Samuel Woodward, a California man discovered responsible of murdering his former classmate in 2018 in a hate crime, was sentenced to life in jail with out the potential for parole on Friday.
Blaze Bernstein — a 19-year-old homosexual, Jewish scholar on the College of Pennsylvania — went lacking whereas visiting his household in Newport Seashore throughout winter break in January 2018. His physique was discovered, following a dayslong search, buried in a park in Lake Forest he went to with Woodward the evening he went lacking, authorities stated. He had been stabbed 28 instances, prosecutors stated.
Woodward, now 27, was charged with first-degree homicide as a hate crime. Prosecutors had argued that Woodward murdered his highschool classmate as a result of Bernstein was homosexual.
In issuing the sentence throughout a prolonged listening to on Friday, Decide Kimberly Menninger stated there was proof that the defendant deliberate the homicide, and that the jury discovered it true that the crime was dedicated due to Bernstein’s sexual orientation.
Menninger additionally denied Woodward probation.
On whether or not the defendant is remorseful, Menninger stated, “Sadly for the courtroom and for the defendant, I’ve by no means seen any proof of this as much as this cut-off date.”
Woodward was not current at his sentencing listening to attributable to an sickness, in response to Menninger.
Samuel Woodward testifies in Orange County Superior Courtroom, June 13, 2024, in Santa Ana, Calif.
Leonard Orti/The Orange County Register through AP, FILE
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