Defense expected to rest in Hernandez murder trial
Aaron Hernandez Trial
Monday, April 6
Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez’s murder trial continues Monday, with the defense expecting to call a few witnesses before resting its case. Judge E. Susan Garsh has said she expects jury deliberations to begin Tuesday or Wednesday.
Last Thursday, the prosecution rested after spending the better part of two months presenting a case against Hernandez, who is accused of killing 27-year-old semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd, who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancée.
Massachusetts state medical examiner Dr. William Zane was the prosecution's final witness. He detailed the gunshot wounds that killed Lloyd on June 17, 2013, saying he was shot six times: two bullets to the chest, with bullets also striking Lloyd's clavicle, stomach, collarbone, back and forearm.
Zane testified that three of the shots were fatal and that Lloyd would have been dead within minutes.
On Wednesday, the jury heard testimony from Alexander Bradley, a man who sued Hernandez over allegedly being shot in the face in a February 2013 incident in Florida.
That shooting took place five months before the murder of Lloyd.
Prosecutors were not allowed to ask about the Florida shooting. Bradley detailed Hernandez's marijuana habits as well as the nature of their relationship.
Bradley also described a black box he saw in Hernandez's basement containing a firearm, money and marijuana. However, under cross-examination Bradley said the gun he saw in the box was not a glock, which was the weapon used to kill Lloyd.
On Tuesday, Patriots owner Robert Kraft took the stand and testified that Hernandez looked him in the eyes told him he had nothing to do with Lloyd's murder.
Hernandez is charged with one count of murder and is also facing five weapons charges in the death of Lloyd.
Hernandez's fiancée, Shayanna Jenkins, took the stand and said that Hernandez was drunk during the hours before Lloyd's killing. She continued her testimony in his murder trial on Monday.
During her testimony, Jenkins discussed a box that Hernandez told her to dispose the day after Lloyd was killed. Hernandez did not give her a reason why the box—which was in the basement—needed to be discarded, only saying it was important that she throw it away.
Jenkins, who said she has known Hernandez since they were in elementary school, testified that she thought the box smelled like marijuana. She said she put the box in a trash bag and discarded it in a random dumpster.
• TRIAL COVERAGE: Opening statements | Day 31 | Day 32 | Day 33
Prosecutors have alleged that Hernandez and two other individuals drove Lloyd to an industrial park less than a mile from Hernandez’s residence, where he was shot multiple times.
Hernandez faces life in prison if convicted of all charges.
Hernandez is also charged separately with two counts of murder, three counts of assault with intent to commit murder and a weapons charge in the 2012 deaths of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado.
Authorities say that Hernandez shot de Abreu, Furtado and one other man after one of them spilled a drink on him at a nightclub.
