Aaron Hernandez of NE Patriots - Charged with Murder

[HairOfTheDog]

Another Civil Suit against Hernandez

The families of two men fatally shot in a 2012 drive-by shooting in Boston have filed wrongful death lawsuits against former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez, who has been implicated by police in the case.

CBS Boston reports that the lawsuits were filed Wednesday in Suffolk Superior Court on behalf of the families of Daniel Abreu and Safiro Furtado. Each seeks $6 million.

The men were sitting in an SUV in the city's South End in July 2012 when another SUV pulled up and someone inside opened fire.

Nobody has been criminally charged with their deaths, but Hernandez has been identified by authorities as a suspect and police seized a vehicle from Hernandez's uncle's home in Bristol which they say is the vehicle that the shots are believed to have been fired from.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/aaron-hernan...oston-men/

[HairOfTheDog]

TWO MORE MURDER INDICTMENTS AGAINST AARON HERNANDEZ -- 2012 DRIVE-BY KILLINGS

Hernandez is already being held without bail after pleading not guilty to murder in the unrelated death of 27-year-old Odin Lloyd last year.



In the 2012 case, victims Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado (pictured above) were shot as they sat in a car in Boston's South End. Police have said they were shot by someone who drove up alongside in an SUV and opened fire.

Boston police have written in an affidavit there is probable cause to believe Hernandez was driving a vehicle used in the shooting and "may have been the shooter."

Ref: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/15...30976.html

[HairOfTheDog]

AARON HERNANDEZ INDICTED FOR JAILHOUSE ASSAULT & BATTERY AND THREATS OF BODILY HARM

Also, two weeks ago, a grand jury in Bristol County indicted Hernandez, 24, on charges of assault and battery tied to the February 25 altercation, according to a statement from that county's district attorney's office.

The former New England Patriots standout tight end also was indicted for threats to do bodily harm in connection with a November incident in which he allegedly threatened someone who worked at the jail.

Hernandez will be arraigned on these new indictments at a date yet to be set by the court, said the statement.

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/05/01/justic...use-fight/

[HairOfTheDog]

ERNEST WALLACE -- INDICTED FOR MURDER OF ODIN LLOYD



Lots going down in this case. Wallace was originally charged with accessory and is now looking at murder charges.

Carlos Ortiz, who was allegedly with Hernandez and Wallace when Odin Lloyd was killed (and who apparently cooperated with police and provided them with information) is still charged only as an accessory, AFAIK.

Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/aaron-hernan...achusetts/

[HairOfTheDog]

CARLOS ORTIZ - INDICTED FOR MURDER OF ODIN LLOYD




Much of what LE learned immediately following the killing came from Carlos Ortiz, who was with Hernandez, Wallace, and Lloyd in the car prior to Lloyd's murder.

Ortiz was originally charged only with accessory, but parts of his story appear not to check out and he's now being charged with murder as well.

He pleaded "not guilty" today.

Ref:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/aaron...rge-052714

[HairOfTheDog]

HEY HO, LET'S GO...



I'm ready for the trials of Aaron Hernandez, Carlos Ortiz and Ernest Wallace to kick-off, but obviously prosecutors aren't -- yet.

Circumstantial Evidence & Eye Witness: As covered throughout the thread, LE seems to have a lot of it against Hernandez, despite the issue of clammed up and dead witnesses.

Carlos Ortiz appears to have handed them a lot of inside knowledge pertaining to the night Odin Lloyd was killed early in the investigation, but he's since been charged with murder as well -- maybe he stopped talking? He almost certainly minimized his own role in the murder of Odin Lloyd when he was snitching, IMO.

Physical Evidence: I don't know how much of that LE has been able to gather in the Odin Lloyd murder investigation. But, they've got the SUV they believe Hernandez was driving in the 2012 drive-by killings he's accused of carrying out (it was stashed at his uncle's house in Ct).

Motive: According to an unnamed source close to the investigation, LE no longer believes that Odin Lloyd was killed because he had knowledge of the 2012 post-clubbing double-murder drive-by that Aaron Hernandez allegedly executed (he's pleaded not guilty to those two murders as well as to the murder of Odin Lloyd in 2013).

Instead, prosecutors reportedly believe that Hernandez's smoking Angel Dust and marijuana contributed to a state of paranoia and that he felt "tested" and betrayed at the drop of a hat.

