FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) -- Former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez was found guilty Wednesday of first-degree murder in a deadly late-night shooting, sealing the downfall of an athlete who once had a $40 million contract and a standout career ahead of him. Hernandez, 25, looked to his right and pursed his lips after the jury forewoman read the verdict. The first-degree murder conviction carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole in the slaying of Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old landscaper and amateur weekend football player who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancee. Hernandez's mother, Terri, and his fiancee, Shayanna Jenkins, cried and gasped when they heard the verdict. Shayanna Jenkins wept on his mother's shoulder. Hernandez later mouthed to them: "Be strong. Be strong." The former football pro was also found guilty on firearm and ammunition charges.
For reasons that were never made clear to the jury, Lloyd was shot six times in the middle of the night on June 17, 2013, in a deserted industrial park near Hernandez's home in North Attleborough. Police almost immediately zeroed in on Hernandez because they found in Lloyd's pocket the key to a car the NFL player had rented. Within hours of Hernandez's arrest, the Patriots cut the former Pro Bowl athlete, who was considered one of the top tight ends in the game. Prosecutors presented a wealth of evidence that Hernandez was with Lloyd at the time he was killed, including home security video from Hernandez's mansion, witness testimony and cellphone records that tracked Lloyd's movements. Hernandez's lawyer, James Sultan, acknowledged for the first time during closing arguments that Hernandez was there when Lloyd was killed. But the attorney pinned the shooting on two of Hernandez's friends, Ernest Wallace and Carlos Ortiz, saying his client was a "23-year-old kid" who witnessed a shocking crime and didn't know what to do. Wallace and Ortiz will stand trial later. Prosecutors have suggested Lloyd may have been killed because he knew too much about Hernandez's alleged involvement in a deadly 2012 drive-by shooting in Boston. But they were not allowed to tell the jury that because the judge said it was speculation. As a result, they never offered a motive beyond saying Hernandez appeared angry with Lloyd at a nightclub two nights before the killing.
Hernandez faces further legal trouble: He is awaiting trial on murder charges in the drive-by shooting. He is accused of gunning down two men over a spilled drink at a nightclub. In the Lloyd killing, the defense argued that investigators fixated on Hernandez because of his celebrity and conducted a shoddy investigation in their zeal to confirm their suspicions. Prosecutors said Hernandez organized the killing, summoned his two friends to help carry it out, and drove Lloyd and the others to the secluded spot in the industrial park. During closing arguments, prosecutors also accused Hernandez of pulling the trigger, though under the law it was not necessary to prove who fired the shots to convict him. Security video from inside Hernandez's home showed him holding what appeared to be a gun less than 10 minutes after Lloyd was killed. The surveillance system also captured Hernandez, Wallace and Ortiz relaxing at his home hours after Lloyd was shot, hanging out in the basement "man cave," lounging by the pool and cuddling Hernandez's baby daughter. Hernandez was an All-American out of the University of Florida who was drafted by the Patriots in the fourth round in 2010.
Comment
t-wizzle
BARRELED IN @ SBR!
12-18-09
38099
#9
Originally posted by jjgold
He finally looked shaken
Man ???
FOr what??
Ruin your life because of ego??
He's a bad guy jj. He will burn in hell.
Comment
Da Manster!
SBR Posting Legend
07-13-07
17596
#10
I'd lay 1,000 to 1 that somewhere LT Profits is really pissed and angry at you for stealing his thunder!...
Comment
R.P. McMurphy
SBR Hall of Famer
06-15-12
9654
#11
Should lock him up with Lawrence Phillips. Heard his last cell mate isn't doing so well haha. Glad they didn't let this scum walk!
Comment
jjgold
SBR Aristocracy
07-20-05
388208
#12
He was a real life thug playing in NFL
Comment
Auto Donk
SBR Aristocracy
09-03-13
43572
#13
he a true o g now.........
stupid mutha fcka.......
Comment
jjgold
SBR Aristocracy
07-20-05
388208
#14
I bet he will be a leader in prison
Comment
itchypickle
SBR Posting Legend
11-05-09
21452
#15
Won't be a 'tight end' much longer after the brothers welcome him to the showers
I wonder if Tebow will visit him in prison to help him find Jesus
Comment
Bcatswin
SBR Posting Legend
12-21-10
13931
#16
He will run his own crew, they will all be on him and his money.
