Found Deceased CA - Blaze Bernstein, 19, Lake Forest, 2 Jan 2018 #7 *Arrest*

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@Mica - wondering if there is a next court date yet for this case?

TIA! :)
 
Friday, May 14th:
*Pretrial Hearing (@ 9am PT) – CA – Blaze Bernstein (19) (Jan. 2, 2018, Lake Forest; found Jan. 9, 2018) – *Samuel Lincoln Woodward (20/now 23) artrested & charged (1/17/18) 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).
Could be sentenced from 26 years to life in prison without parole.
Trial set to begin on 6/28/21.
Court hearings from 2/2/18 thru 5/1/20 reference post #837 here:
Found Deceased - CA - Blaze Bernstein, 19, Lake Forest, 2 Jan 2018 #7 *Arrest*
6/19/20 Update: Pretrial hearing vacated due to COVID-19 & rescheduled for 8/14/20. 8/14/20 Update: Next pretrial hearing on 11/6/20.
11/6/20 Update: Hearing was held. Next pretrial hearing on 1/29/21 & trial has been set to begin on 6/28/21. 1/29/21 Update: Hearing was held. Next pretrial hearing on 3/19/21. 3/19/21 Update: Hearing was held. Next pretrial hearing on 5/14/21.
 
California man accused of killing missing gay college student Blaze Bernstein to head to trial in June

May 14, 2021
The trial of Samuel Lincoln Woodward, accused of stabbing his former high school classmate Blaze Bernstein to death and burying him in a Lake Forest park, can begin in June, attorneys in the case said Friday.

The June 28 trial date was in question because public defender Alison Worthington, one of Woodward’s lawyers, had a potential conflict with another trial. But on Friday, she told the judge she intends to be ready.

“I don’t anticipate that there will be any delay in starting the trial on June 28,” she said.



@Mica - just wondering if there might be a hearing date before trial starts?
TIA! :)
 
Niner said:
California man accused of killing missing gay college student Blaze Bernstein to head to trial in June

May 14, 2021
The trial of Samuel Lincoln Woodward, accused of stabbing his former high school classmate Blaze Bernstein to death and burying him in a Lake Forest park, can begin in June, attorneys in the case said Friday.

The June 28 trial date was in question because public defender Alison Worthington, one of Woodward’s lawyers, had a potential conflict with another trial. But on Friday, she told the judge she intends to be ready.

“I don’t anticipate that there will be any delay in starting the trial on June 28,” she said.



@Mica - just wondering if there might be a hearing date before trial starts?
TIA! :)
Click to expand...

Thanks Niner for keeping up with Blaze details. This seems to have taken forever. I can’t imagine what Woodward is going to come up with.
 
Yes, @Mica, thanks for the info, and thanks @Niner for your follow-up.
We live on the details, don't we? Gotta have 'em!

Yes, it will be interesting to hear the defense's side of it. Panic? Some psychological pathology that would exonerate him? Plother.
Surrender, Dorothy.
 
Niner said:
The June 28 trial date was in question because public defender Alison Worthington, one of Woodward’s lawyers, had a potential conflict with another trial.
Click to expand...

My distinct impression was that the family of the defendant is well off (the defendant was enrolled out of state with associated tuition costs). I thought they had retained a private attorney earlier. Perhaps circumstances have changed?
Luna20 said:
I can’t imagine what Woodward is going to come up with.
Click to expand...
Neither can I.

I believe that the "gay panic" defense cannot be used in California. So, one common defense is out. All in all, the circumstances seem totally indefensible. I wonder if the State refused a plea bargain to say, Murder, second degree? Thus, an active defense is the only option?
 
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jash said:
This is an older article but I don't believe it's been posted in this thread before.

How a gay teen, an internet Nazi, and a late-night rendezvous turned to tragedy
Click to expand...
I don't remember seeing this article here, either.
Thanks for posting it, @jash.

Oh, this kind of brought it all back, didn't it? That sweet and trusting Blaze... The world needs more people like him -- talented and looking forward to doing wonderful things with his talent, but he's just plain gone. A sweet spirit.
How can parents go on every day, every day, after a vile tragedy like this one? But they do -- we've seen it, and we seen it again and again.
So glad they have each other and their friends and family.
 
Regarding the 7/9/21 Pitchess Motion hearing, I am unfamiliar with what a Pitchess Motion is. I found this...

A Pitchess motion is a special type of motion for discovery that requests information from a police officer's confidential employment file. The need for this motion usually arises when the defendant alleges police misconduct. The type of information generally sought after with the Pitchess motion includes personnel records which show prejudicial acts, falsifying evidence and/or testimony, and the use of excessive force while on the job. To be successful on this motion, defense counsel must be able to establish that this information will pertain to some aspect of the defense.

Pitchess Motions | Michael Rehm Personal Injury Attorney
 
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