Aaron Hernandez-Odin Lloyd Case: Latest Trial Details, Witnesses and More

Tyler ConwayDec 1, 2014

Aaron Hernandez was found guilty in the murder trial for the death of Odin Lloyd, a conviction that will see the former Patriots tight end carry out a life sentence in prison without the possibility of parole.

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Hernandez Found Guilty In Odin Lloyd's Death

Wednesday, April 15

Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports reported that the jury has convicted Hernandez of first-degree murder, which carries an automatic sentence of life in prison without parole.

TV Crew Present at Parking Lot for Jury Members

Thursday, April 9

Steele noted that the jury would be released without a verdict being reached, adding the following request from the judge:

Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports reported earlier Thursday on the latest development in the Hernandez trial, as a TV crew violated local law with its actions around members of the jury:

"
"It was one person in the vehicle; it was in the parking lot," Garsh explained later of a van she identified as belonging to WHDH-TV, the NBC affiliate in Boston. "It slowed down as jurors were pulling out. It was looking at the jurors [in a way] the jurors deemed inappropriate."
Jurors park or get dropped off at a parking lot away from the Fall River Justice Center and then are transported to the courthouse in a van. It is an effort to protect them from outside influences whether it's the media, families on either side of the trial or the general public following the case. ...
Garsh said that depending on how the jurors reacted, it could have caused either or both of them to be excused from the jury. The current jury of seven women and five men also has three alternates. Losing two jurors could have left this lengthy case that stretched across 10 weeks, with enormous resources devoted to it, in jeopardy of a mistrial. ...
Garsh questioned WHDH reporter Bryon Barnett, who was in court Thursday morning but was not in the van at the time of the incident. She instructed him to find out what happened and explain it to her later. She threatened to ban WHDH from covering the trial going forward.
"This is a very serious matter," Garsh said. "So I'll give you the opportunity to do some investigation."
"

Bob McGovern of the Boston Herald reported more details from the courtroom following the news:

Hernandez Final Jury, Alternates Set

Tuesday, April 7

Steele reported that the jury has been set, bringing the final 12 to seven men and five women. Steele also broke down the unique way in which the alternates were selected:

Peter Wilson of CBSBoston.com confirmed that jurors are done for the day and that "deliberations will continue tomorrow."

Takeaways From Hernandez Prosecutor's Closing Arguments

Tuesday, April 7

Steele broke down the prosecution's closing remarks:

The prosecutor also discussed the witnesses and ultimately laid blame squarely at Hernandez's feet:

Takeaways From Hernandez's Defense Closing Arguments

Tuesday, April 7

Steele reported some of the most important moments from Hernandez's defense's closing arguments:

The Associated Press (via ESPN.com) reported that the defense did admit that Hernandez witnessed the murder:

"
A lawyer for former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez acknowledged Tuesday for the first time that his client was at the scene of a killing and saw it happen, but he described Hernandez to jurors as a kid who simply did not know what to do.
He urged them to find Hernandez not guilty of murder.
"Did he make all the right decisions? No," lawyer James Sultan said during his closing arguments. "He was a 23-year-old kid who witnessed a shocking killing, committed by someone he knew. He didn't know what to do, so he just put one foot in front of the other.
"

Steele also broke down how the defense attorney cast doubt on the prosecutor's case:

Hernandez Closing Remarks Expected to End Midday Tuesday

Tuesday, April 7

Steele reported that the closing arguments are expected to be completed by midday Tuesday.

Hernandez's defense rested its case on April 6, The Associated Press confirmed, via CBSNews.com. Steele captured the judge's statement to the jurors:

According to Monday's AP report, closing arguments are expected Tuesday or Wednesday.

Steele reported earlier in the day that Hernandez's defense had rested. However, she later noted that a psychiatrist countered a defense witness, stating, "There was a belief that (PCP) induced violence...our review showed that assumption was false."

