The Aaron Hernandez murder case is in superior court in Boston after an arraignment earlier in the month and with his next trial date approaching, the defense team likely will get another chance at bail and the first steps will be taken to schedule a trial in the case.
According to the Boston Herald, Hernandez is due back in court on October 9 and that say will likely have a number of issues on the table, including schedules for pretrial activities as well as more information about when an actual trial may take place. Hernandez is still currently locked up on first degree murder charges in the shooting death of former semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd and he could be facing life in prison if he is convicted of the charges.
Hernandez is also charged with five other gun charges, which likely means he will be in jail for at least some time no matter what, even if he is not convicted of murder. The shocking story came out last June and the Patriots were stunned to find out that Hernandez may have been involved in a murder. The body of Lloyd was found in mid-June in an industrial park near Hernandez's home and he was arrested a week later. The Patriot's released him the day he was arrested despite giving him a $40 million contract extension previously and now he is locked up in solitary confinement in the Bristol House of Correction until he is set to be back in court.
Hernandez was considered to be one of the best young tight ends in football and now his career could be over depending on the outcome of the case. The house near where Lloyd was found was shared by Hernandez and his fiancé Shayanna Jenkins as well as his young baby daughter, but now Jenkins is left alone outside of jail to raise their child alone.
Jenkins has been staying out of the public spotlight since the case first went live and she has appeared in court to support Hernandez multiple times. Jenkins was in court with Hernandez's mother for his arraignment in superior court earlier this month and now he will be facing more challenges ahead. The defense has said that the case is circumstantial and that the evidence does not add up and they also have cited the fact that no murder weapon has yet been found.
Hernandez is possibly linked to a double murder in Boston and the Lloyd case likely will go to trial sometime next year. In the real world, the Patriots are playing on without him and quarterback Tom Brady has said that the team has had to adjust to life without their tight ends, as Rob Gronkowski has been out with an injury. Brady said to NESN in Boston that the team has had to rely on rookies Kenbrell Thompkins and Aaron Dobson along with Julian Edelman and that the offense has been dealing with the absence of the tight end.
Hernandez stands accused of first degree murder and while a jury may not convict him, the whole ordeal is a black mark for the Patriots and the NFL. Hernandez likely will argue that the best witness for the state in Carlos Ortiz is not credible and there is still plenty that will happen and will come out until a trial starts.