So, when Odin Lloyd saw some things that he wasn't supposed to see at Hernandez's apartment (guns and ammo) and talked to some people who'd rubbed Hernandez the wrong way, he signed his death warrant with Hernandez -- according to the unnamed source close to the investigation.

And, according to a sworn affidavit by alleged Hernandez shooting victim, Alexander Bradley, the two men that Hernandez killed in the 2012 drive-by were executed because.............one of them bumped into Hernandez on the dance floor and made him spill his drink. Bradley says that Hernandez shot him (Bradley) some months later, not because of anything he knew about Hernandez's crimes, but because Hernandez felt 'disrespected' by Bradley because he challenged him after the football player refused to turn around and return to a strip club to retrieve a cellphone Bradley had forgotten.

Possible Defense -- Diminished Capacity?: Gimme an effin' break. Herandez's lawyers this week filed a motion asking a court to authorize a subpoena demanding Hernandez's work and medical records from the New England Patriots, including records that "may bear upon (Hernandez') mental state at the time ... of Lloyd's murder."

Legal experts say the motion indicates the defense may be leaning toward arguing Hernandez suffers from diminished capacity, a legal term for someone who is less responsible for committing a crime because it's harder for them to know the difference between right and wrong.

Ref: http://us.cnn.com/2014/06/21/justice/aar...?hpt=ju_c1

[Duchess]

A May trial date. Jeez Louise. May.

A judge on Tuesday scheduled a tentative May trial date for former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez in the 2012 drive-by shootings of two men, and his lawyers asked a judge to issue a gag order because of intense media coverage of the murder case.

[HairOfTheDog]

A May trial date. Jeez Louise. May.

Shoot, another year.

I guess 2 years investigation and prep time for three (so far) murder charges and several other criminal allegations isn't really outside the norm. Slow wheels.

It's gonna be a long drawn-out trial; at least Hernandez won't be in competition for the spotlight with other criminal sports stars by the time his trial starts. Oscar Pistorius' and Darren Sharper's trials should be completed by May.

And, thattwatjodi will either be officially on death row or serving a life term by the time Aaron's defense attorneys start flinging BS and excuses at a judge and jury.

[Duchess]

thattwatjodi

Ha! You da man, Hot D.

[Duchess]

Tonight at 9:00 PM EST on CNN a report on Aaron is going to be aired. It's going to delve inside the case against him.

[HairOfTheDog]

Hernandez Victory Regarding Suppression of Evidence



This sucks.

Snip:
In a 28-page ruling, Judge E. Susan Garsh did not specify what evidence from the devices — an iPhone 5, a Blackberry Bold cellphone, an Apple iPad, and two iPad minis — will be inadmissible at Hernandez’s trial on charges of murdering Odin L. Lloyd of Dorchester in June 2013.

“In effect, the Commonwealth maintains that a search warrant for a cell phone with a designated number constitutes authority in all cases to seize every cell phone found at the search site,” Judge Garsh wrote. In the ruling, Garsh rejected the prosecutors’ argument that troopers were entitled to seize any cellphones in Hernandez’s home in order to determine which one was his.

On the plus side, for the prosecution:
Last month, Garsh denied a defense motion to suppress additional evidence taken from a separate cellphone that belonged to Hernandez, which he had given to his attorney and which State Police had obtained another warrant for.

Authorities say Hernandez’s number from that cellphone was programmed into Lloyd’s phone and Lloyd called and texted Hernandez a few hours before he was shot. They also allege that Hernandez summoned his codefendants in the slaying via text message several hours before the murder.

In her July ruling, Garsh had also denied a defense motion to suppress images from Hernandez’s home surveillance system, which allegedly showed him holding a gun inside the residence shortly after the fatal shooting of Lloyd, whose bullet-riddled body was found in an industrial yard near Hernandez’s spacious home. (HOTD: some of the surveillance tape from that night/morning is missing and the murder weapon has never been located.)

Full story: http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/08...story.html

[HairOfTheDog]

ODIN LLOYD MURDER TRIAL / EVIDENCE RULINGS



Aaron Hernandez is facing two criminal trials and one civil trial
1. Criminal: June 2013 murder of his friend Odin Lloyd
2. Criminal: July 2012 double murder drive-by of two club-goers, Daniel Abreu and Safiro Furtado
3. Civil: February 2013 shooting of his friend Alexander Bradley

He's pleaded not guilt to all. The first trial will be for the last incident -- the murder of Odin Lloyd. Jury selection is currently set to begin January 9^th.

