Lawyer: Suspect in anti-gay killing struggled with sexuality

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


Updated 7:58 pm CDT, Wednesday, August 22, 2018

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (AP) — A California man denied Wednesday that he killed a University of Pennsylvania student because the victim was gay.

Samuel Woodward, 21, who has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge, appeared in court and also denied a hate-crime allegation connected to the killing of 19-year-old Blaze Bernstein, the Orange County Register reported.

Bernstein's body was found in a shallow grave in January at a park near his parents' Lake Forest home.

investigators reviewed Woodward's cellphone, laptop and social media accounts and found hateful material against a range of groups and substantial evidence that Bernstein was killed because he was gay, Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said earlier this month.

Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Lawyer-Suspect-in-anti-gay-killing-struggled-13175830.php

[shenmue]

1. Rest in peace

[Aristus]

2. Lots of people struggle with their sexuality without killing someone

over it.

Throw the book at him...

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. Yes. It's not an excuse for violence. . . . nt

[RhodeIslandOne]

4. He's also claiming autism made him join the KKK n/m

[gay texan]

5. I ain't buying it.... n/t

[Behind the Aegis]

6. BULLSHIT!!

He is not the fucking victim! "Issues with sexuality", yup, that issue being gay people shouldn't be allowed to live! There is his fucking issue! This sounds like a fucked up self-loathing gay panic defense. FUCK THAT SHIT!

[moriah]

7. +1000. Nt