If you no doubt heard about this in the last 24 to 36 hours, it will come off as a huge shock. Not long after considered not guilty of a double murder, former New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez was found in his prison cell hung in the early hours of the morning of April 19th. You wouldn't think it's surprising considering some people think they didn't commit a crime and being on the other side is too much for them. In the case of Hernandez, who I think was still trying beat out his current reason for being in jail for life without parole, it makes no sense. Why kill yourself (if he really did) when you know you have a fighting chance, even if it's very slim, to get out?
Hernandez was a part of the Florida Gators for college football, playing with Tim Tebow and winning a national championship in 2008. He wasn't huge until his last year in 09, picking up over 800 yards and then declaring for the draft after that year. After you hear what he did, it represented what Florida was under coach Urban Meyer. Guys like Hernandez did whatever they want and didn't face much punishment. Whatever the case, he goes to the NFL in 2010 and gets drafted in the 4th round by the Patriots.
For his first NFL season, Hernandez put up decent numbers along with Rob Gronkowski, also drafted that year. The two tight end duo seemed like it would work, and it showed the next season. Both would put up very strong numbers. Gronkowski put up 1000 plus yards and 17 touchdowns. Hernandez was over 900 yards and 7 scores. This was a big threat that made it to the Super Bowl, only for the team to lose again to the perfect season killer New York Giants. Hernandez would sign a deal that would keep him with the Patriots until 2016. For 2012, he numbers were okay, but the tight end position was marred with injuries that year. He would put up decent numbers in the playoffs that year, but without Gronkowski, the offense couldn't do much to fool anyone at the most important time.
The pivotal point was 2013, where Hernandez would find himself in the midst of the reason he would be put into prison a few years later. In mid-June, Odin Lloyd was shot and killed. A little more than a week later, Hernandez is charged with murder and arrested. More charges pile up as police in Boston looked again at a double murder that he may have done the year before Lloyd's death. Almost a year later, the double murder gets him indicted, where police found evidence of the weapon Hernandez may have used after a word exchange with the victims led to the homicides.
More than half a year later, the trial for Odin Lloyd begins. Not too long, a verdict is given and Hernandez is sent to prison for life without parole. Then came another trial this year for the double murders, which he is declared not guilty a week ago. And then comes him hanging himself. From what I've said on other sites, attorneys were trying to get him out and try to drop the charges. Murder is a very serious offense. Especially with being let off the hook for what happened in 2012, maybe there would have been a chance to get out. As I said, it would have been very slim. Especially at that time when the Boston Marathon bombing occurred a few months prior to his arrest.
That being said, even if he was let go, he could have been a repeat offender and be one of those people who was constantly in and out of jail. There's the stories about being with gangs. I don't know if it was in high school. It might have been most likely when he was in Florida and Massachusetts. Who knows? I think he would have been out of the NFL very quickly, even if he played a few more years. Not a lot of teams would tolerate what he did.
Right now, Hernandez leaves behind a fiance and four year old daughter, who will no doubt be hearing a lot of shit. Some of it rightfully so, and other times uncalled for. It sucks to be that kid, and she'll be the subject of a lot of ridicule. Whatever he was charged of now is vacated. I don't know much about legalities, but Hernandez is now an innocent because of his suicide. However, that's going to be fought tooth and nail by the victims families to put the guilty moniker back on him. They might also try to get any money that's left from him. The Patriots could also have to pay depending on whether the conviction is dropped or not. If dropped, it's going to cost them a few million.
I hate to sound cold, but I think Hernandez did everybody a favor. Even if he did get out, he would have been a burden. No doubt in my mind, he would have seen jail time a whole lot that would have turned into a life sentence for a lot of repeat offenses.
Hernandez could have been one of the greatest tight ends and tight end duos with Gronkowski. But he threw it all away because of his way of life and everybody is paying for it on both sides. A long legal battle could ensue.
No comments:
Post a Comment