Six years after Blaze Bernstein, a University of Pennsylvania student, was killed, the trial of Samuel Woodward, the Southern California man charged with his death, is finally expected to begin. Woodward, now 26 years old and from Newport Beach, California, has pleaded not guilty to the murder. Bernstein, a 19-year-old gay, Jewish college sophomore, went missing after going out with Woodward to a park in Lake Forest, California, during his winter break. Days later, Bernstein’s body was found buried in a shallow grave at the park.
Authorities stated that Woodward picked up Bernstein from his parents’ home after connecting with him on Snapchat and stabbed him nearly 20 times in the face and neck. DNA evidence linked Woodward to the killing, and his cellphone contained anti-gay, antisemitic, and hate group materials. According to prosecutors, Woodward had sought to become a member of the neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen Division and had made threatening statements towards gay people online. A bloodied knife was found in Woodward’s room at his parents’ home in Newport Beach, and he was arrested two days later. He has been charged with murder with a hate crime enhancement.
The case has taken years to go to trial due to questions about Woodward’s mental state and changes in defense attorneys. Woodward has been deemed competent to stand trial in late 2022. One of his previous lawyers mentioned that Woodward has Asperger’s syndrome, a developmental disorder that can affect social interactions, and had struggled with his own sexuality. Ken Morrison, Woodward’s current attorney, cautioned the public against jumping to conclusions about the case and urged them to wait until all the evidence has been presented in court.
Despite the prosecutor’s evidence linking Woodward to Bernstein’s murder and his alleged ties to hate groups, the defense maintains that the public’s perception of the case has been skewed. Morrison emphasized the importance of respecting the judicial process and allowing the jury to evaluate all the evidence presented in the trial. The Orange County District Attorney’s office has declined to comment on the case before the trial begins. The trial is expected to start with opening statements on Tuesday, where more details about the tragic killing of Blaze Bernstein by Samuel Woodward will be revealed during the court proceedings.