Steele called the situation a "surprise" and added, "Prosecution calling a witness after the fact -- a psychiatrist -- maybe we'll hear about Hernandez & motive?"

Earlier Monday, Steele noted that the "last witness in the Hernandez trial works for same DNA testing company used by OJ defense team." She added further details on Hernandez's defense:

Jurors Could Start Deliberating Wednesday

Monday, April 6

"Prosecutors in the murder trial of the former New England Patriots star called 131 witnesses over nine weeks before resting on Thursday. Defense attorneys, by contrast, have indicated they will need just one day to present their case," noted Travis Andersen of The Boston Globe. "Jurors could start deliberating Wednesday."

Steele reported that when the jury does start to deliberate, it won't be considering a charge of manslaughter against Hernandez but that it could convict him for first- or second-degree murder.

Steele later broke down the length of the prosecution and defense during the trial.

Steele reported that the defense will consist of three witnesses, who are DNA and drug experts.

On April 2, Steele reported that Hernandez's defense team was likely to call just one witness, a DNA expert, and will rest on Monday.

Michael McCann of Sports Illustrated weighed in on what that might mean:

However, Steele noted that Hernandez's lawyer was going to request to add another witness, who is a PCP expert.

The request stemmed from the March 24 testimony of Hernandez's cousin, who claimed that co-defendants Carlos Ortiz and Ernest Wallace were high on PCP the night of the murder, according to Boston.com:

"
Mercado testified Ortiz and Wallace would act crazy, erratic, and jittery, and would sweat profusely when they used the drug. She also said Ortiz would use a towel to wipe the sweat from his face when high.
Mercado said the two showed those signs when they left her home in Bristol, Connecticut, for North Attleborough [Massachusetts] on June 16, 2013. She said Wallace regularly stayed at her house in Bristol. Lloyd’s body was found the next day in a North Attleborough industrial park, along with a white towel Ortiz was allegedly seen wearing the night of the killing.
"

The defense tried to use this witness initially, but the prosecution asked the judge back in January for an exclusion, according to Jenny Wilson of the Hartford Courant.

According to Wilson, court papers noted:

"
Mass. Assistant District Attorney William McCauley accused Hernandez's defense team of using expert testimony from Dr. David Greenblatt "for the purpose of urging the jury to conclude that either Wallace or Ortiz, and not the defendant, killed Lloyd in a PCP-induced assaultive state."
"

Prosecution Rests Its Case Against Hernandez

Thursday, April 2

Steele reported that the prosecution rested its case against Hernandez on Thursday. Steele provided details on a motion filed by the defense:

ProFootballTalk provided more details on the motion:

Breernoted there would be no court session Friday and that Judge E. Susan Garsh expects the case to go to the jury "at some time next week." Garsh also urged the members of the jury to avoid discussion of the case over the weekend.

Medical Examiner Describes Lloyd's Wounds

Thursday, April 2

Bob McGovern of the Boston Herald reported testimony from Dr. William Zane of the Chief Medical Examiner's Office, who discussed the injuries to Lloyd:

"
"They were injuries caused by firearms," Zane said.
In total Lloyd was found to have suffered six gunshot wounds, Zane said. Prosecutors say Hernandez and his co-defendants, Ernest Wallace and Carlos Ortiz, drove Lloyd to a North Attleboro industrial park and executed him.
Zane pointed out where he saw gunshot wounds: the lower chest, below the collar bone, the upper back, and in Lloyd’s right forearm.
"

Ex-Friend Claims Hernandez Thought Helicopters Followed Him

Wednesday, April 1

"A man who sued Aaron Hernandez over being shot in the face in Florida testified Wednesday in the former New England Patriots player's murder trial that Hernandez thought he was being followed by helicopters and that he was paranoid about his conversations being recorded," Amy Anthony of The Associated Press previously reported.

Anthony added further details: "But the judge ruled that Alexander Bradley, whose face is disfigured because of the shooting, could not testify before a jury about that. Instead, Bradley was allowed to tell jurors about how Hernandez had said he had a difficult time trusting people, including his friends."

