~4 hours. TOTAL Deliberations: 6 ½ hours. Found guilty of 1st degree murder & enhancements.
Court hearings from 2/2/18 thru 2/29/24 & Jury Selection Days 1-14 (3/6 thru 4/4/24) & Trial Day 1-36 (4/9-7/2/24) & Verdict Watch Day 1-2 (7/2 & 7/3/24) reference post #443 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-23
7/3/24 Wednesday, Trial Day 37/Verdict Watch Day 2: Jury started deliberating about 8am & ended about 12noon. Woodward was found guilty of 1st degree murder with special allegations that the killing was motivated by hate & that it was committed using a weapon. Sentencing [& Firearms Relinquishment] hearing has been scheduled for 10/25/24 @ 9am. He faces life without the possibility of parole.
For more info see post #446 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-23

 

[Niner]

well - dang...

Sentencing of Samuel Woodward, who killed Blaze Bernstein, delayed until November

Woodward was convicted of a hate-crime murder. He faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

www.ocregister.com

Oct. 22, 2024
The sentencing of Samuel Woodward, convicted of killing former classmate Blaze Bernstein and burying his body at the edge of a Lake Forest park, was rescheduled on Tuesday, Oct. 22, for mid-November — with an Orange County Superior Court judge warning attorneys she would not agree to any further delays.
[.....]
Woodward was initially scheduled to be sentenced on Tuesday.

But Woodward’s attorney, Assistant Public Defender Ken Morrison, successfully asked to delay sentencing, citing his backlog of work, among other issues. Judge Kimberly Menninger agreed, but warned attorneys on both sides they need to be ready to proceed with the sentencing on Nov. 15.

 

[Niner]

Friday, November 15th:
*Sentencing 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 26) arrested (1/15/18) & 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. Orange County
Trial began on 4/9/24 & ended on 7/2/24.
Judge Kimberly K. Menninger presiding. Prosecutor DA Todd Spitzer & Senior Deputy DA Jennifer Walker; Defense attorney assistant public defender Kenneth S. Morrison (from the Orange County Public Defender’s Office).
State rested their case (I think) on 5/7/24. Defense began on 5/8/24 & ended on 6/27/24. Closing arguments started 6/28/24 & 7/1/24 with prosecutors & defense closing on 7/1 & 7/2/24 & rebuttal by State.
Jury started deliberations (Day 1) on 7/2/24 @ ~2:30pm to 5pm (?). Total deliberations: 2 1/2 hours. 7/3/24 (day 2): ~8am to ~12pm. Total deliberations: ~4 hours. TOTAL Deliberations: 6 ½ hours. Found guilty of 1st degree murder & enhancements.
Court hearings from 2/2/18 thru 2/29/24 & Jury Selection Days 1-14 (3/6 thru 4/4/24) & Trial Day 1-37 (4/9-7/3/24) & Verdict Watch Day 1-2 (7/2 & 7/3/24) reference post #469 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-24
10/25/24 Update: Sentencing hearing. Assistant Public Defender Ken Morrison, successfully asked to delay sentencing, citing his backlog of work, among other issues. Judge Kimberly Menninger agreed, but warned attorneys on both sides they need to be ready to proceed with the sentencing on 11/15/24.
For more info see post #470 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-24

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Samuel Woodward, who is now 27, is scheduled to be sentenced in a Southern California courtroom for the murder of Blaze Bernstein nearly seven years ago. There is no question about the sentence Woodward will receive because the jury’s verdict carries a life sentence without parole, said Kimberly Edds, a spokesperson for the Orange County District Attorney’s office.

California man to be sentenced for hate crime in the killing of a gay college student

By AMY TAXIN Associated Press

www.wfmj.com

 

[Deleted member 341731]

The case has finished. Sam Woodward sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Blaze Bernstien.

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/former-classmate-sentenced-to-life-in-hate-crime-killing-of-blaze-bernstein/

 

[Deleted member 341731]

The sentencing hearing was filmed:

Additional videos:

 

[imstilla.grandma]

In a shocking twist, Woodward's defense attorney conceded that his client killed Blaze, but said that it was not a premeditated hate crime. Woodward's attorney claimed he joined the extremist group because of isolation and loneliness.

