Junior came to symbolize all of the young people who have lost their lives to brutal gang violence, the Bronx district attorney, Darcel D. Clark, said. The men, traveling in four cars, spotted Lesandro, and one of them shouted a Trinitarios greeting at him: Sunset, Popo, then 1090, which was a password Los Sures used to identify Sunset members, Mr. Alvarez and Mr. Reyes said. The medical examiner testified she was a lumper a doctor who looks to combine injuries and conclude that they all might have contributed to death. 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. His English was poor. His history was whitewashed. Join Nancy Grace for her new online video series designed to help you protect what you love most your children. At least 10 other people have been maimed this summer in tit-for-tat attacks in the Bronx. Of those 38, five were under the age of 10. The friend says they felt things were getting dicey and went inside. "If they continue the violence in the city, theyre going to get the same thing. The teen wanted to be a police. The vicious murder in June of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz just blocks from his Bronx home drew outrage from across the city and beyond. Manuel enjoyed the Trinitarios parties, the hookah, the beads, the hand signs, the comradery, and fact that they had his back. #justiceforjunior #ripjunior ALL THAT MUST STOP . One man, identified by prosecutors as Jose Tavarez, enters the bodega and spots Junior. 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. Junior then comes back to the store bloodied. Add AI Research And Catching Up With Your Law School Buds To The Career Growth List -- See Also, Reach out just to catch up. After a weeks-long trial filled with emotional testimonies, chilling revelations and graphic photos, the jury reached a verdict in the Lesandro Junior Guzman-Feliz murder trial. However, police have said the teens murder was a case of mistaken identity. When the attackers walk in, the worker points out where Junior is hiding, and he gets dragged outof the store. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. The defense also tried to discredit Guzman-Feliz alleging he was in a gang photo a notion a detective who took the stand denied. He believed hed found a place to belong. Is that why Junior was targeted? A group of gang members armed with machetes and knives. Continuing coverage on the trial can be read here. 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. Putting four young men in jail for life for a murder they didnt intend (each was either running away, or nowhere near Junior when Estrella inflicted the fatal wound) should thrill no one. Diego Suero leaving the 48th Precinct in the Bronx. During Tuesdays closing arguments, Bronx assistant district attorney Morgan Dolan told the jury how Lesandro Guzman-Feliz valiantly avoided multiple attempted stabbings by a mob of men who had dragged him out of a bodega on June 20. At 11:35, a security camera films four cars driving slowly past the stoop where Juniors friend and some others were sitting. At the moment I saw his face, my eyes changed. Topics you care about, straight to your inbox. They probablywon't forget itfor the rest of their lives.. JOLIET, Ill. - A toddler accidentally shot himself in the head after he found an unsecured gun in a Joliet home Tuesday afternoon, according to police. But he acted with intent to harm. Mistaking him for a member of a rival set, the gang chased the boy, Lesandro Guzman-Feliz, for blocks in the Belmont section of the Bronx, prosecutors said. Man arrested for stealing fire department truck:, Coincidence prompted Powerball winner to buy ticket, Two women attacked from behind by group: NYPD, Moose on the Loose: Battle to become Yankees shortstop, Pop-up grocery store opens in Greenwich Village, Expert raises awareness about eating disorders, NY Rep. Dan Goldman talks House ethics probe into, What to know about teens and their mental health, Read Across America Day kicks off at NYC bookstore, Womens History Month: Highlighting women in medicine. Theyre believed to have targeted Guzman-Feliz because they believed he was affiliated with a rival gang responsible for shooting one of their members two days earlier. But the glee I saw in the eyes of spectators at the reading of straight convictions for Murder I was not founded. She described, in heartbreaking detail, how Guzman-Feliz looked up at her after the attack and motioned her to call 911. Just two days before Junior was killed, a 14-year-old was seriously injured in this attack. Mr. Sueros trial is expected to start soon. Last week, court officers had to restrain and remove a screaming Leandra Feliz as Judge Robert Neary blasted her as hysterical.. They are under investigation for failing to help. The store has not opened since last Wednesday when the incident took place. (Jefferson Siegel/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS). Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Guzman-Feliz had been part of the NYPD's Explorers program, a group for youths interested in a law enforcement career. I represented one of the Machete Monsters and I liked him. WNBC reported that the grisly images brought some of the jurors to tears. They said that the store did not show good moral character. There is also a petition being spread around demanding the store get its license revoked. The New York Post ran a front-page headline in bold caps,. . 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. New surveillance footage shows the moments before and after Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz was brutally jumped and stabbed to death. 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 boy's murder trial Thursday,. They also argued their clients were pretending to stab Lesandro because gang leaders were watching the assault. The murder of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz, known as Junior, drew outrage across New York City. We will never sell or share your information without your consent. A dozen people appeared in court facing charges related to the death of 15-year-old Lesandro Guzman-Feliz, who was killed in the Bronx. Frederick Then was arrested in 2018 in connection with Lesandros death. An 13th suspect has been confirmed arrested in Junior . Its horrific, defense attorney Kyle Watters said of his client, Estrella. Prosecutors introduced three clips of video. Because he resisted their efforts to stab him does not diminish their intent.. Lesandro, who had hidden behind the counter, pleaded with the men, saying he was not the person they were looking for. Kevin Alvarez, who pleaded guilty a weeks ago, took the stand to testify on behalf of the prosecution. 