Hernandez's Case May Be Finished Next Week

Tuesday, March 31

According to The Associated Press, lawyers involved in the trial expect the case to be wrapped up next week.

Takeaways from Robert Kraft's Testimony

Tuesday, March 31

Melissa Randall of ABC 6 in Boston reported on the start of the Patriots owner's testimony:

Wetzel reported that Hernandez told Kraft his alibi, which has since been disproved:

Wetzel also noted the defense's tactic in putting Kraft on the stand:

Jane McManus of ESPN and Judy Battista of NFL.com reported on the meeting between Kraft and Hernandez:

McCann reported that Kraft didn't know much about Hernandez's personal life outside of football. McCann also provided more of Kraft's testimony:

Wetzel noted that the Patriots' lawyers were leaving after Kraft's and the team's security chief's testimonies, meaning head coach Bill Belichick would not be called that day:

Takeaways fom Hernandez's Fiancee's Appearance

Monday, March 30

Steele provided a synopsis of what Shayanna Jenkins had to say regarding the gun and mystery box:

On March 27, Steele provided a summary of Jenkins' court appearance:

On Thursday, Michelle R. Smith of The Associated Press reported that Jenkins would be called to testify (via Yahoo Sports):

"
Two people with knowledge of the matter confirmed to The Associated Press on Thursday that Shayanna Jenkins would be called. They spoke on condition of anonymity because of a gag order.
Jenkins has been granted immunity, which means she can be compelled to testify or face time behind bars. There had been a question over whether prosecutors would call her. ...
Prosecutors have said Jenkins removed a box from their home that they believe contained the murder weapon.
"

Hernandez Trial Evacuated Due to Bomb Threat

Thursday, March 26

Steele reported that the building housing the Hernandez trial was evacuated due to a bomb threat. Steele later reported, "Looks like courthouse has the all-clear after bomb threat- employees being let into building. Hernandez trial supposed to go til 4p today."

Certain Hernandez Jail Convos Can be Used as Evidence, FBI Witness Gives Positive Hernandez Testimony

Thursday, March 26

Steele revealed details from Thursday's trial:

Prosecution to Rest Case Against Hernandez in Around a Week

Wednesday, March 25

Smith reported the judge overseeing Aaron Hernandez's murder trial says the prosecution is about a week away from resting its case.

Hernandez's Former Patriots and Florida Teammates on Witness List

Wednesday, March 18

Lisa Kraus Edwards of Fountainhead Production, LLC reported seven members of the Patriots and Hernandez's former Florida teammates Mike Pouncey and Brandon Spikes are on the witness list.

She also revealed the defense has motioned to block this jailhouse conversation between Pouncey and Hernandez:

Prosecutors Have Motion to Tell Jury About Florida Shooting Denied

Tuesday, March 3

Wetzel reported that the prosecution's motion to admit a previous alleged shooting by Hernandez has been denied.

On March 3, The Associated Press (via NFL.com) reported that Hernandez's prosecutors have requested permission to inform jurors about the tight end's involvement in a shooting in Florida:

"
Prosecutors in the murder trial of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez asked the judge Monday to let them tell jurors about his involvement in a friend's shooting in Florida, saying it contradicts the argument his defense team has presented: He would not shoot a friend.
Superior Court Judge Susan Garsh ruled in December prosecutors could not introduce evidence about the February 2013 shooting of Alexander Bradley during Hernandez's murder trial. Hernandez is charged with killing Odin Lloyd, who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancee, in June 2013 in an industrial park near Hernandez's home.
In papers filed Monday, prosecutors argued the judge should reconsider. They wrote that Hernandez's defense team was intentionally distorting the facts and had introduced "a falsehood" to the jury. They said Hernandez's defense had opened the door to evidence about Bradley's shooting by repeatedly saying Hernandez couldn't have killed Lloyd because they were friends.
"

Texts Missing From Hernandez's Phone

Friday, Feb. 27

The Associated Press, via ESPN, reported that " A phone company official testifying in Aaron Hernandez's murder trial says several text messages the former NFL player exchanged with a co-defendant before the killing are missing from his phone."

