Even though he is currently serving a life sentence for murdering Odin Lloyd in 2013, former Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was found not guilty for the 2012 murders of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado in a drive-by shooting.
Hernandez was also found not guilty of shooting Alexander Bradley in 2013 even though Bradley identified Hernandez as the shooter. Bradley also testified that he was the driver of the car in which Hernandez allegedly killed de Abreu and Furtado and was getting immunity. Hernandez would only be found guilty of an illegal firearm charge from the time the double murders took place.
Prosecutors attempted to connect an incident earlier that night where de Abreu accidentally spilled a drink on Hernandez. De Abreu smirked at Hernandez and prosecutors claimed it set off Hernandez to commit the double murder that night. The jury didn’t see video of the spilled drink incident take place and thus couldn’t use that as a motive. All the security footage showed was Hernandez entering and exiting the club that night.
As far as Bradley’s testimony concerned, Hernandez’s attorney went after Bradley’s credibility and tried to say that Bradley shot them because of a drug deal. And that Bradley bribed and struck fear in the mother of his child to corroborate his testimony. It should be noted that Hernandez’s attorney is the same attorney who got Casey Anthony acquitted.
In addition, to make Hernandez look like someone with good character, Chicago Bears wide receiver and former roommate Deonte Thompson was on the stand as a character witness. Constantly telling the jury, “that’s my guy,” in reference to Hernandez, Thompson tapped his chest toward Hernandez as he left the stand.
Despite being found not guilty, this doesn’t change anything from Hernandez’s conviction for killing Odin Lloyd in 2013. He’s still serving a life sentence for the murder.
