Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez is scheduled to be in court on Thursday for a probable cause hearing and while lawyers were expected to present evidence to determine probable cause, they are now going to formally indict him for the murder of Odin Lloyd and will present the evidence.
According to ESPN.com and ABC News, lawyers will be formally indicted for the murder in court on Thursday in Attleboro and he will be officially arraigned in court. Hernandez would have had the chance to argue for his release if lawyers were not ready to indict him on the murder charges, but clearly that is not the case now. His original probable cause hearing was scheduled for July and was pushed back after a request from state lawyers, as they had more evidence to present to the grand jury in the case.
Hernandez was charged with first degree murder and he has pleaded not guilty to the crimes. Lloyd was found dead less than a mile from his home in North Attleboro and he was arrested the following week after police gathered evidence. Hernandez was denied bail twice and was arraigned and after he was arrested, the Patriots decided to release him from the team. Hernandez is facing life in prison for the crimes and his football career is likely finished as well.
Hernandez originally was agitated with police before they arrested him and lawyers painted him as the leader in the murder, with the crime stemming from a dispute with Lloyd at a nightclub. Video from that night at the club has been seen by both sides and reports have come out that Hernandez may be connected to another double murder, which may have been the motive for Lloyd's killing. The Boston Globe reported that Lloyd may have had knowledge of the situation and that could have been the reason he was killed.
The indictment came after the grand jury was presented with evidence and the lawyers wanted to get the indictment in before the probable cause hearing, as they wanted to ensure that he stayed behind bars. The defense has called the case circumstantial, while the state believes that the evidence is overwhelming in the case. Hernandez was denied bail because he was considered a flight risk and two of his accomplices, Ernest Wallace and Carlos Ortiz are also in custody.
Hernandez is tied to the murder through shell casings, cell phone messages, video surveillance as well as other evidence. Hernandez knew Lloyd through his fiancé, as Lloyd was reportedly dating his fiancé's sister at the time of his death. Reports have said that there is a chance the murder had to do with drugs and the background of Hernandez has come under scrutiny as well for his time at Florida and after being drafted by the Pats.
