Junior and the bodega owner appear to have an exchange with Kevin Alvarez before Junior is grabbed and beaten on the ground. Recommended Stories Deadline. 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. (Obtained by New York Daily News ). 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. Henry said Junior had a large open wound on the right side of his neck when she saw his body in the morgue. 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. Had Junior not been stabbed in the neck during the last seconds of the attack, he would have likely walked home barely injured except for abrasions to his body caused by being dragged out of the store and punched. They probablywon't forget itfor the rest of their lives.. Mr. Alvarez and Mr. Reyes described how their subsets of the Trinitarios terrorized rivals, including a Trinitarios splinter group called Sunset. A teenager hunted down and dragged from a New York City bodega, then swarmed by attackers outside. 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. Five other people have been arrested and accused of involvement in the crime. 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. 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. 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 knife made it from the right side to left of Juniors neck, hit the muscle, hit the veinhit the tissue on the back side of the mouth," she said. But Morgan Dolan, the lead prosecutor, countered that weapons like knives and machetes kill and the gang members went in knowing that.. Yesterday lawyers for four of the suspects accused of stabbing 15-year-old . The teen wanted to be a police. We will never sell or share your information without your consent. Its horrific, defense attorney Kyle Watters said of his client, Estrella. The injured teen was seen stumbling inside the bodega before exiting and making a run for the hospital. 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. And on the night before Juniors murder, he had witnessed another stabbing at Adams Place. Hes at home with his mother. In opening statements, prosecutors described the teen's killing as a calculated and planned murder by the five suspects. What we do know is that for Junior like many teenagers growing up in gang-afflicted areas theres a fine line between hanging out on the streets and getting caught up in deadly violence. 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. Fourteen men have been criminally charged in connection with Guzman-Felizs slaying. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Wounds to his hands believed to be caused by a sharp object, possibly a knife, were considered to be defensive wounds where Junior put his hands up to protect his face. According to . 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. "If they continue the violence in the city, theyre going to get the same thing. That isgonna stick with this jury for the rest of the weekend, he says. Members of the Bronx sets also wanted revenge because a Sunset member had shot one of the Bad Boys in the face, Mr. Alvarez said. Prosecutors showed jurors an autopsy photo showing the lethal wound to the neck of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz. The first verdict was announced against Jonaiki Martinez Estrella, who delivered the fatal blow with a kitchen knife that ultimately killed Guzman a year ago next week. The mural outside of the bodega where Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz was attacked bears his birth and death dates: 2002 and 2018. The teen reportedly bled to death steps from the emergency room. They're not gonna forget it. 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 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. Some Work Things Are Optional. The attention this case brings to the heinous nature of gangs is important. Why do so many buy into a life that restricts their freedom, imposes beatings for disobeying gang rules, and calls for violence to others? Is that why Junior was targeted? 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. It led to a clearer morality tale. Then he starts running to St. Barnabas Hospital, just one block away. The panel found all five guilty of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, second-degree conspiracy and second-degree gang assault. Knitting, perhaps? Video footage was released on social media that showed the murder. Select from premium Lesandro of the highest quality. 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. MORE: Justice for Junior Special: More than a Murder WPIX reported that theyre charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, manslaughter, gang assault, and conspiracy. Whether Junior was a gang member or not, didnt justify his death. The referrals are a nice bonus too! Community member Elizabeth De Jesus likened the photo to a horror movie. One man, identified by prosecutors as Jose Tavarez, enters the bodega and spots Junior. The five men who viciously slashed a New York teenager to death with . Junior then walks out of the bodega. "Today's verdicts will not bring Junior back. Following that, no amount of logic, analysis, or pleas for reason could convince jurors to set aside their emotions. He believed hed found a place to belong. But the glee I saw in the eyes of spectators at the reading of straight convictions for Murder I was not founded. News and analysis from this company could be a game-changer for legal professionals working globally. 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? This Aint One Of Them: Get to figuring your way around AI sooner rather than later. ALL 8 SUSPECTS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED #justiceforjunior #JUNIOR #ripjunior #JUSTICE4JUNIOR #justice #bronx. 