Comment
dfish
SBR MVP
12-17-10
2730
#17
He'll be able to hear the Gillete crowd on Gameday
When you're accused of committing murder and you're laughing and smiling in court (which he did at times), how I am supposed to believe that you're innocent? Someone who is innocent would be shitting bricks thinking that they're being accused of a crime that they didn't commit. Pretty brutal sentence, but pretty brutal crime.
Comment
Slanina
SBR MVP
01-21-09
3828
#19
You can take the thug out of the hood, but you can't take the thug out of the thug. Good riddance.
Comment
Itsamazing777
SBR Posting Legend
11-14-12
11493
#20
Why do people keep saying he will get raped lol. He is bigger and stronger than 99 percent of the people there
Comment
Fidel_CashFlow
SBR Aristocracy
12-03-12
53972
#21
Originally posted by jjgold
I bet he will be a leader in prison
he got what he deserved, and JJgold is prolly right here
dude is not a bitch .....not invincible though, anyone can be jumped or caught off guard
not saying he wont ever be killed but I bet he has a grasp on a fair share of things that go on in the prison hes at
Comment
Slanina
SBR MVP
01-21-09
3828
#22
Originally posted by Itsamazing777
Why do people keep saying he will get raped lol. He is bigger and stronger than 99 percent of the people there
I don't get why people say that all the time too. He will be a rockstar in prison if anything.
Comment
Big Bear
SBR Aristocracy
11-01-11
43253
#23
what makes these players great on the field is the same character trait that gets them in trouble off the field.
These football players are modern day gladiators and its a very violent sport. Naturally its hard for these thugs to turn the violence off when they go out in every day life.
No other American Sport has as many trouble makers. Even NBA know how to act right when they are out in civilization but NFL players are nothing more than animals for the most part.
Comment
jjgold
SBR Aristocracy
07-20-05
388208
#24
Originally posted by Big Bear
what makes these players great on the field is the same character trait that gets them in trouble off the field.
These football players are modern day gladiators and its a very violent sport. Naturally its hard for these thugs to turn the violence off when they go out in every day life.
No other American Sport has as many trouble makers. Even NBA know how to act right when they are out in civilization but NFL players are nothing more than animals for the most part.
yes..rarely do you hear of nba players in trouble
Comment
BigBusiness
SBR MVP
09-16-12
3226
#25
Try not to drop the soap you bitch ass n1gga!
Comment
recon1
SBR MVP
08-13-12
2579
#26
Hernandez = a waste of oxygen. Had it all…….
Comment
itchypickle
SBR Posting Legend
11-05-09
21452
#27
Originally posted by Itsamazing777
Why do people keep saying he will get raped lol. He is bigger and stronger than 99 percent of the people there
One on one maybe. But have you ever known thugs to go that route? I'm sure it won't be a gen pop type thing but eventually he'll piss off the wrong person/group or guard (non patriots fan) who'll arrange for some bad things.
He might be a rockstar to some, but that means he'll be even more hated by others for that very reason.
Comment
Big Bear
SBR Aristocracy
11-01-11
43253
#28
Originally posted by jjgold
yes..rarely do you hear of nba players in trouble
baseball players stay out of trouble for the most part too.
biggest issue with them is the constant failing of drug test for PED's.
Comment
INVEGA MAN
SBR Hall of Famer
01-30-08
6785
#29
Big Bubby will do a good job expanding that ass
Comment
jjgold
SBR Aristocracy
07-20-05
388208
#30
Bear were you ever a gangster type??
I do not picture you that way
Good luck Bro
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recon1
SBR MVP
08-13-12
2579
#31
Originally posted by itchypickle
One on one maybe. But have you ever known thugs to go that route? I'm sure it won't be a gen pop type thing but eventually he'll piss off the wrong person/group or guard (non patriots fan) who'll arrange for some bad things.
He might be a rockstar to some, but that means he'll be even more hated by others for that very reason.
He will not be GP, he will be "protective custody" Hernandez will require lot's of cash to Control, care and keep custody of.
Comment
Big Bear
SBR Aristocracy
11-01-11
43253
#32
Originally posted by INVEGA MAN
Big Bubby will do a good job expanding that ass
lol gross
Comment
JMobile
SBR Posting Legend
08-21-10
19078
#33
Can't wait for this movie to come out at a theater near you.