The father of a New York teen who was murdered on camera last year abruptly left court Thursday after seeing his son’s bloody clothing were presented to the jury.
According to WPIX, an NYPD officer testified that Lesandro Guzman-Feliz’s clothes were so soaked with blood that they leaked through a brown paper evidence bag and had to be rebagged a day later. The officer then showed the courtroom two items of clothing—a white t-shirt and decorative sweatshirt—which he matched to surveillance footage shot outside of a bodega on the evening of the June 20 slaying.
It was reportedly at that bodega where a mob of men attacked and stabbed the teen. Surveillance cameras reportedly filmed the group of men chasing Guzman-Feliz, 15, into the bodega before dragging him onto the sidewalk and beating and mortally wounding him.
Prosecutors said a 4-and-a-half inch blade sliced the teen’s jugular vein during the assault. The teen reportedly fled the scene but bled to death near a hospital.
The 14 suspects are all reportedly members of the Sures set of the Trinitarios gang. The suspects allegedly targeted Guzman-Feliz because they believed he was affiliated with a rival gang responsible for shooting one of their members two days earlier. However, police have said the teen’s murder was a case of mistaken identity.
WPIX reported that the officer presented a t-shirt that was ripped open, which possibly occurred when hospital staff attempted to save Guzman-Feliz’s life.
The court also saw Guzman-Feliz’s underwear, gray shorts, and a single bloodied sock. The slain teen’s father, Lisandro Guzman, endured the graphic testimony but left while another witness was cross-examined about a knife recovered from an alleged getaway car, according to the news station.
“It was very painful,” Guzman told reporters outside of court, according to the New York Daily News. “I don’t want to see it again. It’s like my son was right here with me.”
The news station noted that the murder victim’s mother hasn’t been in court since last week when she had an emotional breakdown while viewing footage of her son’s death.
Five men are currently on trial for first-degree murder, manslaughter, conspiracy, gang assault, and weapons charges. The Daily News reported that the other nine suspects will be tried on lesser charges later this year.
[Featured image: Lesandro Guzman-Feliz/NYPD via AP, File]