It's also reported that hours before the killing Hernandez sent "several texts pushing Wallace to come see him" and that "On June 11, Hernandez asks Wallace whether he removed everything from a car, including a clip. The following day, he says he needs "those keys" and things are "crazy. A few hours later, he tells Wallace he wanted to kill him."

A Sprint official testified that text messages were missing from the record.

Hernandez Allegedly Smoked Marijuana Night of Lloyd's Death

Thursday, Feb. 26

ESPN.com news services reported on the latest testimony in Hernandez's trial, regarding the former Patriots tight end's behavior leading up to Lloyd's death:

"
A witness in the murder trial of former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez has testified that she saw him smoking marijuana outside a bar hours before the killing.
(...)
Kelly Rose Belanger testified Thursday that Hernandez was with a group of people at the bar she managed on the night of June 16.
She says he went in and out several times with another man. She smelled marijuana and went outside to see them smoking pot. She asked him to stop, and he did.
"

Police Say Shell Casings From Scene, Hernandez's Car Came From Same Gun

Wednesday, Feb. 25

The Associated Press reported that police testified that shell casings found at the scene of Odin Lloyd's murder came from the same gun as a casing found in Hernandez's rental car:

"
A Massachusetts State Police sergeant has testified that the shell casings found in Aaron Hernandez's rental car and at the murder scene were fired from the same weapon.
Five shell casings were found at the scene where Odin Lloyd was killed in June 2013. An employee of a rental car business has testified she found one shell casing in the Nissan Altima that Hernandez rented and returned the day of the killing.
Police later found that shell casing in a trash bin at the business.
Sgt. Stephen Walsh testified Wednesday that his examination determined all six casings were fired by the same gun. He says they're consistent with having been fired from a Glock.
"

Hernandez's attorneys countered that bullets fired from that weapon can't be identified in that way, according to the report.

Hernandez's Maids Testify on Finding 'Multiple Guns' in Home

Tuesday, Feb. 24

McGovern reported on Hernandez's maids testimony regarding the guns they found in the former tight end's house:

"
Jurors listened intently yesterday as two women who cleaned Hernandez’s North Attleboro home chronicled how they stumbled upon guns in three places before Odin Lloyd’s murder. Housekeeper Marilia Prinholato and her boss, Grazielli Silva, spoke about discovering the weapons while tidying up and later being asked to sign non-disclosure agreements, which neither agreed to do.
Prinholato said she found a “big” gun while fixing the sheets in Hernandez’s guest bedroom and told jurors it was about 30 to 40 centimeters long and “heavy.” Silva was making the same bed and felt a gun, but she didn’t look at it.
Silva also said she saw a gun — about the size of a police officer’s — in Hernandez’s sock drawer on two occasions. Then there was the time Silva showed Prinholato a smaller gun she found in Hernandez’s khakis, which he left on the floor of his master bedroom.
“I picked up the pants to put them away,” she said, in broken English. “They were heavy. I put my hands inside, and I felt there was a gun.”
"

McGovern also reported that the judge in the case stated that while jurors couldn't use the testimony to show that Hernandez had "a propensity to kill," they could use it to show that the tight end had the "means to commit the murder charge."

