Lawyers for Aaron Hernandez, the convicted killer and former New England Patriots star, won a partial reprieve Friday when the judge in his upcoming double murder trial agreed to delay the start date for about two weeks.
Jury selection will begin as scheduled on Feb. 13, but the chosen jurors will not be sworn until March 1, to allow for “additional ... defense preparation,” Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Locke wrote in a brief order.
Hernandez, 27, is charged with two counts of murder for the fatal drive-by shootings of Daniel de Abreu, 29, and Safiro Furtado, 28, on July 16, 2012, in Boston. He is also charged with shooting a former friend, Alexander Bradley, in south Florida in February 2013 in an effort to silence Bradley about the killings.
Bradley survived and is expected to testify for prosecutors. He was allegedly with Hernandez at the time of the murders.
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Locke wrote that at least 600 prospective jurors are expected to be questioned over a period of three days.
“Given the ‘high-profile’ nature of the case, the impanelment process likely will be lengthy and involved,” Locke wrote.
Hernandez is already serving a life sentence for the June 2013 execution-style slaying of Odin Lloyd, 27, of Dorchester. He is appealing his first-degree murder conviction in that case.
Also Friday, Locke ruled that Hernandez’s lawyers will have access to physical evidence pertaining to the shooting of Bradley that is currently in the possession of law enforcement officials in Florida, in order to conduct testing.
In an unrelated case, Bradley was sentenced earlier this month in Connecticut to a five-year prison term for shooting up a Hartford nightclub in February 2014. He has been jailed since his arrest immediately after the shooting and will receive credit for time served, court records show.
At his sentencing hearing on Jan. 9, Bradley told the judge, “I’m not the same person that I was three years ago. It was a tumultuous time in my life,” according to a transcript of the hearing. “I was going through some traumatic events. And thank you. That’s it. I’m just grateful for the opportunity to be released.”
The judge responded, “Well, you’re moving toward reintroduction into society with this sentence and I wish you well. I hope you take care of whatever problems you do have.”
Jury selection will begin as scheduled on Feb. 13, but the chosen jurors will not be sworn until March 1, to allow for “additional ... defense preparation,” Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Locke wrote in a brief order.
Hernandez, 27, is charged with two counts of murder for the fatal drive-by shootings of Daniel de Abreu, 29, and Safiro Furtado, 28, on July 16, 2012, in Boston. He is also charged with shooting a former friend, Alexander Bradley, in south Florida in February 2013 in an effort to silence Bradley about the killings.
Bradley survived and is expected to testify for prosecutors. He was allegedly with Hernandez at the time of the murders.
Get Fast Forward in your inbox:
Forget yesterday's news. Get what you need today in this early-morning email.
Locke wrote that at least 600 prospective jurors are expected to be questioned over a period of three days.
“Given the ‘high-profile’ nature of the case, the impanelment process likely will be lengthy and involved,” Locke wrote.
Hernandez is already serving a life sentence for the June 2013 execution-style slaying of Odin Lloyd, 27, of Dorchester. He is appealing his first-degree murder conviction in that case.
Also Friday, Locke ruled that Hernandez’s lawyers will have access to physical evidence pertaining to the shooting of Bradley that is currently in the possession of law enforcement officials in Florida, in order to conduct testing.
In an unrelated case, Bradley was sentenced earlier this month in Connecticut to a five-year prison term for shooting up a Hartford nightclub in February 2014. He has been jailed since his arrest immediately after the shooting and will receive credit for time served, court records show.
At his sentencing hearing on Jan. 9, Bradley told the judge, “I’m not the same person that I was three years ago. It was a tumultuous time in my life,” according to a transcript of the hearing. “I was going through some traumatic events. And thank you. That’s it. I’m just grateful for the opportunity to be released.”
The judge responded, “Well, you’re moving toward reintroduction into society with this sentence and I wish you well. I hope you take care of whatever problems you do have.”