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. Eight others are awaiting trial. 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. Mr. Reyes said they falsely told the store owner that Lesandro had attacked his own grandmother. Reyes said the order implied: If you have a gun, shoot it, if you a have a knife, you stab, if you have a machete, you use it.. ALL 8 SUSPECTS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED #justiceforjunior #JUNIOR #ripjunior #JUSTICE4JUNIOR #justice #bronx. Instead, he said, he watched as other Trinitarios members dragged Junior outside and hacked him to death with machetes and knives. He felt cool. However, four defense attorneys contested this notion, describing during opening statements that most of Guzman-Feliz's wounds as superficial and said it was the one cut to the throat that killed him. Blood was splattered on the floor and counter of Cruz & Chiki Deli on Bathgate Ave and 183rd St., the store Junior was dragged from as he desperately sought refuge from his attackers, the detective said. I dont want to see it again. She replied that the wounds they spoke of were superficial and that the only wound that caused his death was the one 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. 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. 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. He only said that one word -- "water," she testified. They gathered outside of Mr. Sueros apartment building on Boston Road, where they smoked hookah and played music. Dixon's closing arguments also included the presentation of autopsy photos showing the wound to Guzman-Feliz's neck which reportedly killed him. GRAPHIC: CCTV and bystanders filming with their phones captured the gruesome Bronx bodega machete stabbing murder of Lesandro 'Junior' Guzman by Trinitarios gang members. Reyes told the jury he chased a frightened Junior inside the bodega and lied to the storekeeper that the teen had done something to my grandmother.. He was picked on and one time, beaten up so badly his ribs were broken. The cars then split up and appear to surround him. Theodore Parisienne for The New York Times. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. They carried weapons for two reasons for their own protection and to use them to hurt (not kill) a Sunset. She said she watched the attack from an apartment window and ran downstairs to try to help. On the night of June 20th , he was ordered by a leader nicknamed Psycho to find a Sunset (a rival gang member). However, all 12 alleged gang members were indicted on second degree murder, manslaughter, conspiracy, gang assault and criminal possession of a weapon. 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. Ultimately, he was slashed in the neck and died after running to a hospital three blocks away. The murder of Lesandro, who went by the nickname Junior, was well documented on videotape from security cameras and the cellphones of witnesses, providing prosecutors with hard proof to support their case. After Mr. Alvarez and Mr. Fernandez pulled the boy outside, the others attacked. Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz, 15, was dragged out of the Cruz and Chiky Grocery bodega at E. 183rd St. and Bathgate Ave in the Belmont neighborhood on Wednesday night. The injured teen was seen stumbling inside the bodega before exiting and making a run for the hospital. The teen reportedly bled to death steps from the emergency room. They hang out on a stoop close by, chatting and listening to hip-hop, according to Jason. On June 20, members of both Bronx sets had spent much of the day hunting for their enemies, Mr. Alvarez said. Five more gang members pleaded guilty in the brutal machete stabbing death of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz inside a Bronx bodega in 2018. Our investigation retraces Juniors last steps and uncovers new details that may answer why he was targeted. According to police, the drivers spot Junior and taunt him. Brown said Janari became the 38th juvenile murdered in gun violence in Chicago in the first seven months of 2020. The media ran with the narrative, promoted by the prosecution and the family of the deceased, that the 15-year-old was killed in a case of mistaken identification by gangbangers, viciously stabbed by all of them and killed, Caesar-like, from the cuts of many wounds. The mural outside of the bodega where Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz was attacked bears his birth and death dates: 2002 and 2018. Once that video was out, it took on a life of its own causing the defendants to lose the presumption of innocence and any chance for a fair trial (at least that close in time to the event itself under one year. I explained to her what happened and she told me that I had to come back and face my consequences, he said about confessing to his mom. Todays verdict fortifies the Bronx communitys stand against violence, "Today Junior's family, and in fact our entire city, has received a measure of justice," Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz said in a statement. One made a gesture as if he were going to hit Lesandro and the teenager ran, the witnesses said. Although this position was strenuously argued by defense counsel, the jury ignored it. Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz, 15, was slashed in the neck with a machete at a bodega in the Bronx on June 19, 2018. UPDATE! People visit murder site to mourn the death of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz in Bronx in New York, United States on June 27, 2018. . An order had come from Mr. Suero, he said: Go after Sunset you already know what you have to do., Mr. Reyes said he understood that to be an order to do any kind of damage. At about 10:30 p.m., the second-in-command of Los Sures, Frederick Then, 20, also known as Colita, told the men they were headed to the Little Italy section of the Bronx to search for their rivals. Both times the worker refuses to help the young teen. "I saw a smile on my mothers face really, really excited.". Just after the stabbing death of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman Feliz last June 20, members of the Trinitarios were examining a photo of gang . No one, not prosecutors or police, wanted to admit, that Junior had gang connections. We've received your submission. