Then he walked toward Adams Place, where he sometimes met with friends. Just after the stabbing death of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman Feliz last June 20, members of the Trinitarios were examining a photo of gang . "I saw a smile on my mothers face really, really excited.". That order came during a bloody feud within the Trinitarios that had pitted Sunset, which is based in Brooklyn, against Mr. Sueros two Bronx sets, the witnesses said. MORE: Justice for Junior Special: More than a Murder Since the violent attack, the communitys outpouring of love and support has been seen in a mural. The medical examiner testified the wounds on his back and legs were consistent with being dragged. He leaves and immediately three other men enter. ", "It was a terrible year, it felt like 10 years. Amazingly, a customer is seen purchasing an item over Juniors blood. The murder was just as horrific. Warning: Details of Fridays testimony are graphic in nature and may be disturbing to some. But he acted with intent to harm. Juniors parents were not in court, having been warned the images would be shown. She said it cut the bone that protects the spinal cord and left an exit wound on the other side of his neck. The ADAs argument also included graphic autopsy photos including the slit on Juniors neck the medical examiner says killed him. Junior then walks out of the bodega. THE BRONX As they rested their case in the "Junior" murder trial Friday, prosecutors turned to the medical examiner who performed the teen's autopsy, offering graphic detail of the wound that. The New York Post ran a front-page headline in bold caps, MACHETE MONSTERS GUILTY.. Its 11:37. Officers were called to a . According to prosecutors, Jos Muniz first hacks Junior with a machete. Martin Goldberg, defense attorney for Jose Muniz who once cried in court during his arraignment said his client was made the poster boy for Juniors horrific death, because Muniz was seen carrying a machete. Nine other suspects are expected to stand trial on lesser charges in connection to the boys death later his year. Junior would go on to die outside of St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx. Then, Elvin Garcia, who police say is seen here wearing a mask. Junior's mother said that Friday's verdict will sends a message to all those who would do something similar to what happened to her son. Surveillance cameras reportedly caught a group of men dragging Guzman-Feliz outside a Bronx bodega before attacking him. The night before Lesandro was killed, a large fight had erupted between the gangs, he said. A Trinitarios ringleader, Diego Suero, issued the order to his minions, who then mistook Guzman-Feliz for a rival when they stabbed him to death outside a bodega June 20, 2018, cooperating witness and gang member Michael Sosa Reyes, 20, told Bronx Supreme Court jurors. That isgonna stick with this jury for the rest of the weekend, he says. Junior then comes back to the store bloodied. Guzman-Feliz's death sparked outrage in the Bronx and beyond and spurred the allocation of $18 million toward gang prevention in the borough. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. A teenager hunted down and dragged from a New York City bodega, then swarmed by attackers outside. The injured teen was seen stumbling inside the bodega before exiting and making a run for the hospital. The store owner unlocked a door leading to the area where Lesandro was hiding, Mr. Alvarez said, and told them to take the fight outside. Join Nancy Grace and a team of world-class experts for the online course Justice Nation: Crime Stops Here. Surveillance video shows Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz being dragged from the Cruz and Chiky grocery store in the Bronx on June 20, 2018. The referrals are a nice bonus too, Get to figuring your way around AI sooner rather than later, Enjoy. The defense will have a chance Monday to call witnesses to the stand if they chose. Surveillance footage from June shows a street chase by suspected members of the Trinitarios gang, as they hunted down 15-year-old Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz. Some Trinitarios took orders from Mr. Suero, whom they called Santa Claus, according to Mr. Alvarez and Michael Reyes, who also testified for the prosecution. An 13th suspect has been confirmed arrested in Junior . There were gasps from the courtroom as Assistant District Attorney Morgan Dolan presented the graphic photos of Juniors wounds during the testimony of the prosecutions final witness. That night, Lesandro had left his home on Bathgate Avenue to lend a friend $5, his mother had said during an interview