Aaron Hernandez was denied bail once again on Thursday and will remain in custody. After hearing from both the prosecution, and Hernandez’s lawyer, Judge Renee Dupuis came to the conclusion that the case against Hernandez is circumstantial, but strong, and she does not believe Hernandez should be free. Hernandez is charged with one count murder in the first degree and five gun-related charges.
“I think the Commonwealth has presented a case that’s circumstantial, to be sure, but a very, very strong circumstantial case,” Dupuis said. James Sultan, Hernandez’s lawyer, argued that he has not been proven guilty, and every bit of evidence against him is circumstantial, so that should allow Hernandez to live free until he’s found guilty as he has an infant daughter and fiance plus, ties to the community. Sultan even said Hernandez would accept bail conditions like GPS monitoring or house arrest. “Of course, Mr. Hernandez is charged with a very serious crime, but that shouldn’t be enough to hold him without bail,” Sultan said. “Aaron Hernandez, who’s 23 years old, has, to the best of my knowledge, no criminal record of any kind.”
But based on the details of the case, the judge stated that she didn’t believe a bracelet would prevent him from fleeing.
We also received an update on the two men who were with Hernandez on the night that. Ernest Wallace and Carlos Ortiz attempted to flee and Hernandez is being accused of assisting them before he was taken into custody. Ortiz (27) is currently being held on $1.5 million bail.
The second accomplice, 41 year old Ernest Wallace is on the run and considered armed and dangerous.
There are reports that Hernandez claimed to have guns for his protection as his old life was trying to swallow him back up.
We’ll probably have to wait a bit to see if that rings true. For now, Hernandez will await the start of his trial in a jail cell.