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. What is the derivation of this distorted quest for manhood and meaning? Last Friday, five men were convicted of murder in the first degree for the killing of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman Feliz in June 2018. . "See what happens with those killers," said Leandra Feliz. LexisNexis Brief Analysis produces powerful, near-instant legal argumentation insights using the power of AI. Goldberg hammered the medical examiner to get his point across that his client did not cause any physical injury to Junior, because a machete would have resulted in decapitation or mutilation. The murder was just as horrific. At Least Your Colleague Spat Wasnt This Bad: Some things we just dont share with the class. Their trial provided a glimpse inside the violent Trinitarios gang, whose members mistook 15-year-old Lesandro Junior Guzman-Feliz for a rival. 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. I didnt see the kid., 5 Convicted of Hacking Innocent Teenager Junior Guzman to Death, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/14/nyregion/lesandro-guzman-murder-trinitarios-verdict.html. "A bright, beloved, athletic, soon-to . Manuel Rivera is accused of repeatedly stabbing Junior. They're not gonna forget it. Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz was brutally attacked and slashed to death in June 2018 in a case of mistaken identity. He leaves and immediately three other men enter. Mr. Muniz rushed over wielding a machete while Mr. Garcia, Mr. Rivera and Mr. Rodriguez Hernandez Santiago stabbed at him with large knives, security camera video and other evidence showed. WNBC reported that the . ), It was shared millions of times on social media and in the general press. 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 where the teen is seen being dragged outside the bodega and attacked by a gang of five men who stabbed him with knives and hacked him with a machete as he struggled to defend himself. Then he walked toward Adams Place, where he sometimes met with friends. Following that, no amount of logic, analysis, or pleas for reason could convince jurors to set aside their emotions. Five other people have been arrested and accused of involvement in the crime. Todays verdict fortifies the Bronx communitys stand against violence., Lesandros mother, Leandra Feliz said, Im not going to have my son back, but those killers, those murderers, theyre not going to be outside killing another kid.. What Do Millennials Think Of Law Firm Life? The panel found all five guilty of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, second-degree conspiracy and second-degree gang assault. Its 11:37. She said the jugular wound caused him to lose a lot of blood, but blood rushed out more quickly because no one applied pressure and he ran to the hospital. But I understand why the People adopted the Junior-as-saint story. The New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner announced the cause of death for slain teen Lesandro Guzman-Feliz. New York Police Department . Parked outside the bodega are the cars that chased Junior. "Today's verdicts will not bring Junior back. 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. He gave a coded gang response when asked a question by a Trinitarios gang member driving by. 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. The attention this case brings to the heinous nature of gangs is important. Junior's parents were not in court, having been warned the images would be shown. 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. 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. Police have identified them as: Danel Fernandez, Kevin Alvarez, and Michael Sosa Reyes, who has not been charged in relation to Juniors killing. Passersby try to help. 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. But Reyes told the court that he couldnt follow through with Sueros order after looking Junior in the face. They face a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole on the murder conviction. Mr. Alvarez said he and other gang members tried to block Lesandro with their cars, but the teenager fled into the Cruz and Chiky Grocery, a bodega at East 183rd Street and Bathgate Avenue. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. The murder of Lesandro rattled the city, prompting outrage on social media and calls for justice from elected officials and celebrities, including the rapper Cardi B and the Yankees pitcher C.C. Meanwhile, the defense argued that testimony supports that the suspects didnt mean to kill Guzman-Feliz. Some Work Things Are Optional. In the beginning of the video, the teen is seen trying to hide behind the counter. You can follow her on Twitter:@tonitamess. 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Dr. Rodriguez said its possible if pressure was applied to the wound and Junior was brought to the hospital earlier, he could have survived. The worker again refuses to help. Alvarez, who testified last week as a cooperating witness, pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges in a deal with Bronx prosecutors and is expected to serve no prison time. The injured teen was seen stumbling inside the bodega before exiting and making a run for the hospital. Subscribe and get breaking news, commentary, and opinions on law firms, lawyers, law schools, lawsuits, judges, and more. Video footage was released on social media that showed the murder. Reyes, a member of the Bad Boys one of two Trinitarios subsets said gangbangers were gathered outside Sueros apartment, just one block from the slay-scene bodega at East 183rd Street and Bathgate Avenue, when they were instructed to hunt down members of the rival Sunset crew for recently shooting a Bad Boy member. Sofia Henry also testified Thursday, telling jurors about photos she took on the night of the incident. It is unclear what the jury decided on. Guzman-Feliz's death sparked outrage in the Bronx and beyond and spurred the allocation of $18 million toward gang prevention in the borough. Hes been charged with these crimes. 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. One of the Trinitarios, who turned cooperator and will now face no jail time, dragged Junior from the bodega where he was hiding and onto the street. If they did not participate, the lawyers said, they would have been disciplined. Toni Messina has tried over 100 cases and has been practicing criminal law and immigration since 1990. That isgonna stick with this jury for the rest of the weekend, he says. 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