Judge Reverses Decision on Lloyd's Sister's Testimony

Monday, Feb. 23

The judge in the Hernandez trial reversed a decision regarding text messages Lloyd sent prior to his death, via Travis Andersen of the Boston Globe:

"
On Friday, Bristol Superior Court Judge E. Susan Garsh ruled that Lloyd’s sister, Shaquilla Thibou, could not mention the texts at all if prosecutors called her as a witness.
But Garsh said Monday that she had “given more thought” to the issue over the weekend. After further reflection, Garsh said, she decided that Thibou can testify that she and Lloyd exchanged the texts, but Thibou will not be permitted to disclose the content of the messages or her emotional reaction when she first saw them.
In December, Garsh had ruled that prosecutors could not show jurors the content of the text messages, which were sent between 3:07 a.m. and 3:23 a.m. on the morning of Lloyd’s death, and which authorities say showed that Lloyd feared he was about to die at the hands of Hernandez and two accomplices.
"

Uncle of Hernandez's Fiancee Claims Hernandez Said He Lost Endorsements Shortly After Killing

Wednesday, Feb. 18

Michelle R. Smith of the Associated Press provided details on Hernandez's fiancee's uncle's testimony:

"
The uncle of Aaron Hernandez's fiancee says the former New England Patriots star told him the day after the killing that his endorsements were gone.
Azia (ah-ZEYE'-ah) Jenkins said Wednesday that Hernandez didn't elaborate. He said Hernandez said it after a commercial came on TV while they played pool in Hernandez's basement.
Jenkins said Hernandez appeared cool, calm and collected.
"

Government Wants Hernandez's Childhood Friend to Testify

Wednesday, Feb. 18

Anderson reported details on a childhood friend of Hernandez's, who the government wants to testify:

"
On Tuesday, Bristol County prosecutors said that they were checking to see if Robert Paradis, a childhood friend of Hernandez, would be available Wednesday to answer questions under oath, out of the jury’s presence.
The government wants Paradis to eventually testify in front of the jury. He would say that Hernandez talked about owning a .45 caliber handgun, and that he felt a gun in a hotel dresser that Hernandez used in Los Angeles in April 2013, court records show.
The defense has objected to Paradis’s potential testimony, and Bristol Superior Court Judge E. Susan Garsh wants Paradis to answer questions out of the presence of the jury before deciding whether to allow him to testify in front of the panel.
"

Jurors Shown Footage of Hernandez Dismantling Phone

Tuesday, Feb. 17

On Tuesday, jurors were shown surveillance footage of Hernandez destroying his phone then making calls on a different phone one day after Lloyd's murder. McGovern noted that in the video, the second phone was handed to Hernandez by his attorney.

McGovern added the following details:

"
'I panned the camera around and zoomed on Mr. Hernandez and the person he was with,' said North Attleboro police detective Michael Elliott, who shot the footage of Hernandez in the police department’s public parking lot on June 18, 2013, the day after the murder of 27-year-old semipro football player Odin Lloyd. “He took his cell phone and he took it apart.'
The footage showed the phone – a Blackberry – in pieces on Hernandez’s lap. He used another phone to make a series of calls and appeared animated as he spoke to the person on the other line. Prosecutors have said he was speaking to Ernest Wallace, a co-defendant in Lloyd’s murder. Carlos Ortiz is the other co-defendant.
Jurors did not hear about the call to Wallace today. They only saw footage of Hernandez making a call.
"

Patriots Were Told Within Hours of Police Seeking Hernandez

Friday, Feb. 13

The Associated Press (via ESPN) reported that "the New England Patriots were alerted within hours that police wanted to talk to tight end Aaron Hernandez after a body was found not far from his house.

A North Attleborough police detective testified Friday that he and a state trooper went to Hernandez's home after they found Odin Lloyd's body in June 2013."

Second Juror Dismissed in Hernandez Case

Wednesday, Feb. 11

According to Ted Daniel of Fox 25 in Boston, a second juror has been dismissed by the judge, this time for "personal reasons."

On Feb. 3, Maria Cramer and Travis Andersen of The Boston Globe reported on the first dismissed juror in Hernandez's trial.

Hernandez's Fiancee Expected to Testify for Prosecution

Tuesday, Feb. 10

Kevin Vaughan of Fox Sports 1 reported Hernandez's fiancee Shayanna Jenkins has been granted immunity and is expected to testify against him.