The defense said that Woodward himself was struggling with his sexuality, although Woodward denied that characterization when he took the stand to testify in his own defense. Woodward claimed that he fell asleep while at the park with Blaze and alleged that he awoke to discover Blaze photographing or video recording their encounter with his cellphone.

Woodward claimed that he was horrified at the idea that Blaze might publicly share a compromising picture of him and that this alleged discovery provoked him to stab Blaze repeatedly. However, investigators from the Orange County Sheriff's Department told "20/20" that they found no photographs or videos from that night on Blaze’s phone.

At the conclusion of the trial, Jeanne Pepper Bernstein made a statement to the assembled media.

"We are thrilled with the verdict, which holds Samuel Woodward accountable for the brutal, violent, painful murder of our son," she said, in part. "Justice has been served."

Murdered Ivy League student's family reflects upon the days after his disappearance

"20/20" explores the murder of Blaze Bernstein, who was killed by former classmate Sam Woodward in 2018.

abcnews.go.com

 

[LinasK]

In a shocking twist, Woodward's defense attorney conceded that his client killed Blaze, but said that it was not a premeditated hate crime. Woodward's attorney claimed he joined the extremist group because of isolation and loneliness.

The defense said that Woodward himself was struggling with his sexuality, although Woodward denied that characterization when he took the stand to testify in his own defense. Woodward claimed that he fell asleep while at the park with Blaze and alleged that he awoke to discover Blaze photographing or video recording their encounter with his cellphone.

Woodward claimed that he was horrified at the idea that Blaze might publicly share a compromising picture of him and that this alleged discovery provoked him to stab Blaze repeatedly. However, investigators from the Orange County Sheriff's Department told "20/20" that they found no photographs or videos from that night on Blaze’s phone.

At the conclusion of the trial, Jeanne Pepper Bernstein made a statement to the assembled media.

"We are thrilled with the verdict, which holds Samuel Woodward accountable for the brutal, violent, painful murder of our son," she said, in part. "Justice has been served."

Murdered Ivy League student's family reflects upon the days after his disappearance

"20/20" explores the murder of Blaze Bernstein, who was killed by former classmate Sam Woodward in 2018.

abcnews.go.com

That's all BS victim-blaming that he should have put up during the trial, not after.

 

[LinasK]

Tonight's 20/20 is a 2 hour special on this case.

 

[LinasK]

Okay, so after watching the 20/20 special, I really didn't learn anything new about this case, except seeing Woodward's parents testimony. To me they are in denial about their son being a NeoNazi. I also don't believe that his autism is what caused him to join Atomwaffen, nor do I believe that Blaze was out to out him. I believe that he lured Blaze to the park with the intention to kill him- double score since Blaze was Jewish and gay, and that he sent the text message to Blaze's friend about doing something bad. There was no evidence of Blaze having taken pictures of Woodward.

 

[Marysmith]

Okay, so after watching the 20/20 special, I really didn't learn anything new about this case, except seeing Woodward's parents testimony. To me they are in denial about their son being a NeoNazi. I also don't believe that his autism is what caused him to join Atomwaffen, nor do I believe that Blaze was out to out him. I believe that he lured Blaze to the park with the intention to kill him- double score since Blaze was Jewish and gay, and that he sent the text message to Blaze's friend about doing something bad. There was no evidence of Blaze having taken pictures of Woodward.

After I saw your post I was thinking of watching it but maybe won't now. I totally think this is what happened as well.
RIP Blaze. You were a good person and deserved to live your best life and I'm so sorry you couldn't because you met evil.

 

[thebedbug]

Okay, so after watching the 20/20 special, I really didn't learn anything new about this case, except seeing Woodward's parents testimony. To me they are in denial about their son being a NeoNazi. I also don't believe that his autism is what caused him to join Atomwaffen, nor do I believe that Blaze was out to out him. I believe that he lured Blaze to the park with the intention to kill him- double score since Blaze was Jewish and gay, and that he sent the text message to Blaze's friend about doing something bad. There was no evidence of Blaze having taken pictures of Woodward.

I'll admit I was only half-paying attention to the episode, but it seemed like it really glossed over the last text messages and why they weren't part of the trial... especially for an episode titled "The Last Text."

Did I miss something?