Samuel Woodward was accused of repeatedly stabbing and killing Blaze Bernstein, who was 19 years old at the time of his murder.An Orange County, California man was convicted of first-degree murder Wednesday in the stabbing death of a gay former high school classmate in 2018.
"This is a great relief that justice is served, and this despicable human who murdered our son will no longer be a threat to the public," Jeanne Pepper Bernstein, Blaze Bernstein’s mother, said in a news conference after the verdict was read.There were no indications of any visible reaction from Woodward. He sat facing forward, his face obscured by his long, hair.
The defense also argued Woodward's long undiagnosed issues with autism left him vulnerable to recruitment by the white supremacist groups that target individuals like the defendant, who sought"acceptance and validation.” Woodward also had an"obsession'' with gay men and gay porn sites, his defense attorney said.
Woodward testified while he and Bernstein were laying in the park together that Bernstein started to touch him in a sexual manner.