Beyond slamming prosecutors for seeking yet another delay in his probable cause hearing earlier this week, attorneys for embattled former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez are now predicting their client will be completely “exonerated” if and when his case ever goes to trial.
“He’s now been in jail for 28 days without any chance for his lawyers to question a single witness, to examine any documents,” defense attorney Charles Rankin told reporters, adding once he’s given a chance to defend himself “a jury of his peers will find that he’s not guilty and had no part in the killing of Odin Lloyd.”
Hernandez, 23, was charged late last month and remains jailed without bail and held in solitary confinement. On Wednesday, District Court Judge Daniel O’Shea granted the state’s request for a continuance, setting the next court date in the case for Aug. 22. Prosecutors told the judge they are still waiting for a Fall River, Mass. grand jury to sift through all the evidence and decide whether to hand down an indictment.
O'Shea gave prosecutors until then to get an indictment or prepare to present their evidence at the rescheduled hearing. At a probable cause hearing, Hernandez would have a chance to argue that evidence does not give prosecutors a reason to hold him for trial on any of the charges.
“Well, we'll be here and we'll be ready to go forward," said Rankin, who when pressed as to why he seems so sure his client will be vindicated responded "the facts of the case as we know them."
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