None of us know what happened on the night Odin Lloyd died. Only those that were there know who actually pulled the trigger. Even after today's verdict, we still don't know if Aaron Hernandez did it or if, as he claimed, it was his two co-defendants. It doesn't matter. Because Aaron Hernandez was convicted of first-degree murder and will spend the rest of his life in prison.
This case obviously captivated the nation and there are plenty that don't agree with the jury's verdict (did you see what Brandon Spikes, who's obviously not the sharpest tool in the shed, put on Twitter?), but ultimately, they didn't really have a choice. Hernandez's lawyers admitted he was at the scene. Once they did that (which they had to, since the evidence had already put him there), it was over. Why was he there if he didn't commit the murder? That was a question the defense couldn't answer. So, it was left up to the jury to fill in the gaps. And there was only one conclusion they could come to.
Even without a murder weapon, the defense couldn't prove that Hernandez didn't kill Lloyd. One of the great things about the American legal system is that you're innocent until proven guilty, and in order to convict someone of a crime the jury has to be convinced of their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. What made the Hernandez case so difficult, though, is that it was impossible for the defense to prove he was innocent beyond a reasonable doubt. While no one knows if Hernandez actually killed Lloyd, all of the evidence indicates that he did. Is there some doubt? Probably. But enough for the jury to be swayed? Clearly not.
All 12 members of the jury spoke to the media on their way out of the courtroom today, and all of them said that they were shocked Hernandez's team placed him at the scene. That's what convinced them of his guilt, they said. Although some of them probably did have some doubt, which is probably why it took them so long to deliberate. But, ultimately, they couldn't reconcile him being at the scene of the murder and not being involved, which left them with only one verdict they could possibly reach.
The thing that convinced me the most of Hernandez's guilt was his reaction when the verdict was read. "On the count of murder in the first degree, what say you? Guilty." No reaction whatsoever. No emotions. No remorse. Just a blank stare. He looked like a very guilty man. He did sit down later as the remaining charges and guilty verdicts were read, but Hernandez's non-reaction looked to me like a man realizing he didn't get away with it like he thought he would. If he actually hadn't done it, there would've been much more of a reaction when the verdict was read.
There were too many holes in Hernandez's story to come to any other conclusion. His defense team's strategy was always a bit of a longshot, too. He was targeted by police because he was famous? C'mon. Then how come he wasn't arrested until weeks after the murder? The police interviewed him as a witness long before he was a person of interest. It was only after their thorough investigation and all the evidence pointed towards him that Hernandez became a suspect. If he was "being targeted," why wasn't he arrested immediately?
They never did present a motive, but they did a good enough job of suggesting some possible reasons for the murder. Aaron Hernandez enjoyed being in the NFL and he felt entitled because he was. In his mind, it was a privilege just to be in his presence. And Odin Lloyd either didn't understand or didn't respect that. Hernandez clearly wasn't hanging around the right people or making the best decisions.
Let's not forget, he's also awaiting trial on two other murder charges. When the judge told the jury that, they knew they made the right decision. Because no matter what the verdict in that case is, it doesn't change the verdict in this one. Hernandez can appeal, but the chances of that being successful appear highly unlikely.
Of course, the sad irony is that two of the three high-profile murder cases that the sports world has been following took place in the Boston area. Boston marathon bomber Dzokhar Tsarnayev was convicted last week and the death penalty is on the table when the sentencing portion of his trial begins. If he does get the death penalty, which I believe he should for what he did, Tsarnayev might actually get off easier than Hernandez. Because Hernandez will definitely spend the rest of his days behind bars. And that could be 60 years or more!
That's the saddest thing of all. Aaron Hernandez had it all. He was one of the best tight ends in the NFL and he had a $40 million contract with the New England Patriots. But instead of reporting to Gillette Stadium on Sundays, Hernandez will instead spend the remainder of his life at a maximum security prison 1.5 miles away. A career so full of promise. Then he threw it all away. What a waste!
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