Patriots’ Robert Kraft Testifies In Aaron Hernandez Trial: ‘He Hugged And Kissed Me, Said He Was Innocent’
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft testified in the Aaron Hernandez murder trial on Tuesday, telling both the prosecution and the defense that he offered his support to the former NFL star prior to his arrest in the Odin Lloyd case.
Kraft, the second witness in Day 37 of the trial, spent less than 30 minutes on the witness stand at Bristol Superior Court in Fall River, Massachusetts. He spoke positively about his relationship with Hernandez and stated that Aaron “hugged and kissed” him and said he was innocent when they spoke at Gillette Stadium about the death of Odin Lloyd.
RT cbsboston: Watch: #Patriots Owner Robert Kraft Answers Defense Questions In Aaron #HernandezTrial … pic.twitter.com/BCqXX0oeco
— bobarcher (@bobarcher1) March 31, 2015
According to the Boston Globe, Kraft told prosecution that he talked privately with Hernandez and wanted to know if he was involved in Lloyd’s death. Hernandez looked Kraft “in the eyes” and told him that he was “innocent.”
“I understood there was an incident that had transpired and I wanted to know whether he was involved…. He said he was not involved, that he was innocent.”
While on the witness stand, Kraft told prosecutor William McCauley that he spoke to Aaron for about “5 to 10 minutes” and he told the Patriots owner that he hoped “the time of the event [murder] came out because he was in a club” the night that it happened.
Kraft: My main focus was to see if he was involved or not, and what I could do to help him #AaronHernandez
— Brian Fraga (@BfragaHN) March 31, 2015
When McCauley asked Kraft if Aaron stated what time the murder happened, Judge E. Susan Garsh quickly sustained the defense team’s objection to the question.
Robert Kraft on Aaron Hernandez in August 2012: “Wow, this guy’s a good guy.” http://t.co/AUQQj72GaU pic.twitter.com/GzGYnCjKkN — Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) March 31, 2015
Kraft was then questioned by the defense and stated to attorney Michael Fee that he “never had any problems” with Hernandez in the past. He asked Aaron to “look him in the eyes” and tell the truth about the Odin Lloyd murder; Aaron stated that he was telling the truth and was not involved.
Fee ends cross exam asking Kraft if he ever had problems with #AaronHernandez. Kraft says no. — Brian Fraga (@BfragaHN) March 31, 2015
Hernandez, 25, has been on trial since the end of January. He pleaded not guilty to murder and weapons charges in the June 17, 2013, murder of Lloyd, 27. The semi-pro football player, who lived in Dorchester, Massachusetts, was found shot to death in an open area in an industrial park not far from the former Patriots players’ home in North Attleboro.
NBC Sports reports that Patriots coach Bill Belichick and linebacker Brandon Spikes are also on the witness list. It is unknown when they will be called to the witness stand.
According to Mass Live, the prosecution could rest as early as the end of the week or early next week. Watch the Aaron Hernandez trial live streaming online — 37th day of testimony continues until 4 p.m. on Tuesday.
[Image: Twitter]