Wetzel provided context for this development:

Andrew Brandt of ESPN provided more details on Jenkins being granted immunity:

However, the latest development doesn't mean Jenkins will have to testify, according to Travis Andersen and Maria Cramer of The Boston Globe:

"
Martin G. Weinberg, a prominent Boston defense lawyer, said the order of immunity does not necessarily mean Jenkins will testify, or even that prosecutors have agreed to drop the perjury charge she faces.
Rather, Weinberg said, prosecutors may be trying to force her to testify by granting her immunity, so she cannot assert her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.
(...)
'Is she immunized from past perjury? Maybe,' he said. 'Can they use this testimony to prove past perjury? Absolutely not.'
"

Hernandez Trial Delayed By Snow For Second Straight Day

Tuesday, Feb. 10

Ben Volin of The Boston Globe reported that snow has delayed Hernandez's trial for the second straight day, and that it was scheduled to resume on Wednesday.

On Feb. 8, Volin reported that Hernandez's trial had been delayed by snow and would re-open on Tuesday.

Hernandez's Lawyer Makes Deflategate Joke Questioning Witness

Friday, Feb. 6

According to The Associated Press (via ESPN), Hernandez's lawyer drew the judge's ire by making a joke about the Deflategate scandal while questioning a witness:

"
James Sultan was questioning a state police trooper about tire pressure Thursday when he jokingly asked whether the trooper had ever received 'training in football deflation devices.'
On Friday morning, Superior Court Judge Susan Garsh told Sultan that they are conducting serious business, and she does not expect there to be any more jokes. Sultan agreed and expressed regret.
"

Prosecution Wants Items Removed from Hernandez's Home

Thursday, Feb. 5

Prior to the jury's visit to Hernandez's home, the prosecution wants select items removed from the residence, per The Associated Press (via ESPN):

"
Citing the O.J. Simpson case, a prosecutor has told a judge he wants trophies and religious items removed from Aaron Hernandez's home before the jury visits.
Jurors are due to visit the former New England Patriots player's home Friday.
The judge previously ruled jurors would get to see his trophy case and personal items in Hernandez's home when the 2013 killing took place.
On Thursday, prosecutor Patrick Bomberg told the judge additional trophies and religious items have been added since the killing.
"

Hernandez's Lawyers Attack Police Work in Investigation

Thursday, Feb. 5

McGovern reported that Hernandez's lawyers attacked the police work done in the investigation:

"
Defense attorneys for former New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez today sought to cast doubt on the initial investigation into the death of the man he is accused of murdering.
Attorney James Sultan asked North Attleboro Police Capt. Joseph DiRenzo why no authorities at Odin Lloyd’s murder scene took out a tape measure to accurately record the distance between his body and nearby evidence.
'Nobody had a measuring tape? Is that what you’re telling this jury?' Sultan asked during cross-examination.
'I don’t think anybody did,' DiRenzo responded.
Multiple photos have been shown of Lloyd’s lifeless body with evidence—including shell casings and a red hat—strewn about. DiRenzo and other authorities have given rough estimates as to how far away the evidence was from Lloyd’s body, but Sultan questioned why there was no official measurement.
"

Lloyd's Girlfriend Testifies, Jury to Likely Go to Sites Relevant to Case

Wednesday, Feb. 4

Kraus Edwards provided details on Lloyd's girlfriend's testimony:

Edwards provided more details revolving around the dismissed juror and the jury potentially going on a "view" on Friday:

The Associated Press revealed the judge also instructed Lloyd's mother not to cry. This comes on the heels of her becoming emotional when being shown photos of her son's body in court, (via NFL.com):