last year. 2023 Breaking Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Add AI Research And Catching Up With Your Law School Buds To The Career Growth List -- See Also, Reach out just to catch up. His history was whitewashed. JOLIET, Ill. (AP) A Chicago-area toddler was hospitalized in critical condition Tuesday after finding an unsecured gun and shooting himself in the head, police said. But Reyes told the court that he couldnt follow through with Sueros order after looking Junior in the face. But its too late. Heres a list of where to volunteer in NYC: Lex Lumpkin talks about new show The Watchful Eye, Debunking food safety myths with a chefs help, Fun, easy Holi-inspired crafts to try with kids, Spot warning signs of teens declining mental health, Simple spring break cocktails to make at home, Patrick Kane to make Rangers debut against Senators, Rangers KAndre Miller suspended 3 games for spitting, Kane incoming? A warning: These next scenes are hard to watch, and weve obscured some graphic parts. A post shared by Robert Williams (@areumdawo_saja) on Jun 25, 2018 at 11:00pm PDT. UPDATE! . Police had seized the footage that night and it got leaked. The officer said Juniors clothes had to be repackaged the day after they were vouchered into evidence as the blood was soaking through the paper bags they had been stored in. Guzman-Feliz had been part of the NYPD's Explorers program, a group for youths interested in a law enforcement career. Fellow defendant Jose Muniz was heard saying "Trinitarios to the day I die" as he left the courtroom following the guilty verdicts. Prosecutors say that Jonaiki Martinez gave the fatal stab, slashing Juniors neck. Community member Elizabeth De Jesus likened the photo to a horror movie. The trial also included shocking revelations, including when it was learned that the self-proclaimed gang member who testified against the other five alleged Trinitarios members on trial could get off because of his testimony. Officer Kyle Oiwaka of the 48th Precinct took the stand on the 12th day of trial to testify about responding to a reported knife assault on the June 2018 night Junior was killed, and gave chilling details of the gory scene. Now that the prosecution had rested its case, the defense can begin to question witnesses next week, and once that process is done, closing arguments will begin. She described, in heartbreaking detail, how Guzman-Feliz looked up at her after the attack and motioned her to call 911. "This 15-year-old boy, moments before death, fought like . Do not sell my information. Frederick Then is the 14th person to be arrested in connection with the stabbing death of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz in the Bronx last June. Video showed the boy being dragged outside the bodega and set upon by a gang of men who hacked at him as he struggled to defend himself. It appeared from a video of the crime (caught from multiple angles) that each attacked him viciously. Prosecutors introduced three clips of video. Its 11:39. Nils Gerber and Stephen Ball, Stacks' attorneys, presented evidence and rested their case after about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday. The mural outside of the bodega where Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz was attacked bears his birth and death dates: 2002 and 2018. Police have identified them as: Danel Fernandez, Kevin Alvarez, and Michael Sosa Reyes, who has not been charged in relation to Juniors killing. Reyes fled to the Dominican Republic on June 21 to see his mother after learning he was present in a murder but returned the following day and handed himself in to police before entering a plea deal in August. What Do Millennials Think Of Law Firm Life? Five gangbangers are on trial for the murder of the 15-year-old in the tragic case of mistaken identity. Five men approached, including Manuel, weapons in hand. He specializes, New surveillance footage shows the moments before and after. "Justice for Junior" has become a rallying cry. The New York City Police Foundation announced it planned to set up a scholarship in his name. Guzman-Feliz had been part of the NYPD's Explorers program, a group for youths interested in a law enforcement career. The jury of 11 women and a man took only two days to decide the fates of the defendants Jonaiki Martinez Estrella, 25, Antonio Rodriguez Hernandez Santiago, 25, Jose Muniz, 23, Manuel Rivera, 19, and Elvin Garcia, 25. Antonio Santiago is seen here from this other angle. "If they continue the violence in the city, theyre going to get the same thing. But what the autopsy report meticulously documented was that Junior suffered minor physical