Aaron Hernandez -- Guilty of 1st degree murder

People forget that.

 

Um ...

 

Also this ...

 

The burden of proof in any murder trial, much less that of a celebrity, is very high. I'm totally convinced he did it, but the case was very circumstantial and some important pieces of evidence were not admitted.

Though they placed Hernandez at the scene, he was with two other men and any one of them could have pulled the trigger. There was little evidence to prove that Hernandez pulled the trigger, or that he was even complicit if one of the others pulled the trigger. Ultimately, it looks like the jury at the very least believed he was complicit in the murder.

 

Yeah, but I've dealt with some appeals where it was absolutely astounding that people were convicted of murder. Though some of that had to do with shaky informants who later recanted. I'd say juries are unpredictable, but I've seen bench trials that are head scratchers, too.

We've been round and round about this before here, and the consensus seemed to be that "America!", but I have very little faith in the adversarial trial system to get this shit right reliably enough to justify itself.

 

So is it safe to drop him from dynasty football rosters?

 

In the Rhody house, 4/15/15 is The Day The Music Died.

 

Somehow, the Patriots just got a sixth-round pick from the Browns for him.

 

I am mildly surprised by the verdict, as it is difficult to get a conviction without eyewitnesses or a murder weapon. But I think the defense's closing argument just defied credibility so much the jury went with the big pile of circumstantial evidence. I mean, our celebrity client was shocked and surprised by the murder he saw, but didn't try to cut a deal and rat out the two murderers? Come on.

 

Just don't call him injury prone.

 

It's not as difficult as you think it is.

If America has one defining characteristic, it is the enthusiasm of its citizens to pass judgment on other citizens.