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

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Monday, May 28th:
*Trial continues (Day 20) (@ 9:30am 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 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.
Trial began on 4/9/24. Court DARK on Fridays.
Judge Kimberly K. Menninger presiding. Prosecutor DA Todd Spitzer & Senior Deputy DA Jennifer Walke; 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.
Court hearings from 2/2/18 thru 2/29/24 & Jury Selection Days 1-14 (3/6 thru 4/4/24) & Trial Day 1-17 (4/9-5/21/24) reference post #344 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-18
5/23/24 Thursday, Trial Day 19: Defense witness: No other info available. Trial continues on Tuesday, 5/28/24 @ 9:30am.
 
Wednesday, May 29th:
*Trial continues (Day 21) (@ 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.
Trial began on 4/9/24. Court DARK on Fridays.
Judge Kimberly K. Menninger presiding. Prosecutor DA Todd Spitzer & Senior Deputy DA Jennifer Walke; 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.
Court hearings from 2/2/18 thru 2/29/24 & Jury Selection Days 1-14 (3/6 thru 4/4/24) & Trial Day 1-17 (4/9-5/21/24) reference post #344 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-18
5/23/24 Thursday, Trial Day 19: No info available. Trial continues on Tuesday, 5/28/24 @ 9:30am.
5/28/24 Tuesday, Trial Day 20: No info available. Trial continues on Wednesday, 5/29/24.
 
Well - I am only coming up with a April 10th article - nothing current.... hard to believe that the defense has put on their case for almost a month. ?? You would think the jury is already deliberating?! Unless I have the wrong date when State rested their case.

Tuesday, June 4th:
*Trial continues (Day 22) (@ 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.
Trial began on 4/9/24. Court DARK on Fridays.
Judge Kimberly K. Menninger presiding. Prosecutor DA Todd Spitzer & Senior Deputy DA Jennifer Walke; 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.
Court hearings from 2/2/18 thru 2/29/24 & Jury Selection Days 1-14 (3/6 thru 4/4/24) & Trial Day 1-17 (4/9-5/21/24) reference post #344 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-18
5/23/24 Thursday, Trial Day 19: Defense witness: No other info available. Trial continues on Tuesday, 5/28/24 @ 9:30am.
5/28/24 Tuesday, Trial Day 20: No info available. Trial continues on Wednesday, 5/29/24.
5/29/24 Wednesday, Trial Day 21: No info available. Trial continues on Tuesday, 6/4/24.
 
I don't think this article from May 17 has been shared here.

www.ocregister.com

How police pieced together the case against Samuel Woodward in the killing of Blaze Bernstein

Investigators’ testimony provides the most detailed picture yet as to how a frantic missing person search turned into a high-profile OC murder case.
www.ocregister.com www.ocregister.com

Testimony from investigators – which has made up much of the prosecution case – has provided the most detailed picture yet as to how a frantic search for the missing Woodward turned into the highest profile Orange County murder case in recent memory. [jash writes: and yet, scant reporting. make it make sense!]

(...)

Investigators were also spending their own time out at Borrego Park. Jantzen described running into Woodward during one visit, an encounter that left him even more suspicious.

Woodward had newly cut and dyed hair, and was keeping his hands in the pocket of a hooded sweatshirt, despite the relatively warm weather, the investigator said.

“When he did show his hands they were bandaged – multiple bandaids on each hand and you could see the blood on the bandaids,” Jantzen said. “And his fingernails were completely caked with dirt.”

(...)

After a break this week, jurors will return for testimony next week, with the prosecution nearing the end of their case and the defense preparing to begin to call their witnesses. The trial is expected to last until late June.
 
Wondering if the prosecutors have rested yet...

Wednesday, June 5th:
*Trial continues (Day 23) (@ 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.
Trial began on 4/9/24. Court DARK on Fridays.
Judge Kimberly K. Menninger presiding. Prosecutor DA Todd Spitzer & Senior Deputy DA Jennifer Walke; Defense attorney assistant public defender Kenneth S. Morrison (from the Orange County Public Defender’s Office).
Court hearings from 2/2/18 thru 2/29/24 & Jury Selection Days 1-14 (3/6 thru 4/4/24) & Trial Day 1-18 (4/9-5/22/24) reference post #344 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-18
5/23/24 Thursday, Trial Day 19: No other info available. Trial continues on Tuesday, 5/28/24 @ 9:30am.
5/28/24 Tuesday, Trial Day 20: No info available. Trial continues on Wednesday, 5/29/24.
5/29/24 Wednesday, Trial Day 21: No info available. Trial continues on Tuesday, 6/4/24.
6/4/24 Tuesday, Trial Day 22: No info available. Trial continues on Wednesday, 6/5/24.
 
Niner said:
Wondering if the prosecutors have rested yet...
Click to expand...