injury, superficial wounds, no bigger than a lentil, except for a large wound to his neck. It was Mr. Suero who had sent them out on June 20, 2018, armed with machetes and knives, to search for members of Sunset to attack, the two cooperating witnesses said. The indicted are due back in court Oct. 25. Then hes dragged from the bodega and brutally stabbed by a swarm of attackers. THE BRONX As they rested their case in the Junior murder trial Friday, prosecutors turned to the medical examiner who performed the teens autopsy, offering graphic detail of the wound that killed the 15-year-old almost a year ago. They said their subsets, called Los Sures and Bad Boys, abided by a strict code of conduct. (Jefferson Siegel/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS). As one defense counsel said in his summation, the biggest obstacle in this case for defendants was not the facts, it was the anger and the desire for retribution., The video of the killing was released to social media only hours after Juniors death. Members of Los Sures took orders from a leader named Diego Suero, whom they called Santa Claus.. On June 20, members of both Bronx sets had spent much of the day hunting for their enemies, Mr. Alvarez said. Mr. Suero had warned his members to carry a weapon at all times and said if they saw a rival member to do whatever possible to hurt the Sunset member, Mr. Alvarez said. Five menSantiago Rodriguez, 24, Joniki Matinez, 24, Jose Muniz, 21, Danel Fernandez, 21, and Manuel Rivera, 18are currently on trial for the 2018 filmed murder. Dr. Rodriguez confirmed what was already revealed in her report: that Juniors cause of death was a stab wound to the neck that came from a knife 4 1/2 inches in depth cutting his jugular vein.. Diego Suero leaving the 48th Precinct in the Bronx. Juniors mother Leandra Guzman had to be escorted from the courtroom last week when she began screaming and shaking after viewing gruesome footage of her son being attacked by a group of alleged gangbangers. Then he starts running to St. Barnabas Hospital, just one block away. Video: EXCLUSIVE: Race faker Jessica Krug hailed Bronx bodega murder of 15-year-old Junior Guzman a 'revolutionary moment' because 'he wanted to be a cop' and mistakenly claimed he was . Some Work Things Are Optional. Last week, court officers had to restrain and remove a screaming Leandra Feliz as Judge Robert Neary blasted her as hysterical.. It is unclear what the jury decided on. All five defendants Antonio Santigo, Elvin Garcia, Manuel Rivera, Estrella and Muniz were members of the Trinitarios gang. This story has been shared 137,355 times. But Morgan Dolan, the lead prosecutor, countered that weapons like knives and machetes kill and the gang members went in knowing that.. There are nine others charged in Guzman's murder that are still awaiting trial. Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said each of the . was brutally jumped and stabbed to death. stop killing our brothersThe full story about 15-year old teen junior stabbed to death Justice for. Juniors friend, a Trinitario, had been attacked by a rival faction and allegedly turned to Junior for help. The attention this case brings to the heinous nature of gangs is important. Warning Graphic Video Below. That wound was inflicted by one defendant alone, Mr. Estrella. The OCME said Wednesday the teens death in the Belmont area of the Bronx was a stab wound to the neck, and classified the death as a homicide. Hes at home with his mother. Eight others are awaiting trial. But some of his friends were, and he had been hanging out with them at Adams Place recently. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. Junior suffered multiple wounds to his face, back, chest, legs and hands. In the video, we see the 15-year-old ask for the help from the worker of the Cruz and Chiky Grocery on E. 183rd St. in the Bronx. He gave a coded gang response when asked a question by a Trinitarios gang member driving by. Mr. Alvarez testified for the prosecution in return for a lenient sentence. Lesandro Guzman-Feliz, known as 'Junior,' was mistaken for another person in a murder earlier this week described as "among the most brutal crimes I've seen in my 36yr career," New York . Ultimately, he was slashed in the neck and died after running to a hospital three blocks away. Understanding Big Law: A Must-Read Guide To One Of The Most Challenging Workplaces In The World Is Now Available. A GRAPHIC VIEW OF HIS NECK! There, leaders passed around cellphone pictures of various Sunset members and asked the returning soldiers to identify the person they stabbed. It is unclear if Reyes is in witness protection or has also been