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[SliceSabre]

They found him guilty!?

Woow! I swear the media made it seem like there was reasonable doubt that he would do time.

 

[kmag]

some people on twitter are complaining about the charge..saying how could they give him first degree with no murder weapon or witnesses?

i dont know much about law, can someone help me out

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/aaron-...t-proven-he-pulled-the-trigger-010829290.html

There was more than enough evidence to prove that he was at the scene of the murder. In fact in summation the defence admitted that. Under Massachusetts' "joint venture" law the prosecution did not have to prove that Hernandez pulled the trigger, only that

the defendant knowingly participated in the commission of this crime and second, he did so with the intent required to commit the crime

Being there with foreknowledge of what was to happen was enough. They showed him driving a car, he hired with associates he invited by urgent request to come that night, to the scene of the crime. He then returned home with those same associates and did not inform police that he had witness the murder, and let the 'murderers' he invited sleep in his house.

I'm surprised other than the celeb factor that anyone thought it was an unlikely conviction.

 

[GalacticMouse]

some people on twitter are complaining about the charge..saying how could they give him first degree with no murder weapon or witnesses?

i dont know much about law, can someone help me out

First Degree is more serious as it requires premeditation (planning the killing) and malice aforethought (you've shown that you want to kill that person).

Second Degree murder requires malice aforethought, but not premeditation.

Having no murder weapon and witnesses makes it hard to convict on either of those charges, but shouldn't preclude the prosecution from showing the differentiating factor, premeditation.

In this case, they were able to show that Hernandez's attitude towards Lloyd had changed in a short time period and that he called his two friends from CT throughout the day and ensured they were there for the murder (which he admittedly witnessed). Among other details, it seems that was enough for this jury to make the jump from second to first degree.

Also, even though they don't have the murder weapon, they have a lot of videos from Hernandez's security system of him flashing around a gun that night and they had an eyewitness testimony claiming that Hernandez owned the type of gun that was used to kill Lloyd.

 

[Double D]

Wow. I mean, I knew this was the way it should be but had some doubt about if they'd find him guilty of murder 1. I guess justice is served. Thanks again for all the updates, Odinson!

 

[Link]

They found him guilty!?

Woow! I swear the media made it seem like there was reasonable doubt that he would do time.

Would you say it seemed razor tight?

 

[Odinson]

He has been sentenced to life without the possibility of parole and 3-4 years on the gun charges.

 

[LyleLanley]

"Hernandez sentenced to MCI-Cedar Junction in Walpole, where he can probably hear Gillette Stadium on Sundays from the yard." - @GregABedard

That's going to hurt.

 

[Link]

"Hernandez sentenced to MCI-Cedar Junction in Walpole, where he can probably hear Gillette Stadium on Sundays from the yard." - @GregABedard

That's going to hurt.

Damn, that's almost cruel and unusual punishment.

Almost.

 

[LQX]

He has been sentenced to life without the possibility of parole and 3-4 years on the gun charges.

So will the other trials still go forward? If they do they will be a massive waste of money.

 

[Freedom = $1.05]

So will the other trials still go forward? If they do they will be a massive waste of money.

don't those families deserve closure, too, though?

 

[Goro Majima]

So will the other trials still go forward? If they do they will be a massive waste of money.

You never know with appeals so it's probably better to lock him down with two separate cases.

 

[LQX]

don't those families deserve closure, too, though?

I did not think about that...they do.

You never know with appeals so it's probably better to lock him down with two separate cases.

Hmm that makes perfect sense also.


Done and done.

 

[Random Painted HIghway]

Seems the correct result. I like juries to actually deliberate, it shows respect to the parties and the process and that they aren't taking anything lihpghtly considering what's at stake,

Great thread as well, thanks for the updates, very interesting.

 

[MIMIC]

This interview with the jurors is bizarre as fuck

EDIT: it's enlightening, but given the verdict....the mood just feels strange

 

[TheLostBigBoss]

Hopefully the jury doesn't say something dumb and throw the case out.

 

[Fjordson]

Just want to say thanks to Odinson for all his updates in here. Been a really fascinating / slightly scary read.

Weird for me to think that Hernandez is slightly younger than I am and his life is basically over as a free man. What a waste.

 

[boredofcanada]

Thanks for the thread Odinson.

 

[FyreWulff]

some people on twitter are complaining about the charge..saying how could they give him first degree with no murder weapon or witnesses?

i dont know much about law, can someone help me out

The state only has to prove to the jury beyond a reasonable doubt that the person is guilty. There's no material requirements or anything else, just "beyond a reasonable doubt".

