Last Friday, five men were convicted of murder in the first degree for the killing of Lesandro Junior Guzman Feliz in June 2018. ", "It was a terrible year, it felt like 10 years. At around 11:30, Junior leaves, and two minutes later security cameras catch him on this corner passing near his home. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. (No one claims responsibility.) UPDATE! Subscribe and get breaking news, commentary, and opinions on law firms, lawyers, law schools, lawsuits, judges, and more. 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. Only someone in the gang would know the response. After the attack, the gang returned to Mr. Sueros home on Boston Road, Mr. Alvarez and Mr. Reyes said. Junior gestures for someone to call 911. But its too late. 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 was walking toward Adams Place, a small street about five minutes away thats known for gang activity. We dont know. The mural outside of the bodega where Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz was attacked bears his birth and death dates: 2002 and 2018. This 15-year-old boy, in the moments before his death, fought and fought like hell, Dolan said, according to the New York Daily News. Some Work Things Are Optional. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Why do so many buy into a life that restricts their freedom, imposes beatings for disobeying gang rules, and calls for violence to others? At 11:35, a security camera films four cars driving slowly past the stoop where Juniors friend and some others were sitting. The boy was slashed in the neck and died after running to a hospital three blocks away. "See what happens with those killers," said Leandra Feliz. All 14 suspects are reportedly members of the Sures set of the Trinitarios gang. One made a gesture as if he were going to hit Lesandro and the teenager ran, the witnesses said. 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. Because he resisted their efforts to stab him does not diminish their intent.. "This 15-year-old boy, moments before death, fought like . 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. A string of shootings across Chicago Wednesday left at least 10 people shot, and, according to police, at least half of those who suffered gunshot wounds were under the age of 16. 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. The friend says they felt things were getting dicey and went inside. At the foot of the location I noticed a lot of blood, and people frantically screaming," Officer Oiwaka said about arriving at the entrance to St. Barnabas Hospital in Belmont, where Junior bleeding profusely from his wounds had collapsed in a frantic attempt to get help. Mr. Sueros trial is expected to start soon. The men punched and kicked Lesandro before dragging him out. 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. 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. Does An In Depth Analysis Predicting SCOTUS Decisions Help You Wind Down? The case grabbed the attention of New Yorkers and across the nation, given that the brutal machete killing of the 15-year-old boy that took place inside a Bronx bodega in the summer of 2018 was captured on surveillance. The teen reportedly bled to death steps from the emergency room. We talked to police sources, family members and other witnesses. Mere days after the trial kicked off startling never-before-seen footage of the savage machete attack was presented by prosecutors. Except thats not what happened. As Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said in a press conference following the verdict, Junior came to symbolize all of the young people who have lost their lives to brutal gang violence. 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. The ADA's argument also included graphic autopsy photos including the slit on Junior's neck the medical examiner says killed him. This 15-year-old boy, moments before death, fought like hell to get away, said Dolan. In the beginning of the video, the teen is seen trying to hide behind the counter. The dad struggled to make a living and Manuel struggled in school. Manuel enjoyed the Trinitarios parties, the hookah, the beads, the hand signs, the comradery, and fact that they had his back. Nine others charged in the killing are awaiting trial. 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. However, police have said the teens murder was a case of mistaken identity. In the video, we see the 15 . The worker again refuses to help. (L-R) Leandra Feliz and Lesandro Guzman, the mother and father of Lesandro (Junior) Guzman-Feliz, leave Bronx Supreme Court after the arraignments of 12 alleged Trinitarios gang members in July 2018. Warning Graphic Video Below. Lesandro had bruising, scratches and small puncture wounds on his body, according to autopsy photos. Meanwhile, the defense argued that testimony supports that the suspects didnt mean to kill Guzman-Feliz. Prosecutors rested their case today in the Junior murder trial, but not without a graphic and powerful finish. They probablywon't forget itfor the rest of their lives.. 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. Junior stumbles back into the bodega, leaving a trail of blood on the floor. Sofia Henry also testified Thursday, telling jurors about photos she took on the night of the incident. 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. Its Wednesday, June 20. They said their subsets, called Los Sures and Bad Boys, abided by a strict code of conduct. : Enjoy. dragged him from the store and stabbed him to death. Sabathia. However, all 12 alleged gang members were indicted on second degree murder, manslaughter, conspiracy, gang assault and criminal possession of a weapon. 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. Although this position was strenuously argued by defense counsel, the jury ignored it. They pursued him in cars, mistaking the aspiring NYPD detective for a gangbanger because he supposedly resembled a known one. She has not been back to court since. When the attackers walk in, the worker points out where Junior is hiding, and he gets dragged outof the store. