Jury selection is over for the murder trial of Aaron Hernandez, who stands accused of executing former friend Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semipro football player who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancée. A major snowstorm set to dump several feet of snow on the east coast has delayed the start of the trial though.
Opening statements aren't expected until at least Thursday on account of the potentially historic snowstorm. The jury will consist of 13 women and five men. Six of the 18 jurors will be picked randomly as alternates.
The selected jurors are not allowed to tell friends or family members that they are serving on the Hernandez jury, nor can they read, watch or listen to anything about the case. The 18 people were picked out of a pool that started with more than 1,000 people two weeks ago. The trial is expected to last anywhere from six to 10 weeks.
Hernandez's fiancée, Shayanna Jenkins, will play a crucial role in the case although which side she will testify for is up in the air. Jenkins, who is facing perjury charges related to Lloyd's murder and is believed to have hidden the still-unrecovered murder weapon, was reportedly offered immunity by prosecutors in exchange for her testimony.
According to reports as of Monday no immunity had been granted yet.
Prosecutors previously alleged Hernandez sent Jenkins a coded text message instructing her where the gun used to kill Lloyd was being stored and to dispose of it. Per court documents the message read:
"Go in back of the screen in movie room when u get home an there is the box avielle likes to play with in the tub jus in case u were looking for it!!!! Member how u ruined that big tv lmao WAS JUST THINKIN bout that lol wink wink love u TTYL ..... K."
Surveillance footage of Jenkins captured her carrying a trash bag with a "rigid box" in it that she placed in the trunk of her car and drove away with. When she returned the bag was no longer with her.
[ESPN]
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