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Former Classmate Testifies In Orlando Slaying Trial

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The Associated Press

Published: September 17, 2008

ORLANDO - A teenager on trial in the slaying of a classmate had said it would be "cool" to be a serial killer years before the slaying in a school bathroom, a former friend testified Tuesday.

In middle school, Michael Hernandez idolized villains from "Halloween" and "Friday the 13th" horror films, said Andre Martin, now an 18-year-old college freshman.

"He said it would be cool to be a serial killer one day," Martin said that Hernandez had told him in sixth grade, when the two boys were close friends.

Hernandez's behavior changed over the next few years at Southwood Middle School, he said.

Hernandez withdrew socially, obsessed about exercise and told Martin and Jaime Gough that he believed he was mentally ill.

"Michael diagnosed himself as schizophrenic and having obsessive compulsive disorder. He just told us he believed he had those two mental illnesses," he said.

Hernandez is charged with first-degree murder in Gough's death and with attempting to kill Martin.

His videotaped confession was played for the jury Monday.

On the tape, Hernandez, then 14, said he slashed Gough's throat and stabbed him after luring him into a bathroom stall on Feb. 3, 2004. He said he tried a day earlier to lure Martin to the bathroom to strangle and stab him.

Prosecutors have said Hernandez was executing a meticulously documented plan to kill Gough, Martin and Hernandez's own sister.

Defense attorney Richard Rosenbaum has argued that Hernandez was and is insane and not criminally responsible for the slaying.

Hernandez faces life in prison if convicted. His trial was moved from Miami because of extensive media coverage.

Martin testified that Hernandez had been an intelligent student with a variety of interests that included the Bible, cars, martial arts, video games and rap music. He said Hernandez had had a weight problem, but had girlfriends in seventh grade before suddenly becoming more introverted and serious by eighth grade.

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