What’s In a Friend? Why the Relationship Between Aaron Hernandez and Odin Lloyd Matters
One key factor that may have great influence on whether or not Aaron Hernandez is convicted for murdering Odin Lloyd is simple in concept: friendship.
During the first week of testimony, much of the contention between the prosecution and defense revolved around the relationship between the former Patriots star tight end and the semi-professional football player.
Prosecutors argued that Hernandez murdered — or conspired to murder — Lloyd because he was the only person seen with Lloyd the night of his death that had a relationship with him. Meanwhile, the defense has tried to capitalize upon that relationship as a reason Hernandez would not have committed the murder, as defense attorney Michael Fee asked in his opening statement, “Why would he kill his friend Odin?’’
“It’s classic advocacy,’’ said Boston criminal defense attorney Martin Weinberg. “They’re doing their best to integrate evidence into a persuasive argument that there is reasonable doubt.’’
Jenkins, who was dating Lloyd, points to Hernandez when asked by a prosecutor to identify him in the courtroom.
During questioning by the prosecution, Lloyd’s girlfriend, Shaneah Jenkins, testified that Lloyd and Hernandez were “cordial’’ and in the “beginning stages of a friendship.’’ She said the two met during her birthday party in August of 2012, 10 months before Lloyd was killed. Hernandez is engaged to Jenkins’ older sister, Shayanna Jenkins.
But when cross-examined by the defense, Jenkins elaborated on the extent on the relationship. Defense lawyers said Hernandez and Lloyd were part of a “tight-knit group of extended family and friends’’ centered around the two Jenkins sisters, according to the Hartford Courant.
Their social outings included football games, cookouts, dinners, movies, bowling and even a Mother’s Day brunch. According to reports, Lloyd accompanied Hernandez out at nightclubs the two weekends before his death.
Fee argued that marijuana was another shared interest that bonded Hernandez and Lloyd’s relationship. Hernandez called Lloyd “The Blunt Master’’ and the two would often smoke marijuana in the basement of Hernandez’s mansion in North Attleborough, said Jenkins.
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During redirect examination, Jenkins told prosecutors that Hernandez didn’t solely hang out with Lloyd during their outings.
The prosecution called Lloyd’s mother, Ursula Ward, to the stand to further identify the true relationship between Hernandez and Lloyd. Ward recalled that Lloyd had many friends who he brought around the family’s house, a few of whom she named. However, she said she had never met or seen Hernandez.
During her testimony to the prosecution, Jenkins said that Hernandez seemed “normal, but stressed.’’
Defense attorney Charles Rankin shows Jenkins a transcript of her grand jury testimony.
Weinberg said the defense is trying to debunk the prosecution’s argument that Hernandez was stressed about police investigating him for Lloyd’s murder. The defense, rather, is portraying their relationship as a close friendship.
Knowing the prosecution will argue that Hernandez is worried about law enforcement, the defense will try to capitalize on that information to make the case his stress resulted from the death of a close friend. In a circumstantial case, said Weinberg, it’s key for defense to “adapt and integrate evidence into a theme that’s consistent with the case that he is innocent.’’
If the defense can sell the story that the shared family events, nightclub outings and marijuana sessions are evidence enough of a close friendship, it could be a key factor in producing enough reasonable doubt in the jury’s mind that Hernandez did not participate in Lloyd’s murder.
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