I suspect they have rested as SW's mother took the stand for the defense on May 22 (continued May 23) according to the Twitter source CHEL posted above.

I don't know how to explain that other witness who supposedly testified on behalf of the defense earlier in May (former schoolmate of SW's) except that maybe there was a scheduling issue and he couldn't wait for the prosecution to rest before taking the stand?? Or maybe the article was wrong and he was in fact called by the prosecution.

In any event, I'm glad that they're still expecting this to be wrapped up by the end of June. This has gone on way too long!
 
jash said:
I suspect they have rested as SW's mother took the stand for the defense on May 22 (continued May 23) according to the Twitter source CHEL posted above.

I don't know how to explain that other witness who supposedly testified on behalf of the defense earlier in May (former schoolmate of SW's) except that maybe there was a scheduling issue and he couldn't wait for the prosecution to rest before taking the stand?? Or maybe the article was wrong and he was in fact called by the prosecution.

In any event, I'm glad that they're still expecting this to be wrapped up by the end of June. This has gone on way too long!
Click to expand...

Okay - I shall keep my notes that the State rested. I am truly surprised there isn't much coverage on this trial.
 
Monday, June 10th:
*Trial continues (Day 24) (@ 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.
Trial began on 4/9/24. Court DARK on Fridays.
Judge Kimberly K. Menninger presiding. Prosecutor DA Todd Spitzer & Senior Deputy DA Jennifer Walke; 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.
Court hearings from 2/2/18 thru 2/29/24 & Jury Selection Days 1-14 (3/6 thru 4/4/24) & Trial Day 1-22 (4/9-6/4/24) reference post #354 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-18
6/5/24 Wednesday, Trial Day 23: No info available. Trial continues on Monday, 6/10/24.
 
Tuesday, June 11th:
*Trial continues (Day 25) (@ 9:15am 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.
Trial began on 4/9/24. Court DARK on Fridays.
Judge Kimberly K. Menninger presiding. Prosecutor DA Todd Spitzer & Senior Deputy DA Jennifer Walke; 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.
Court hearings from 2/2/18 thru 2/29/24 & Jury Selection Days 1-14 (3/6 thru 4/4/24) & Trial Day 1-22 (4/9-6/4/24) reference post #354 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-18
6/5/24 Wednesday, Trial Day 23: No info available. Trial continues on Monday, 6/10/24.
6/10/24 Monday, Trial Day 24: No info available. Trial continues on Tuesday, 6/11/24.
 
I can't believe it!! I got an article in my alerts on this case! And it is dated June 5th - so I am going to guess that this happened on 6/4/24... Tuesday.

forward.com

In Blaze Bernstein murder trial, mother of accused testifies about his troubled childhood

Samuel Woodward's mother Michele was evasive on the stand, and admitted she cared about how the family and her older son Clay were portrayed.
forward.com forward.com

June 5, 2024
SANTA ANA, Calif. – With her son facing first-degree murder and hate crime charges for the death of Blaze Bernstein, Michele Woodward provided hundreds of pages of family history to aid his defense.
[.....]
In his opening statement, Samuel Woodward’s attorney said those documents — along with hours of interviews she had given defense investigators — would help establish that he grew up in a toxic home, leaving him vulnerable to neo-Nazi recruitment as he sought acceptance outside of it.
[.....]
With the defense now calling witnesses — Michele Woodward was its second — the facts of the case have largely been established. Samuel Woodward’s attorney in his opening statement conceded his client, then 20, stabbed 19-year-old Bernstein to death on the night of Jan. 2, 2018, then buried his body in an Orange County park. What’s contested is the defendant’s state of mind leading up to the killing — whether, as prosecutors allege, he plotted to murder his gay and Jewish former high school classmate, or whether he reacted violently to something Bernstein did or said that night.

Yet something strange happened with Michele Woodward under oath: She had trouble remembering many of the things she had once vividly described. Looking at the evidence she herself had provided — among it report cards, medical records, journal entries and handwritten correspondence — hardly helped refresh her memory.


A lot more in the article in some detail on what his mother testified to. Looks like she is a defense witness. His father & bro will be testifying & Sam also according to this article.
 
Wednesday, June 12th:
*Trial continues (Day 26) (@ 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.
Trial began on 4/9/24. Court DARK on Fridays.
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.
Court hearings from 2/2/18 thru 2/29/24 & Jury Selection Days 1-14 (3/6 thru 4/4/24) & Trial Day 1-22 (4/9-6/4/24) reference post #354 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-18
6/5/24 Wednesday, Trial Day 23: Defense witness: Michelle Woodward, Sam’s mother. No other info available. Trial continues on Monday, 6/10/24.
For more info see post #362 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-19
6/10/24 Monday, Trial Day 24: No info available. Trial continues on Tuesday, 6/11/24.
6/11/24 Tuesday, Trial Day 25: No info available. Trial continues on Wednesday, 6/12/24.
 
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