Aaron Hernandez Double-Homicide Trial: Latest Details, Date and More

A Suffolk County Superior Court judge granted a motion Thursday to delay the double-murder trial for former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez.

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Hernandez's Defense Granted Another Delay

Thursday, Dec. 24

According to an ESPN.com report, Hernandez was scheduled to begin trial Jan. 19. That date will now be used as a status hearing, where new dates for the trial will likely be set. 

"What I have here is a written motion, a joint motion, to continue the trial date," the judge said, per MyFoxBoston.

Hernandez, 26, is accused of killing Daniel Jorge Correia de Abreu and Safiro Teixeira Furtado in a 2012 drive-by shooting. He is currently serving a life sentence without parole for the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd, which he was convicted of earlier this year.

The double-murder trial has been delayed on multiple occasions. Last year, Hernandez's defense lawyers were granted a postponement so they could continue preparing for the Lloyd case. Prosecutors pushed for another delay in October to obtain more evidence that was held by a law firm that used to represent the former Pro Bowler.

A pending appeal regarding evidence is at the heart of this latest delay.

At the center of the appeal is whether prosecutors should have access to Hernandez's cell phone, per Denise Lavoie of the Associated Press (via the Hartford Courant). Prosecutors say Hernandez gave the phone to one of his attorneys in 2013. 

Hernandez appeared in court earlier this week, which drew headlines due to his neck tattoo appearing to depict loyalty to the Bloods street gang. The tattoo is not new—it's been clear in many of his previous court dates—but it was the first time it was not previously covered up by a suit collar. 

Hernandez has pleaded not guilty in the double-murder case and will likely stand trial at some point next year.

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