Prior Bad Act Allegations Excluded from Trial
Prosecutors had sought to have the option of presenting evidence that Hernandez and company killed Odin Lloyd because Lloyd knew details about the 2012 drive-by double murder of two guys Hernandez had fought with at a club.

Unsurprisingly, the judge ruled "no go" on the prosecutors motion to use prior alleged bad acts against Hernandez given that the theory was loose and speculative.

Judge E. Susan Garsh, after hearing arguments, said the prosecution's theory is "clearly in the realm of speculation" and "does not comport with common sense." She said there was no demonstrated link between the two crimes and disallowed the introduction of the 2012 homicides. Garsh also ruled that prosecutors may not introduce the shooting of Alexander Bradley, a former associate of Hernandez.

"I don't think that it's fair to say these things aren't relevant," said Assistant District Attorney William McCauley in response.

Odin Lloyd Final Texts Excluded from Trial
Judge Garsh also said Friday she would not admit the final text messages sent by Lloyd to his sister, including one sent just minutes before he was shot to death at an industrial park near Hernandez's North Attleborough home.

Prosecutors say Lloyd sent the messages to his sister 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, adding "just so u know."

Garsh said the texts did not suggest any hostility and that prosecutors didn't meet the burden to prove Lloyd felt he was at an "imminent death."

Bill Belichick and team owner Robert Kraft have been listed by prosecutors as possible witnesses.

Ref: http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id...andez-case

[Duchess]

I think the last text should have been allowed! WTF.

[Cutz]

I really hope Hernandez doesn't turn into the Hispanic OJ.

[HairOfTheDog]

JURY SELECTION BEGINS THIS WEEK

In lead up to the trial, a new documentary,"Downward Spiral: Inside the Case Against Aaron Hernandez", is airing on CNN at 9 p.m. Eastern Time tomorrow, January 6^th.

I think the prosecution has a strong circumstantial case against Hernandez, but far from a slam dunk.


^ All three are charged with the murder of Odin Lloyd and being tried separately; Hernandez is accused of being the "orchestrator" and is up first.

Prosecutors don't have the murder weapon, the jury won't hear about the text that Lloyd sent to his sister - referring to being with "NFL" minutes before his murder, and the jury won't hear about Hernandez being suspected of shooting friends and perceived enemies in the past.

The prosecution is gonna need more than surveillance of Hernandez holding guns at his home and having a bad temper to get a murder conviction IMO. I hope they have very solid witnesses lined up.


^ Shaneah (left) and Shayanna Jenkins

I've been waiting to hear more about what Shaneah was doing when she was MIA for days after her sister Shayanna's fiance Aaron Hernandez allegedly shot her boyfriend Odin Lloyd to death. But, we (the public) have never been told that part of the story. Maybe the CNN special tomorrow night will shed some light there.

During case hearings, Shaneah sits on the prosecution side of the courtroom, while Shayanna sits on the defense side. I really hope Shaneah knows a lot and she's a key witness who's under protection. I also hope that Carlos Ortiz agrees to testify against Hernandez (even if it means reducing the murder charge against him) and tells the jury what went down in the car and at the murder scene the night that Odin Lloyd was murdered.

[Duchess]

I don't understand why his last communication would be considered irrelevant. Personally, I think it's pretty fricken big and speaks to who he was with at the time.

[HairOfTheDog]

I don't understand why his last communication would be considered irrelevant. Personally, I think it's pretty fricken big and speaks to who he was with at the time.

I think Judge Garsh may be very liberal in her rulings across cases.

Were I the judge, I'd have let the text in and let the jury decide its value. While I agree with Garsh that the text content does not conclusively demonstrate that Lloyd was in fear for his life, I don't think the text content is unfairly prejudicial at all. The defense could have argued that Lloyd was simply bragging, or that Lloyd knew other "NFL" players; "NFL" was certainly not limited to Aaron Hernandez.


Anyway, Odin Lloy'd sister, ^ Olivia Thibough, told investigators as soon as Lloyd was found dead that her brother was out with Hernandez when she got that last text from him. Almost certainly, Thibough will be a prosecution witness and will testify to why she believed so. Hopefully her testimony will be compelling enough to establish that Hernandez was with Lloyd the night Lloyd was executed at that industrial park. Her testimony, in conjunction with the established electronic/surveillance cam timeline, is pretty incriminating.

