A California man has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for the hate crime killing of a gay Jewish college student. Samuel Woodward, 27, was convicted of stabbing Blaze Bernstein, a student at the University of Pennsylvania, nearly seven years ago. Woodward did not appear in court due to illness.
During the sentencing, dozens of Bernstein’s relatives and friends were present in the courtroom, many wearing T-shirts with the slogan “Blaze it Forward” as part of a campaign to spread kindness in his memory. Bernstein’s mother, Jeanne Pepper, made a statement addressing the court, emphasizing that her son’s murder was a hate crime motivated by his sexual orientation and religion.
The sentencing carried a life imprisonment without parole, as determined by the jury’s verdict. Woodward’s lawyer, Ken Morrison, had requested a sentence of 28 years to life, citing the judge’s discretion and evidence that was not presented during the trial. Morrison indicated that he planned to appeal the verdict.
Blaze Bernstein went missing in January 2018 after going to a park with Woodward in Lake Forest, California. His body was later found in a shallow grave with multiple stab wounds. The trial focused on the circumstances surrounding the murder, with prosecutors linking Woodward to a violent extremist group, while the defense argued that Woodward’s actions were influenced by personal struggles related to autism spectrum disorder.
The case generated significant public attention in Southern California, with volunteers assisting in the search for Bernstein after his disappearance. Woodward and Bernstein had known each other from high school and reconnected through a dating app prior to the incident. Woodward claimed that he stabbed Bernstein after a confrontation involving a cellphone.
Prosecutors presented evidence suggesting that Woodward had a history of targeting gay men online and maintained a journal containing hateful content. Additionally, authorities found incriminating items, including a mask associated with a hate group and a knife with blood residue, during a search of Woodward’s family home.
The sentencing of Samuel Woodward marked the culmination of a lengthy legal process that shed light on the tragic circumstances of Blaze Bernstein’s death. Despite the pain caused by this hate crime, Bernstein’s memory continues to inspire acts of kindness and remembrance in his honor.
