6/1/04:Testimony ended last week, and the trial's closing arguments are set to begin today.
5/9/2004: The trial of three young men (Michael Magidson, 23, and Jose Merel and Jason Cazares, both aged 24) who are accused of beating and strangling transgendered teenager Gwen Araujo (neé "Eddie," aka "Lida") to death began last month in Hayward. Another of the men involved in the October 3, 2002 murder, Jaron Nabors, aged 20, has received an 11-year manslaughter sentence in return for testifying against the other three. Nabors had also led law enforcement officials to the unmarked grave in which Gwen's body had been dumped. Last week, a judge ruled that the hate crime enhancement in the case will not be thrown out.
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