Closing arguments set for Hernandez murder trial
Aaron Hernandez Trial
Tuesday, April 7
Closing arguments are set to be delivered Tuesday in the murder trial of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez.
During Monday's proceedings, the defense called three witnesses, including David Greenblatt, M.D., who testified about the dangers of PCP. Co-defendant Carlos Ortiz or co-defendant Ernest Wallace were allegedly on the drug at the time of the murder of 27-year-old semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd, according to the testimony of Hernandez's cousin Jennifer Mercado.
Last Thursday, the prosecution rested after spending the better part of two months presenting a case against Hernandez, who is accused of killing Lloyd.
Hernandez, 25, is charged with one count of murder and is also facing five weapons charges in the death of Lloyd, who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancée.
During the almost three-month trial, more than 130 witnesses took the stand. The defense and the prosecution have 90 minutes to deliver their arguments to the jury, with Hernandez's lawyers going first.
After the closing arguments, the 15 member jury will then be given instructions by judge E. Susan Garsh. Then a 12-person jury will be sent off for deliberations, which are expected to start Tuesday afternoon.
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.
Last 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.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft took the stand and testified that Hernandez told him he had nothing to do with Lloyd's murder.
Hernandez's fiancée, Shayanna Jenkins, took the stand and said that Hernandez was drunk during the hours before Lloyd's killing. 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.