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. At around 11:30, Junior leaves, and two minutes later security cameras catch him on this corner passing near his home. They pursued him in cars, mistaking the aspiring NYPD detective for a gangbanger because he supposedly resembled a known one. Guzman-Feliz's mother, Leandra Feliz, wept and screamed at times during the emotional trial.. ", If you have a gun, you shoot, he testified. When Junior ran, the group gave chase. ", Junior came to symbolize all of the young people who have lost their lives to brutal gang violence, said Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark. If convicted, they face life in prison. Juniors friend, a Trinitario, had been attacked by a rival faction and allegedly turned to Junior for help. Just after the stabbing death of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman Feliz last June 20, members of the Trinitarios were examining a photo of gang . 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 . Dr. Rodriguez also said it was possible Junior may have survived if brought to the hospital sooner. Mr. Reyes said the conflict started when two Sunset members joined the Bad Boys, angering a Sunset member who had gone to prison for a crime the two members had committed. She said it cut the bone that protects the spinal cord and left an exit wound on the other side of his neck. The second day of trial in the killing of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz was emotional and filled with graphic video and photos. Richard Harbus "A Bronx jury found the two leaders guilty for their role in the murder, closing another chapter of. was brutally jumped and stabbed to death. 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 vicious murder in June of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz just blocks from his Bronx home drew outrage from across the city and beyond. 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. 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. "Justice for Junior" has become a rallying cry. His English was poor. UPDATE! That night, Lesandro had left his home on Bathgate Avenue to lend a friend $5, his mother had said during an interview last year. She detailed the fatal path of the knife through the teens neck, which left a gaping hole on one side and a puncture wound on the other. 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. But I understand why the People adopted the Junior-as-saint story. Manuel enjoyed the Trinitarios parties, the hookah, the beads, the hand signs, the comradery, and fact that they had his back. In a photo obtained by The Post, a smiling Lesandro Guzman-Feliz, 15, wears an NYPD Explorers jacket proudly as he looks at the camera. Subscribe and get breaking news, commentary, and opinions on law firms, lawyers, law schools, lawsuits, judges, and more. They also argued their clients were pretending to stab Lesandro because gang leaders were watching the assault. AP Bronx gangbangers were given the order to inflict "any kind of damage". The 2-year-old boy was shot around 12:16 p.m . Yes, he put the knife through his neck. They attempted to cast blame on Mr. Martinez Estrella for Lesandros death. Lesandro, who had hidden behind the counter, pleaded with the men, saying he was not the person they were looking for. Mr. Martinez Estrella, a probationary member, boasted to the others that Lesandro would not eat for a very long time because I hit him in the neck, Mr. Reyes testified. He was picked on and one time, beaten up so badly his ribs were broken. 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. Seeing his sons clothing proved too much to bear for Juniors father, Lesandro Guzman, who left the courtroom shortly after Oikawas testimony. But the owner appears to direct him away. All five defendants were found guilty of murder in first and second degree, as well as conspiracy and gang assault charges. But these verdicts will send a messageto those who would commitacts of senseless violenc, and help us move forward and bring closure to this awful chapter in our borough's history.". 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. 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. Prosecutors previously said the teen succumbed to a neck wound caused by a 4-and-a-half inch knife that severed his jugular vein. Just 20 minutes later, Junior is pronounced dead as a result of a stab wound to the neck. Closing arguments proved to be just as emotional, as some jury members shed tears. READ: #JusticeForJunior: A Group of Men Fatally Stabbed Bronx Teen With Machete. After the attack, the gang returned to Mr. Sueros home on Boston Road, Mr. Alvarez and Mr. Reyes said. Mere days after the trial kicked off startling never-before-seen footage of the savage machete attack was presented by prosecutors. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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.. Junior rushes into this bodega just one block from his home. 2023 Breaking Media, Inc. All rights reserved. During the cops testimony, a white t-shirt completely saturated in the boys blood as well as blood-soaked boxers, a sock, and a blue zip-up sweatshirt designed with stars and stripes were shown to jurors. LexisNexis Brief Analysis produces powerful, near-instant legal argumentation insights using the power of AI. 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. Ultimately, he was slashed in the neck and died after running to a hospital three blocks away. 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. The incident revealed the barbaric tactics of a gang called the Trinitarios, and it laid bare a glaring paradox: Amid historically low crime rates in New York, police are still struggling to contain brutal violence in some neighborhoods. 