If all you had to do was kill all the witnesses and destroy the weapon for every murder case to escape conviction, we'd basically never be able to have trials.

 

[LyleLanley]

"Jurors admit Kraft's testimony was "compelling." AH told Kraft he hoped time of murder became public. "How did he know?" asked juror" - @GregABedard

They bring up a rather good point but I don't think that even matters since the defense admitted that he was there during the murder right?

 

[pompidu]

Just want to say thanks to Odinson for all his updates in here. Been a really fascinating / slightly scary read.

Weird for me to think that Hernandez is slightly younger than I am and his life is basically over as a free man. What a waste.

Plus he was making 10$ million a year. So fucking dumb.

 

[LyleLanley]

Plus he was making 10$ million a year. So fucking dumb.

He had everything going for him in life and pretty much all he had to do was not murder someone.

 

[Slayven]

$40M down the drain to be a gangster.

I can never phantom that reasoning. For 40 mil you can hire a PR firm to make it sound like you are the realist dude on the streets

 

[Ninja Scooter]

His reaction after the verdict is read is weird. I mean, how do you know how you will react to something as crazy as being found guilty of murder, but he almost just looks sorta bummed a little, like he just found out he was being benched for a game or something.

 

[norm9]

Gangsta for life doing life.

 

[Slayven]

His reaction after the verdict is read is weird. I mean, how do you know how you will react to something as crazy as being found guilty of murder, but he almost just looks sorta bummed a little, like he just found out he was being benched for a game or something.

Or he drove up to popeyes for a 2 piece and they out of chicken.

 

[PillarEN]

I'm glad he got life but no parole? Maybe I'm too forgiving but I think there ought to be a chance at parole.

 

[Angry Grimace]

His reaction after the verdict is read is weird. I mean, how do you know how you will react to something as crazy as being found guilty of murder, but he almost just looks sorta bummed a little, like he just found out he was being benched for a game or something.

Perhaps he's not so shocked about being convicted of a crime he obviously committed.

 

[Odinson]

I'm glad he got life but no parole? Maybe I'm too forgiving but I think there ought to be a chance at parole.

In states which do not impose the death penalty, conviction on a first degree murder charge with aggravating factors generally results in a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. In many states which do have the death penalty, an aggravated first degree murder conviction draws life in prison without parole if the prosecution does not seek, or fails to convince the court, to impose the death penalty.

Massachusetts does not have the death penalty.

 

[djplaeskool]

I'm glad he got life but no parole? Maybe I'm too forgiving but I think there ought to be a chance at parole.

With no death penalty, it's the only outcome for Murder in the 1st. 2nd degree grants parole opportunities after 15 years, I think. Someone in a prior post mentioned it.

 

[BobTheFork]

D: Wow I did not think he was get convicted.

Thanks for all the thread updates, it was a good read.




So, thoughts? Did his defense just not do enough or maybe did all it could and it didn't matter? I thought he was guilty but without a smoking gun I was very skeptical about convicting a famous athlete.

I'm a legal ignoramus but I was surprised that his defense dropped the 'he was there but didn't do it' tag so late in the trail. They spent so much times refuting all of the evidence about the gun and the shoes and everything that put him at the scene. It's as if they realized it wasn't working and just said 'ok, he WAS there, but he didn't do it and was just a kid who didn't know what to do' That seems like a hail Mary and it buried him.

I'd love to hear an educated opinion.

 

[CapitalismSucks DonkeyBalls]

I'm a legal ignoramus but I was surprised that his defense dropped the 'he was there but didn't do it' tag so late in the trail. They spent so much times refuting all of the evidence about the gun and the shoes and everything that put him at the scene. It's as if they realized it wasn't working and just said 'ok, he WAS there, but he didn't do it and was just a kid who didn't know what to do' That seems like a hail Mary and it buried him.

I'd love to hear an educated opinion.

That's exactly what happened. Their main strategy was having AH's fiancée not clarify anything surrounding AH being at the murder, having a gun, etc. They tried positing that PCP-induced psychosis had something to do with the murder. When that got refuted, they said if we put him at the scene of the crime, we can hope for a Murder 2 as an accomplice with eligibility for parole. That was literally the best option for AH at that point.

 

[elrechazado]

Tom Brady must be legit shook to know he was so close to a sociopath.

