Calif. man to be sentenced to life in jail for murder, hate crime in death of gay college student

A California man who was convicted of first-degree murder and a hate crime for stabbing a homosexual college student is expected to be sentenced to life in prison on Friday.

Samuel Woodward, 27, killed Blaze Bernstein, a University of Pennsylvania student, almost seven years ago. 

The jury’s guilty verdict carries a life sentence without parole, according to Kimberly Edds, a spokesperson for the Orange County District Attorney’s office.

Defense attorney Ken Morrison has said he would appeal the guilty verdict, according to the Associated Press. 

Bernstein went out with Woodward to a park in Lake Forest at night in January 2018. His body was later discovered in the park.