June 16
9:02 p.m.: Hernandez texts a friend out of state, saying "please make it back."
9:05: Hernandez texts Lloyd that he wants to get together.
9:35: Hernandez texts a friend in Connecticut that says "get your ass up here."
10:23: Hernandez texts the same friend, "Hurry your ass up."

June 17
1:12 a.m.: The three men depart Hernandez's home in a silver Nissan Altima, according to surveillance video, cell phone towers and cell phone records. Cell towers track their movement south on Interstate 95. At some point, they turn around, then head north before stopping at a gas station on Route 128.
2:10: Hernandez buys gas, a pack of Bubblicious gum and rolling papers.
2:32: The silver Altima arrives at Lloyd's house. Hernandez sends a text message: "We're here."
3:07: Lloyd texts his sister, "Did you see who I was with?"
3:11: Lloyd texts his sister again, "Hello."
3:19: Lloyd's sister responds, "My phone was dead. Who?"
3:22: Lloyd responds, "NFL."
3:23: Lloyd: "Just so you know."
By this point, the four men inside the silver Altima have gotten off I-95 on Route 152, near Hernandez's home, Prosecutor McCauley says records show.
3:23 a.m.: McCauley says surveillance video shows the Altima at a fork in the road. McCauley indicates that one way leads to Hernandez's home, the other down a gravel road where Lloyd's body would later be found. Video shows Hernandez's car going down the gravel road behind a group of industrial buildings.
3:23-3:27: People working the overnight in the industrial park hear gunshots.
3:27: Silver Altima is viewed coming out of gravel road.
3:29: Video at Hernandez's home shows the silver Altima pulling into his driveway.

[HairOfTheDog]

TRIAL BEGINS THURSDAY, 29 JAN. 2015

The trial of former Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez on charges that he murdered Odin Lloyd in 2013 will begin on Thursday.

A jury of 18 people — 13 women and five men — was selected on Monday in Fall River, Massachusetts, but the Hartford Courant reports that Judge E. Susan Garsh pushed back the intended Tuesday start date because the predicted snowfall is expected to leave the area digging out for the next couple of days.

Hernandez and two other men are accused of picking up Lloyd in a car early in the morning of June 17, 2013 and murdering him a short time later. The other men, Carlos Ortiz and Ernest Wallace, will be tried separately.

Prosecutors recently submitted a petition for immunity for Shayanna Jenkins, Hernandez’s fiancee, in what’s believed to be a bid to get her to testify against Hernandez at the trial. Jenkins faces a charge of perjury related to the case, but thus far no immunity has apparently been granted by Monday’s jury selection.
==================================
This should be a very interesting trial. I'll post links for live trial coverage later in the week as they get pinned down.

As posted upthread, several potential witnesses associated with Hernandez have either died, been arrested for obstruction for refusing to answer questions, or been charged with perjury. And, prosecutors don't have the murder weapon.

I don't think this will be a slam dunk case for the state, based on what we know now, but I think there's enough circumstantial evidence for a conviction -- hope so, anyway.

[HairOfTheDog]

"Wasn't Me...Those Dudes Did it in a Drug-Fueled Rage"



Looks like Aaron Hernandez's defense will be that Ernest Wallace and/or Carlos Ortiz killed Odin Lloyd in a PCP-induced violent outburst.

Prosecutors assert there is no evidence of "an actual drug-fueled violent episode" by either Wallace or Ortiz on the night Lloyd was killed. They have asked the court to ban Hernandez's defense team from referencing a doctor's expert testimony during opening arguments, which are scheduled to begin Thursday morning at the Fall River Justice Center.

"Unless and until the defendant can offer some evidentiary basis for the notion that Wallace and/or Ortiz engaged in a violent outburst at the time Lloyd was killed, they should not be permitted to present expert testimony as to the reason why that fictitious outburst might have occurred," Assistant District Attorney McCauley said in the court filing.

I hope the judge agrees with the prosecutors this time and rules against the defense.

Ref: http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/...story.html

[HairOfTheDog]

Opening Statements -- Thursday, 1/29/15 -- 8:30 am EST

WildAboutTrial live stream: http://www.wildabouttrial.com/trial_vide...ve-stream/

FOX Boston live stream: http://www.myfoxboston.com/category/2679...livestream