Former NFL tight end Aaron Hernandez was charged with first degree murder and arrested on Wednesday for his role in the murder of 27-year-old Odin Lloyd and now the recently released Patriots star could face a penalty of life in prison without parole and one thing he can do to help is to get married to his girlfriend Shayanna Jenkins.
According to Pro Football Talk, if Hernandez marries his fiancée, under Massachusetts law a spouse does not have to testify in a "trial of an indictment, complaint, or other criminal proceeding brought against the other spouse." While that may look bad on its face, it could be a move that the defense will use.
Hernandez was arrested by authorities on Wednesday morning before 9 AM and was later arraigned in Attleboro court, where the charges of first degree murder and five other gun charges were announced. Hernandez was released by the Patriots after the arrest and now his NFL career is in complete jeopardy, as a trial could result in a guilty verdict that has a maximum sentence of life in prison without any parole. The 23-year-old tight end has been investigated by police for over a week and after conflicting reports about his arrest, he was taken in with a warrant on Wednesday.
Hernandez was connected to Lloyd through his girlfriend, as her sister was dating Lloyd and on Wednesday the prosecution presented their timeline of events, which culminated in the "execution" style murder of the victim. Hernandez was painted as a willing participant and leader in the murder and the lawyer for the state also said that video surveillance showed him with a gun and saying that he couldn't trust people anymore.
The body was found last week by a jogger and since then Hernandez has been one of the prime suspects, with the police searching his home and surrounding areas on multiple days. The authorities did not find the murder weapon yet, but they were able to get information from Hernandez's cell phone and security system despite them being damaged, which is why there was no obstruction of justice charge. Hernandez is now facing multiple charges for guns, including having a firearm without a license and also for owning high-capacity guns without proper clearance.
The case prompted the Patriots to release him despite a near $8 million cap hit and now his NFL career could be finished after just three seasons. Hernandez has been one of the biggest offensive threats for the team and with Rob Gronkowski coming off surgery, he was expected to be a big contributor on offense.
