FALL RIVER, Mass. — The 18 New England residents sitting on the jury in the murder trial of former Patriots star Aaron Hernandez will be allowed to watch the home team play in Sunday’s Super Bowl, but the judge overseeing the case says they must leave the room if his name is mentioned.
Hernandez caught quarterback Tom Brady’s last Super Bowl touchdown pass, in the Patriots’ 2012 loss to the New York Giants. Now Hernandez is on trial for murder, charged with the June 2013 killing of Odin Lloyd, who was dating his fiancée’s sister.
The trial is playing out just as Hernandez’s old team is preparing to take on the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL’s championship game.
Bristol County Superior Court Judge Susan Garsh closed the second day of testimony Friday by telling jurors they may watch the game if it is important to them, but they must be vigilant for mention of the case or Hernandez.
“You hear that word, you’ve got to walk out of the room,” Garsh said. “Distance yourself.”
The judge has previously told jurors that they are not allowed to discuss the case with anyone, even to tell their families or employers that they are sitting on the jury for Hernandez. During jury selection, jurors were asked if they were Patriots fans, but that did not mean they were automatically disqualified from being selected.
Thumbnail photo via Pool/USA TODAY Sports Images
