Aaron Hernandez Trial Closing Arguments, Verdict Anticipated Next Week: Here’s What To Expect
Closing statements in the Aaron Hernandez murder trial are expected early next week, with the prosecution expecting to rest by the end of by Thursday or Friday of this week. According to ESPN reporter Michele Steele, a verdict in the trial that started two months ago could also come as early as next week.
Here’s what to expect this week as the trial winds down, including a current trial schedule. Watch the Aaron Hernandez trial live streaming online (while court is in session) in the video player at the bottom of this post.
There was a full day of testimony on Tuesday, with the prosecution calling several witnesses to the stand. The most buzzed about witnesses were New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft; and the team’s chief of security, Mark Briggs. Hernandez’s friend Robert Paradis; Odin Lloyd’s friend, Daryl Hodge; FBI agent Eric Perry; and Massachusetts State Trooper Chris Dumont also testified on Tuesday.
Wednesday (April 1) will be a half-day in the Fall River courtroom, with testimony expected to end at approximately 1 p.m. According to the Boston Globe, Alexander Bradley and a state medical examiner are on the witness list for the prosecution.
Bradley is a former friend of Hernandez who claims the former NFL star shot him between the eyes in Florida back in February 2013. According to NECN, Judge E. Susan Garsh will not allow Bradley to take the stand until she questions him on Wednesday morning without the jury present. She has already ruled that he cannot testify about the shooting in Florida.
A motion has been filed by the defense to bar Bradley from testifying because the risk of a mistrial is “unacceptably high.”
#Hernandez defense has filed motion to bar Alexander Bradley from testifying tomorrow. #WCVB #AaronHernandez pic.twitter.com/8QolJoHPiU — Liam Martin (@LiamWCVB) March 31, 2015
Judge Garsh announced earlier in the week that Thursday will be a full day, and Friday will be a half-day. With at least 124 witnesses called to the witness stand over the past nine weeks, it’s possible that the prosecution will call several more witnesses (in addition to Bradley and the state medical examiner) right through to the end of the week.
Barring any scheduling or jury issues, the defense team for the former New England Patriots tight end is expected to call their first witness on Monday, April 6. According to Yahoo Sports, the defense informed Judge Garsh that defense testimony should not last longer than “a single day.”
If Aaron Hernandez’s defense only puts on one witness, that signals his lawyers believe the prosecution failed to prove its case to jurors. — Michael McCann (@McCannSportsLaw) March 31, 2015
If the defense rests on Monday, trial watchers can expect closing arguments on Tuesday or Wednesday. According to Sports Illustrated legal analyst Michael McCann, there is no limit on time given to present the arguments, but it’s typical for “lawyers try to keep it concise or jurors lose attention.”
Watch the Aaron Hernandez murder trial live streaming online below when court is in session. Follow the trial on your mobile device by downloading the free Livestream app for the iPhone or Android smartphone.
[Image: Concord Monitor]