released with other gangbanger-turned-witness Kevin Alvarez, 20. The knife made it from the right side to the left, hit the muscle, hit the (jugular) vein, went behind the throat, hit the tissue on the back side of the mouth, Dr. Rodriguez said. Nearly a year after Lesandro was killed, a jury found five of the men guilty of murder and related charges on Friday, capping five weeks of testimony that provided a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the Trinitarios, a highly organized and brutally violent Dominican gang. AP Bronx gangbangers were given the order to inflict "any kind of damage". The injured teen was seen stumbling inside the bodega before exiting and making a run for the hospital. The defense attorney for the man who allegedly dealt that throat cut took offense at that. Just 20 minutes later, Junior is pronounced dead as a result of a stab wound to the neck. The blood-soaked clothes worn by slain Bronx teen Lesandro Junior Guzman-Feliz as he was hacked at by a machete-wielding mob were displayed to jurors at the boys murder trial Thursday, prompting several spectators to burst into tears and his anguished father to exit the courtroom. Brown said Janari became the 38th juvenile murdered in gun violence in Chicago in the first seven months of 2020. One man, identified by prosecutors as Jose Tavarez, enters the bodega and spots Junior. But Mr. Alvarez testified that Lesandro clearly told the gang he wasnt Sunset. Police officials also have said Lesandro did not belong to a gang. Prosecutors rested their case today in the Junior murder trial, but not without a graphic and powerful finish. Carrion says the testimony that all of the other wounds were superficial and did not cause Juniors death may not help the defense as much as theyd like. Community member Elizabeth De Jesus likened the photo to a horror movie. When The Founder Of SCOTUSblog Calles It Quits, You Know Something Is UP: 5 is a tough crowd, 6 is a waste of time. Mr. Reyes testified that Lesandro responded by raising his hand and saying Que lo siete, which Mr. Reyes said signaled that the teenager was a Sunset member. Guzman-Felizs memory has also been honored through the renaming of a street and a summer camp at a state park, as well as prompting the Safe Haven Bodega program in the city. A dozen alleged gang members were indicted July 18, with five charged with first degree murder, which includes torture, for the June 20 death of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz and could face life in prison without parole. At least 10 people had been injured in June in a series of street battles. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. They're not gonna forget it. My client, age 18 (and nine months, as the prosecutor liked to remind jurors), had joined a dangerous gang, the Trinitarios, and without the benefit of his mother, left behind in the Dominican Republic, made some very poor decisions that will now land him in jail probably for the rest of his life. How Junior was killed follows a pattern of attacks by Trinitarios, a Dominican gang that was born in New York prisons. The teen wanted to be a police. The ADA's argument also included graphic autopsy photos including the slit on Junior's neck the medical examiner says killed him. Prior to deliberations starting, the judge told the jury they could deliberate over the five defendants on trial separately and return individual verdicts or wait to return the verdicts of all five at once. The murder of 15-year-old Guzman-Feliz, who was known as Junior, has captivated the community and public interest, partly because the brutal June 20 attack was caught on surveillance video. One made a gesture as if he were going to hit Lesandro and the teenager ran, the witnesses said. [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.]. Lesandro Guzman-Feliz, who went by the nickname Junior, was a member of the Police Department's Law Enforcement Explorers program before he was killed last year. It was very painful, Guzman told reporters in Spanish. New Yorkers flooded investigators with tips. LexisNexis Brief Analysis produces powerful, near-instant legal argumentation insights using the power of AI. Prosecutors showed jurors an autopsy photo showing the lethal wound to the neck of Lesandro Junior Guzman-Feliz. Surveillance video shows Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz being dragged out and then hacked to death by five men with machetes on June 20, 2018, in the Bronx. In opening statements, prosecutors described the teen's killing as a calculated and planned murder by the five suspects. Todays verdict fortifies the Bronx communitys stand against violence..