I think after all this time he is used to being around belichek

 

[TheSeks]

Given all the shit he got away with at Florida, you might have walked next to a current murderer.

I'm really wondering what Tebow is thinking, given Tebow is the one that basically protected his ass after a bar fight on University IIRC.

 

[CitizenCope]

This interview with the jurors is bizarre as fuck

EDIT: it's enlightening, but given the verdict....the mood just feels strange

I missed it but they are ripping the jurors on the radio for the laughter. Wish I saw it.

 

[YoungHav]

I can never phantom that reasoning. For 40 mil you can hire a PR firm to make it sound like you are the realist dude on the streets

Lmao imagine if some athlete did that?

 

[graffix13]

That's exactly what happened. Their main strategy was having AH's fiancée not clarify anything surrounding AH being at the murder, having a gun, etc. They tried positing that PCP-induced psychosis had something to do with the murder. When that got refuted, they said if we put him at the scene of the crime, we can hope for a Murder 2 as an accomplice with eligibility for parole. That was literally the best option for AH at that point.

Thanks. That makes sense.

I was wondering myself why the defense admitted he was there, as that is just admitting guilt pretty much.

But they were going for a Murder 2 instead of Murder 1 at that point.

 

[Tallshortman]

I'm glad he got life but no parole? Maybe I'm too forgiving but I think there ought to be a chance at parole.

That's the mandatory sentence for his conviction. If he was in Texas we may be talking about death penalty instead.

 

[YoungHav]

Tom Brady must be legit shook to know he was so close to a sociopath.

He probably wanted Hernandez all to himself with his Dexter looking ass.

 

[Measley]

Was there a reason why he did it? Its amazing to me that this guy would throw it all away to be a killer. What an idiot.

He's also only 25. Couldn't imagine going to jail for life at 25. That's the prime of your life.

 

[CapitalismSucks DonkeyBalls]

Was there a reason why he did it? Its amazing to me that this guy would throw it all away to be a killer. What an idiot.

He's also only 25. Couldn't imagine going to jail for life at 25. That's the prime of your life.

Motive was never clearly stated, but it was clear that his relationship with Lloyd had soured days leading up to the murder. It could have been related to: (1) Lloyd had knowledge of AH's involvement with the 2012 double murder and wanted him quieted; or, (2) he was interacting with guys that AH didn't like or had issue with.

1 seems more likely than 2, especially if the double-murder goes to trial and he is linked to it.

 

[xbhaskarx]

Wow can't believe a rich guy actually got convicted of murder in the US.

Tom Brady must be legit shook to know he was so close to a sociopath.

Bill Belichick has nothing to do with this thread

lol

 

[theechrisfox]

"Hernandez sentenced to MCI-Cedar Junction in Walpole, where he can probably hear Gillette Stadium on Sundays from the yard." - @GregABedard

That's going to hurt.

Reminds me of Alcatraz, where inmates were said to hear laughter and merriment breezing in from the main land at night. I am pretty much ok with reminding murderers of all they are missing out on.

 

[Armaros]

Circumstantial evidence is more than enough in many cases.

More then that, the majority of all evidence used in court is circumstantial, if you couldn't convict with just circumstantial evidence, you basically wont ever get any convictions.

 

[JNA]

I guess Aaron should have called Saul.

Justice served though. Thank goodness we didn't get another Ray Lewis situation.

 

[GregLombardi]

Thanks to Odinson, I popped in this thread often. Kind of crazy that the jury came down so hard on him after so many days of deliberations but it did in fact seem as though he was obviously guilty. Mass. law doesn't help Hernandez either given what's required for guilty on first degree.

Crazy!

 

[timetokill]

Thanks again to Odinson.

it looks like justice is served. Aaron thought he was bulletproof.

This is kind of surreal to me because I would see him around campus. Weird that I've walked next to a future murderer.

Urban let players get away with all sorts of shit, who knows what else he did there.

 

[Griss]

Absolutely sterling investigative police work followed by super prosecuting.

Kudos all around. If not for the varied efforts of all of these different people, a murderer might be walking free tonight.

 

[El_Presidente]

What was the supposed reason for AH killing Lloyd?

 

[Freedom = $1.05]

What was the supposed reason for AH killing Lloyd?

the consensus seems that Odin might have had info regarding the other two murders AH is being charged for and he was just covering his tracks.

 

[BobTheFork]

the consensus seems that Odin might have had info regarding the other two murders AH is being charged for and he was just covering his tracks.

Brilliant!