Teens discuss prank that led to Trindade death

Closing arguments are expected this morning in the trial of two teenagers accused of manslaughter in the death of Roger Trindade, who was knocked unconscious with one punch on Park Avenue in 2016.

Several teenage witnesses took the stand Tuesday to describe what led up to the death of Roger, a Winter Park High School student who had immigrated to Central Florida from Brazil in January of 2016.

Two 16-year-olds, Jesse Sutherland and Simeon Hall, are charged as adults with manslaughter. Roger, who was 15, died two days after being punched. He suffered a brain hemorrhage caused by blunt force trauma, according to his autopsy.

The third teenager charged in the case, a 15-year-old who pleaded no contest to charges of tampering with a witness and battery in juvenile court, came to the Orange County Courthouse to testify from the juvenile facility where he is serving four months to one year.

The Orlando Sentinel is not naming the 15-year-old because he was charged as a minor.

He and the other teenagers who testified Tuesday described what started as an unprovoked prank: The 15-year-old and some friends were spraying people with a foulsmelling spray. They walked up to Roger and his friend Rodrigo Meirelles Vain-Vliet and sprayed Roger’s chest.

“First we were going to spray at an old couple but I didn’t want to spray that because that’s disrespectful,” said another teenager, George Barnikel. They did not know Roger and Meirelles VainVliet, but said they looked closer to their age group, George said.

Roger and Meirelles Vain-Vliet, who is now 19, got up and started walking after the teenagers, asking what they sprayed and why. The 15-year-old called a friend on Park Avenue, he said.

“I said two boys were following us,” the 15-year-old said. “I said, ‘I think they’re going to jump us, we’re down by the stage.’ ”

The 15-year-old said he was scared, though he and other teenagers present said that Roger and Meirelles Vain-Vliet were not running after them them.

The friend he called was with Jesse and Simeon, who got on their bicycles and were the first to arrive.

“I just wanted him to know where I was in case something did happen,” the 15-year-old said of the phone call.

Jesse was the first to arrive, and started bumping his chest against Meirelles Vain-Vliet and asking if he wanted to fight.

“I saw Jesse hit Roger, and Simeon hit Rodrigo,” the 15-year-old said. He described Simeon throwing the first punch: “I remember he punched Rodrigo in the face, and Rodrigo fell to the ground.”

Roger and Meirelles Vain-Vliet were both backing up when the punches started, he said. or threatening