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. After the verdict, Mr. Muniz showed no remorse and shouted, Popote, hasta la muerte! slang for Trinitarios until death.. Add AI Research And Catching Up With Your Law School Buds To The Career Growth List -- See Also, Reach out just to catch up. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Instead of turning to police, he turned to the Trinitarios, who like him, shared a Dominican heritage. His history was whitewashed. Five gangbangers are on trial for the murder of the 15-year-old in the tragic case of mistaken identity. He felt cool. Junior M&A Associate (1-3PQE, English-speaking role), Senior Projects/Projects Finance Lawyer (Korean,5+ PQE), Legal Knowledge Management To Drive Dealmaking, The Global Legal News You Need, When You Need It. It made the tragedy of his killing that much worse and convictions that much more guaranteed. dragged him from the store and stabbed him to death. 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. The defense also tried to discredit Guzman-Feliz alleging he was in a gang photo a notion a detective who took the stand denied. ), It was shared millions of times on social media and in the general press. We obtained footage from multiple security cameras and cellphones. You can follow her on Twitter:@tonitamess. Stuck Drafting A Tough Brief? Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Nine others charged in the killing are awaiting trial. 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. He only said that one word -- "water," she testified. Nine other suspects are expected to stand trial on lesser charges in connection to the boys death later his year. Prosecutors introduced three clips of video. 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. Brown said Janari became the 38th juvenile murdered in gun violence in Chicago in the first seven months of 2020. Kevin Alvarez, who pleaded guilty a weeks ago, took the stand to testify on behalf of the prosecution. The boy was slashed in the neck and died after running to a hospital three blocks away. 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. At Least Your Colleague Spat Wasnt This Bad: Some things we just dont share with the class. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Two of the clips. Find Lesandro stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. 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. [Featured Image: Lesandro Junior Guzman-Feliz/Facebook], 6-Year-Old Girl, 2 Adults Critically Wounded by Gunmen Looking for the Little Girls Father, Juror: Alex Murdaugh Convinces Himself of His Own Lies, Detroit Man Charged With Killing Friends Tot Daughter, Lesandro Guzman-Feliz valiantly avoided multiple attempted stabbings. Dixon's closing arguments also included the presentation of autopsy photos showing the wound to Guzman-Feliz's neck which reportedly killed him. Closing arguments continue in the murder trial of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz. A post shared by Robert Williams (@areumdawo_saja), Jury Finds All Five Defendants Guilty Of Murdering Bronx Teen Junior Guzman-Feliz, New Owners Of Bodega Where Junior Was Killed Want To Rename Store After Slain Teen, Bronx Street Renamed To Honor Slain Teen Junior, Bronx Bodega Where Teen Junior Was Attacked Reopens Temporarily, Legendary Jazz Saxophonist Wayne Shorter Has Died, White Student At Howard University Law School Sues for $2 Million Over Racial Discrimination, R. Kelly Sentenced to 20 Years For Child Sex Crimes, Family of Malcolm X Files $100 Million Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against NYPD & Others. No one, not prosecutors or police, wanted to admit, that Junior had gang connections. Guzman-Feliz had been part of the NYPD's Explorers program, a group for youths interested in a law enforcement career. Investigators say the group mistook Guzman-Feliz, who was not affiliated with any gang, for a member of the rival fraction of the Trinitarios gang. The desperate teenager tried to hide inside of a bodega, but the gang members dragged him from the store and stabbed him to death as security cameras recorded the gruesome scene. What Do Millennials Think Of Law Firm Life? Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz was murdered outside of a Bronx deli in 2019. 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. That wound was inflicted by one defendant alone, Mr. Estrella. Mr. Alvarez testified that Lesandro was not in the photos. Its 11:39. Mr. Sueros trial is expected to start soon. They are under investigation for failing to help. 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. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. It was a lawyers argument (as the judges law clerk put it) intellectual, nitpicky not visceral. The New York Post ran a front-page headline in bold caps, MACHETE MONSTERS GUILTY.. It brought cries for vengeance couched in the Justice for Junior slogan. 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 night before Lesandro was killed, a large fight had erupted between the gangs, he said. 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. Is Your Firm Keeping Pace With The Advancements In eDiscovery? What is the derivation of this distorted quest for manhood and meaning? At least 10 people had been injured in June in a series of street battles. Frederick Then was arrested in 2018 in connection with Lesandros death. Crime Scene Unit Det. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. An 13th suspect has been confirmed arrested in Junior . However, all 12 alleged gang members were indicted on second degree murder, manslaughter, conspiracy, gang assault and criminal possession of a weapon. What could be put in place in their neighborhoods to substitute the pull of the gang? 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.