Two gang leaders convicted for 'Junior' Guzman-Feliz murder Students and staff from the Dr. Richard Izquierdo Health and Science Charter School gathered Friday to honor Lesandro "Junior" Guzman Feliz, who was tragically stabbed to death in 2018. 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. News and analysis from this company could be a game-changer for legal professionals working globally. Criminal defense attorney Chris Carrion has been observing the trial from the start. No one, not prosecutors or police, wanted to admit, that Junior had gang connections. Yesterday lawyers for four of the suspects accused of stabbing 15-year-old . Warning: Details of Fridays testimony are graphic in nature and may be disturbing to some. Junior gestures for someone to call 911. "See what happens with those killers," said Leandra Feliz. We will never sell or share your information without your consent. 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. In the beginning of the video, the teen is seen trying to hide behind the counter. Hundreds attended his funeral last summer. They hang out on a stoop close by, chatting and listening to hip-hop, according to Jason. Medical Examiner Reveals Findings in Machete Death of 15-Year-Old NYC We talked to police sources, family members and other witnesses. The dad struggled to make a living and Manuel struggled in school. How do you protect your children from predators? 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. The attention this case brings to the heinous nature of gangs is important. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Mr. Alvarez and Mr. Reyes described how their subsets of the Trinitarios terrorized rivals, including a Trinitarios splinter group called Sunset. The friend says they felt things were getting dicey and went inside. #JusticeForJunior New Footage Shows Bodega Worker Refused to Help Dying MORE: Justice for Junior Special: More than a Murder Some Work Things Are Optional. 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. 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. At Least Your Colleague Spat Wasnt This Bad: Some things we just dont share with the class. The defense attorney for the man who allegedly dealt that throat cut took offense at that. A teenager hunted down and dragged from a New York City bodega, then swarmed by attackers outside. Mr. Reyes said they falsely told the store owner that Lesandro had attacked his own grandmother. The ADA's argument also included graphic autopsy photos including the slit on Junior's neck the medical examiner says killed him. At the moment I saw his face, my eyes changed. Then he starts running to St. Barnabas Hospital, just one block away. Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz was brutally attacked and slashed to death in June 2018 in a case of mistaken identity. See our privacy policy. This Tool Can Help. Its 11:39. You can follow her on Twitter:@tonitamess. 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. I dont want to see it again. If they did not participate, the lawyers said, they would have been disciplined. He was then stabbed and hacked to death with machetes by several attackers after being mistakenly identified. Guzman-Feliz had been part of the NYPD's Explorers program, a group for youths interested in a law enforcement career. We've received your submission. Prosecutors introduced three clips of video. 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. This 15-year-old boy, moments before death, fought like hell to get away, said Dolan. Forsyth County prosecutors rested their case Tuesday morning. She described, in heartbreaking detail, how Guzman-Feliz looked up at her after the attack and motioned her to call 911. Henry also told of discovering a five-inch blade inside the passenger seat pocket of suspect Kevins Alvarezs 2003 gray Acura. ", Junior came to symbolize all of the young people who have lost their lives to brutal gang violence, said Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark. 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. Mr. Alvarez, Mr. Reyes and a third man went into the store and asked the owner and workers to let them take Lesandro. 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. New York Police Department . But it was Mr. Martinez Estrella who delivered the fatal blow when he shoved a large knife into the side of Lesandros neck, penetrating 4.5 inches and cutting his jugular vein, a medical examiner testified. Heres How To Get Yours Right. However, police have said the teens murder was a case of mistaken identity. It also made his story easier to use as a rallying cry to target gangs that attract and control vulnerable teens like Manuel. The cars briefly stop at this intersection, and then turn left in the direction of Juniors path. The night of the murder, my client, Manuel Rivera, wasnt carrying a machete; he wasnt a monster and he never intended to kill Junior. Five other people have been arrested and accused of involvement in the crime. 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. The mural outside of the bodega where Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz was attacked bears his birth and death dates: 2002 and 2018. Nine others charged in the killing are awaiting trial. 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. Celebrities react to tragic murder of 15-year-old in the Bronx Junior would go on to die outside of St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx. 'Justice for Junior': Slain teen memorialized by murals - AmNewYork Whether Junior was a gang member or not, didnt justify his death. All five defendants Antonio Santigo, Elvin Garcia, Manuel Rivera, Estrella and Muniz were members of the Trinitarios gang. Five gang members sentenced for killing a 15-year-old with a machete - CNN 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. The federal judiciary is getting more diverse. 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. The mural outside of the bodega where Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz was attacked bears his birth and death dates: 2002 and 2018. Members of the NYPD Junior league attend Lesandro Guzman-Feliz's funeral cerenomy at Our . 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. LexisNexis Brief Analysis produces powerful, near-instant legal argumentation insights using the power of AI. 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. Why do so many buy into a life that restricts their freedom, imposes beatings for disobeying gang rules, and calls for violence to others? The injured teen was seen stumbling inside the bodega before exiting and making a run for the hospital. The friend says he told Junior not to come over because it was late. 'Junior' Guzman-Feliz 'fought like hell' as machete-wielding gang Nothing can. In total, more than a dozen suspects have been arrested in connection to the killing. Add AI Research And Catching Up With Your Law School Buds To The Career Growth List -- See Also, Reach out just to catch up. 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. 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. Join Nancy Grace and a team of world-class experts for the online course Justice Nation: Crime Stops Here. Kevin Alvarez, third from left, and Elvin Garcia, both members of the Trinitarios gang, appearing before a judge in 2018. At around 11:30, Junior leaves, and two minutes later security cameras catch him on this corner passing near his home. They said their subsets, called Los Sures and Bad Boys, abided by a strict code of conduct. He felt cool. Junior and the bodega owner appear to have an exchange with Kevin Alvarez before Junior is grabbed and beaten on the ground. According to prosecutors, Jos Muniz first hacks Junior with a machete. . Go after Sunset, you know what you have to do, Suero reportedly told the men. Frederick Then was arrested in 2018 in connection with Lesandros death. The defense team asked Dr. Rodriguez if any of these additional wounds contributed to the teens death. Hes been charged with these crimes. Two of the clips. Just 20 minutes later, Junior is pronounced dead as a result of a stab wound to the neck. The jury, comprised of 11 women and one man, reached the verdict Friday after going into deliberations Thursday.