A man accused of killing his former classmate because he was gay continues his testimony in Orange County. Hetty Chang reports for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on June 24, 2024.
The man accused of killing his former classmate allegedly because he was gay continues his testimony in Orange County.
Samuel Woodward is charged with the hate crime stabbing of Blaze Bernstein. On Thursday, Woodward testified in great detail about how he stabbed Bernstein repeatedly.
Bernstein’s parents were back in the courtroom to continue listening to testimony from their son’s accused killer, even after hearing the horrific details from Woodward Thursday of how he stabbed Bernstein more than two dozen times, six years ago.
On Monday, Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Walker continued her questions about the moments and days after Bernstein’s murder at Borrego park in Lake Forest.
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Woodward admitted that he lied to Bernstein’s parents about searching for him in the days that followed, and came up with a story about a third person that night. Prosecutors say Woodward sent messages to Bernstein's phone after he killed him, to make it seem like he was trying to reach Bernstein and that Bernstein had walked off with someone else.
The now 26-year-old also testified that he lied to Bernstein's parents about being scared and lied to law enforcement deputies who were out searching for the then missing teen.
Prosecutors allege Woodward's neo-nazi beliefs led him to kill Bernstein because he was gay. Woodward's defense disputes the reason for the killing, arguing Woodward was conflicted by his own sexuality and acted in a fit of rage.
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On Thursday, Woodward testified while he and Bernstein were laying in the park together that Bernstein started to touch him in a sexual manner.
He said he was in “mortal terror” after seeing the light on Bernstein's cell phone. He was afraid Bernstein was recording and sending photos out to others.
Woodward then testified that he stabbed Bernstein and felt an anger like he’d never felt in his whole life.
The trial started in early April and could possibly wrap up in the next several days.