"
'I understand this is very emotional for you,' the judge told Ursula Ward, the mother of Odin Lloyd who was set to testify for the first time. With the jury out of the room, Superior Court Judge Susan Garsh instructed her to 'retain control of your emotions.'
Ward did not cry and instead remained stoic as the jury returned and a prosecutor showed her an autopsy photo, then another photo of a smiling Lloyd wearing the same clothes he had on when he was found dead: a plaid shirt and a Red Sox cap.
"

Hernandez Trial Resumes After Snow

Tuesday, Feb. 3

Michelle R. Smith of The Associated Press (via CBS4 in Boston) reported that Hernandez's trial was expected to get back under way after being suspended due to snow:

"
The murder trial of ex-NFL star Aaron Hernandez resumed Tuesday with a female juror being questioned by the presiding judge.
Prosecutors, the defense team and Hernandez huddled around her as the judge murmurs questions.
The judge had previously ruled that Hernandez could be present in discussions related to the jurors, including jury selection. His attorney asked that Hernandez be present in the sidebar conversation with the juror citing that it was a 'critical' part of his trial.
"

Smith also noted that the mother and girlfriend of Odin Lloyd were expected to testify on Tuesday.

Jurors Told Not to Discuss Case During Super Bowl

Friday, Jan. 30

The Associated Press (via NESN) reported that Bristol County Superior Court Judge Susan Garsh "says jurors who watch the game must be vigilant to avoid exposing themselves to coverage about him."

Michelle McPhee of ABC News reported that Hernandez won't be watching the game at all as he's headed back to solitary confinement.

Prosecutors Claim Hernandez DNA Found on Shell Casing, Marijuana Cigarette

Friday, Jan. 30

Bob McGowan of the Boston Herald reported some of the evidence that prosecutors planned to present in Hernandez's trial:

"
Bristol prosecutor Patrick Bomberg said Hernandez’s DNA was on a .45-caliber shell casing found in his rental car. Then he dropped another bombshell: a joint near the murder scene with DNA from Hernandez and Lloyd.
Bomberg walked jurors through a compelling narrative of the dark conspiracy to kill Lloyd that ended with grainy footage of Hernandez in his home, holding a dark object that prosecutors say is the missing murder weapon.
'That, ladies and gentleman, is a Glock,' Bomberg said, pausing for a moment to let the weight of the moment settle on the jurors.
Prosecutors pulled no  punches. Bomberg showed jurors surveillance video of Hernandez and co-defendants  Ernest Wallace and Carlos Ortiz getting out of their car just after Lloyd was killed. He said four men entered the car that night, but only three left.
'They left evidence at the scene,' Bomberg said. 'And they tried to, and in some cases were successful, in destroying evidence.'
"

Hernandez Trial Slightly Delayed by Jury Issues Before Resuming

Thursday, Jan. 29

The Associated Press (via ESPN.com) reported on another delay to the opening statements in Aaron Hernandez's trial:

"
Opening statements are delayed in the murder trial of former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez while the judge sorts out some last-minute jury issues.
One juror was late getting to court Thursday, and another juror sent a note to the judge. The judge is now individually questioning jurors.
"

Albert Breer of NFL.com detailed the delay before the proceedings got back on track and listed some notable names on the witness list:

On Monday, Jan. 26, the Associated Press (via ESPN.com) revealed that due to weather, the start of Hernandez's trial had been pushed back from Tuesday to Thursday:

"
Bristol County Superior Court Judge Susan Garsh on Monday seated a jury of 13 women and five men after more than two weeks of jury selection. They were chosen from a pool of 53 potential jurors who made it through screening for biases and hardships.
Garsh says six of the 18 jurors will be randomly selected as alternates just before deliberations start.
The judge says because of the blizzard approaching the region, opening statements, which were originally scheduled for Tuesday, are now set for Thursday, though they could be postponed further because of the weather.
"

On Jan. 24, Michelle R. Smith of the AP (via Fox New York) first reported when Hernandez's trial was expected to begin:

