Judge hears arguments on jail house calls in Hernandez Trial
By: Melissa Randall
mrandall@abc6.com
@MRandallABC6
Some jail house phone calls will be allowed in as evidence in the Aaron Hernandez murder trail. There are about a dozen or so calls in question. The judge was expected to make a ruling by the end of the day Wednesday, but so far no word on which ones will be allowed in.
Many of those jail house calls were between the former Patriot and his fiancé or his cousin.
“It is all about covering up the homicide—the murder—of Odin Lloyd,” said Asst. District Attorney Patrick Bomberg.
“They are instead trying to ascribe meaning to words which obviously have multiple meanings,” argued Michael Fee, an attorney for Hernandez.
In one of those calls Hernandez told Tanya Singleton “don’t say nothing”. Another transcript reads in part: “I set up an account — don’t tell nobody — a trust fund…”
“He’s talking to her in order to secure her continued loyalty,” argued Bomberg.
“There was a previous relationship between the defendant and his cousin. It was a support relationship,” said Fee.
The relationship between Hernandez and Singleton has been described as a mother-son dynamic. On Tuesday a witnesses testified that her oldest child calls Hernandez “Daddy Aaron.” During the call Hernandez mentioned the fund was in the boys’ names, however the defense later said no such account was ever created.
Prosecutors are also looking to include a transcript where Hernandez says: “the only good thing about Tanya being locked up is she’s gonna lose weight.” They are insinuating that if Hernandez cared so deeply for his aunt, who is dying of cancer, he wouldn’t have made such comments or allegedly try to keep her from talking.
And in yet another jail house call Hernandez asks Shayanna Jenkins to “do [him] a favor”.
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“Ms. Jenkins appears in this snip–bit of a conversation to decline,” Fee told Judge Susan Garsh.
“Ultimately we know that in fact the money is provided,” responded Bomberg.
The defense is also looking to keep out several additional calls between co-defendant Ernest Wallace and Singleton.
According to the judge, prosecutors are “about a week or so” away from resting their case.
Trial picks back up for day 34 of testimony on Thursday with a full day expected. Singleton’s sister, Jennifer Mercado, is set to re-take the stand.
© WLNE-TV 2015
