A judge has rejected Aaron Hernandez’s request for a new trial after an anonymous person hinted juror misconduct during the murder trial.
According to recent reports, Bristol Superior Court Judge E. Susan Garsh rejected the request of Hernandez’s camp to release a subpoena for the records of Utah-based Internet service provider, Mstar.net LLC.
A judge has rejected a request to throw out Aaron Hernandez’s first-degree murder conviction http://t.co/yLD7nURLYW pic.twitter.com/YbWPtPAlsR
— 7News Boston WHDH (@7News) July 1, 2015
A recent court filing revealed that an unknown person filled out a jury service survey claiming the jurors discussed the case amongst themselves. “Even though we weren’t supposed to talk about things with others, I find it humorous now that nobody knows we did talk amongst ourselves and you still believe we didn’t,’’ the unidentified person wrote. “I hope you pick us again so we can do it again to another thug.”
New filing reveals what one of the jurors in the Aaron Hernandez trial wrote on a post-trial survey to the court. pic.twitter.com/HfnPh9zLY4 — Lindsey Adler (@Lahlahlindsey) September 24, 2015
The defense wanted to know if the person who completed the survey was one of the 12 people who convicted Hernandez.
Judge Garsh found the claims insufficient as the form can be completed by anybody.
“Apart from the fact that the survey, which can be completed by anybody regardless of whether he or she actually served on a jury, was completed by someone using a Utah-based Internet service provider,the defendant (has) not shown that an allegation that jurors may have talked amongst themselves during the trial merits inquiry,” Judge Garsh wrote.
The former NFL star, 25, was found guilty and was convicted of first-degree murder for killing semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd in 2013. The court sentenced him to life in prison without parole. Hernandez was also indicted for the 2012 double homicide of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado. He is currently being detained at the Souza-Baranowski maximum security facility.
Garsh is thinking over another request from the defense. This time they are asking Garsh to hear out a tipster who claimed that one of the jurors who convicted the former NFL player defied court rules.
An inquiry is scheduled on October 23, but it will be closed to the public.