"
A jury is expected to be seated next week in the murder trial of former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez.
Superior Court Judge Susan Garsh has cleared 53 potential jurors as of Friday after individually questioning them to weed out people who are biased, have a hardship or have a valid reason to be excused.
Lawyers from both sides will have the chance to eliminate 18 people each from the final pool Monday for any reason using what's called peremptory challenges. Eighteen jurors will be seated.
If 18 jurors cannot be seated from that group, the judge is expected to resume individual questioning.
"

Odin Lloyd's Final Text Messages, 2012 Double Homicide Charges Disallowed by Judge

Friday, Dec. 12

The Associated Press (via ESPN.com) has the latest on Hernandez's trial:

"
Prosecutors in a murder case against ex-New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez won't be allowed to tell a jury about the final text messages sent by the victim to his sister, a judge ruled Friday. ...
... Prosecutors say Lloyd sent the messages while in a car with Hernandez and suggested they showed he had become fearful. One said, 'U saw who I'm with' and another indicated the person was 'NFL,' referring to Hernandez.
Defense lawyers called it 'rank speculation' that the texts indicated fear and said they were inadmissible.
"

The AP also noted that the double homicide charges Hernandez faces won't be allowed in the Odin Lloyd case:

"
Prosecutors have said Hernandez may have showed Lloyd the spot where the double shooting took place and suggested that was a possible motive for killing Lloyd.
But Judge Susan Garsh, after hearing arguments, said that theory is 'clearly in the realm of speculation' and 'does not comport with common sense.' She said there was no demonstrated link between the crimes and disallowed the introduction of the 2012 homicides.
"

Hernandez Wants Other Evidence Kept Separate

Friday, Dec. 5

The Associated Press (via ESPN.com) reports the latest request from Hernandez's camp:

"
Former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez asked a judge Friday to bar prosecutors from telling the jury at his upcoming murder trial about evidence of his other alleged crimes, including the fatal shootings of two Boston men in 2012.
In a motion filed Friday, Hernandez's lawyers argued that any evidence of so-called "bad acts" are not relevant to the murder charge against him in the 2013 killing of semi-professional football player Odin Lloyd. Hernandez's trial in that case is scheduled to begin next month in Fall River Superior Court.
'If permitted to use all, or even much, of this evidence, the commonwealth will have succeeded in transforming a murder trial into a wide-ranging, collateral attack on the defendant's personal history, character, lifestyle and propensities,' Hernandez's lawyers wrote.
'It will be difficult enough for Hernandez to get a fair trial in this case without having to defend against two completely separate murder allegations (different time, different place, different weapon, different evidence) before the same jury simultaneously!' his lawyers wrote.
"

Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick May Be Forced to Testify

Monday, Dec. 1

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and owner Robert Kraft may be required to testify in the upcoming murder trial of former tight end Aaron Hernandez for the death of Odin Lloyd, according to a potential witness list presented by Bristol County prosecutors.

According to documents released Monday and obtained by Denise Lavoie of the Associated Press, Belichick and Kraft are two of 305 people listed by prosecutors as potential witnesses.

Hernandez's attorneys have petitioned the judge presiding over the case to force the prosecution to trim the list, saying it's an "inconceivable" number. The judge denied the motion, per Lavoie, but it's possible the list could be trimmed between now and the January trial regardless.

It's unclear why Belichick and Kraft are listed as potential witnesses. Lavoie did indicate that both were "interviewed by police investigating Lloyd's killing" and that 34 text messages between Hernandez and Belichick were given to prosecutors, so it's possible they could be used in the trial.

Hernandez is currently facing a first-degree murder charge for allegedly killing Lloyd, a semi-pro football player who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancee. The former Pro Bowl tight end has been jailed since his arrest last year and also faces double-murder charges in Boston stemming from a 2012 drive-by shooting.

Hernandez has pleaded not guilty on the murders and all related charges.

The Patriots have not commented on Kraft's or Belichick's involvement in the investigation. A spokesperson for the prosecution declined comment when contacted by the AP.

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