Former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez is locked up in the Bristol County House of Corrections while awaiting trial for the murder of semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd and the next time the tight end will appear in court is scheduled for this week, as he is set for a probable cause hearing.
According to the Boston Herald, Hernandez is scheduled to appear in court this week, tentatively on Wednesday and this comes after the 156-page court document involving eight search warrants was unsealed last week. Hernandez's accomplice Carlos Ortiz revealed to authorities that another accomplice said to him that the tight end admitted to the crime, while the defense says that the evidence in the case is circumstantial. Hernandez had a swift fall after being arrested by the police and the Patriots released him soon after the news came out and just before he was officially charged with first degree murder.
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Hernandez is being held in solitary confinement while in jail for his safety, as authorities said that having him in the general population could be dangerous for him and someone could try and make an example because of his notoriety. Hernandez is in a small cell after living with his girlfriend and child in the North Attleboro mansion he was arrested at and that home is near where the body of Lloyd was found. When the authorities first started speaking to Hernandez, he was agitated with police and he later called his fiance and told her to stop speaking with the authorities on advice of his agents.
Hernandez is tied to the murder through shell casings, security footage evidence, clothing and a rental car and he could be facing life in prison for the charges. Hernandez appeared in court twice after being arrested, including for his arraignment and then later for a bail hearing. Hernandez's girlfriend Shayanna Jenkins was present for both of those hearings, but it is unclear if she will again be in court when Hernandez appears this week. Jenkins is eligible to visit Hernandez in the cell area that he is being held, but it has yet to be confirmed if she has come to see him in lockup or not. Jenkins was visibly emotional in court both times and after he was denied bail she was seen crying while leaving the courtroom.
Police are still searching for the murder weapon and more details have come out about how Hernandez and Lloyd met, which was originally through Hernandez's fiance, as her sister was dating Lloyd for quite some time and was reportedly with him at the time of his death. Hernandez is now facing life in prison and his NFL career is likely over after being released by the Patriots despite giving him a $40 million contract last year and now the team will have to pay a salary cap penalty for that as well
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