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Join Nancy Grace for her new online video series designed to help you protect what you love most your children. Hes been charged with these crimes. How Junior was killed follows a pattern of attacks by Trinitarios, a Dominican gang that was born in New York prisons. Topics you care about, straight to your inbox. Mr. Alvarez testified that Lesandro was not in the photos. Then hes dragged from the bodega and brutally stabbed by a swarm of attackers. 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. Warning: Details of Fridays testimony are graphic in nature and may be disturbing to some. Heres How To Get Yours Right. Antonio Santiago is seen here from this other angle. Guzman-Feliz had been part of the NYPD's Explorers program, a group for youths interested in a law enforcement career. He only said that one word -- "water," she testified. 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. Whether Junior was a gang member or not, didnt justify his death. 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Junior rushes into this bodega just one block from his home. A bottle of hate had been uncorked and there was no way to close it. An 13th suspect has been confirmed arrested in Junior . 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. Junior is on summer break from school. "I saw a smile on my mothers face really, really excited.". Junior and the bodega owner appear to have an exchange with Kevin Alvarez before Junior is grabbed and beaten on the ground. "Today's verdicts will not bring Junior back. The New York City Police Foundation announced it planned to set up a scholarship in his name. The second day of trial in the killing of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz was emotional and filled with graphic video and photos. 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. Henry also told of discovering a five-inch blade inside the passenger seat pocket of suspect Kevins Alvarezs 2003 gray Acura. A New York prosecutor detailed how hard a 15-year-old tried to fight off a group of accused gang members as they allegedly stabbed him to death in front of a bodega last summer. ", Junior came to symbolize all of the young people who have lost their lives to brutal gang violence, said Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark. Also consider other hobbies. The New York Post ran a front-page headline in bold caps, MACHETE MONSTERS GUILTY.. Dixon's closing arguments also included the presentation of autopsy photos showing the wound to Guzman-Feliz's neck which reportedly killed him. Privacy Center | Go after Sunset, you know what you have to do, Suero reportedly told the men. 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. "A bright, beloved, athletic, soon-to . The murder of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz, known as Junior, drew outrage across New York City. On the night of Juniors murder, Trinitarios were driving around looking for Sunset members when they spotted the 15-year-old walking. LexisNexis Brief Analysis produces powerful, near-instant legal argumentation insights using the power of AI. Frederick Then was arrested in 2018 in connection with Lesandros death. That wound was inflicted by one defendant alone, Mr. Estrella. The only injury that caused Juniors death was clearly the neck wound. I saw he was scared, and he reminded me of a person that I had seen before, Reyes said, adding he felt very bad about the murder. Members of Los Sures took orders from a leader named Diego Suero, whom they called Santa Claus.. 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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. The teen reportedly bled to death steps from the emergency room. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. It is unclear if Reyes is in witness protection or has also been released with other gangbanger-turned-witness Kevin Alvarez, 20. 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. Mr. Alvarez, Mr. Reyes and a third man went into the store and asked the owner and workers to let them take Lesandro. WPIX reported that theyre charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, manslaughter, gang assault, and conspiracy. They face a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole on the murder conviction. 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. Juniors parents, Leandra Feliz and Lisandro Guzman, were not present in the courtroom during the medical examiners testimony. 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 vicious murder in June of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz just blocks from his Bronx home drew outrage from across the city and beyond. Junior's parents were not in court, having been warned the images would be shown. 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. I dont want to see it again. 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. The 15-year-old had already been pronounced dead inside the hospital, Officer Oikawa would later learn. That isgonna stick with this jury for the rest of the weekend, he says. I represented one of the Machete Monsters and I liked him. The jury, comprised of 11 women and one man, reached the verdict Friday after going into deliberations Thursday. This story has been shared 137,355 times. Only by addressing these issues might other young men like Junior not be killed, and still others like four of the five defendants in this case, not be condemned to life in prison for the actions of a few seconds done by a fellow gang member which they never intended. The 2-year-old boy was shot around 12:16 p.m . Five men approached, including Manuel, weapons in hand. 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. 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.
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