1 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:11,680 Speaker 1: Welcome back to playing dirty sports scandals. I'm Jay Harris, 2 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:15,320 Speaker 1: your host and barista extraordinary, serving up the juiciest sports 3 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:19,439 Speaker 1: scandals you crave. Unfortunately, the tail on tap we started 4 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:23,279 Speaker 1: last week only becomes more distasteful with a conclusion that 5 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 1: is so bloody, dark and tragic it's downright painful to digest. 6 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:30,200 Speaker 1: But hey, it's my job to serve up scandals and 7 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:33,479 Speaker 1: give you access to the CD side of sports. So 8 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 1: bottom's up. So far, we've navigated the turbulent blend of 9 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:49,200 Speaker 1: Aaron hernandez'z early life, starting with his beginnings in Bristol, Connecticut, 10 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:52,520 Speaker 1: to his rise as a football sensation at the University 11 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 1: of Florida and then ultimately as a draft pick into 12 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:58,840 Speaker 1: the NFL by the New England Patriots. I share the 13 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:03,040 Speaker 1: complexities of Airan's upbringing with you, delving into the adversity 14 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 1: his family encountered with financial instability and criminality, domestic violence, 15 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:11,679 Speaker 1: and of course, the sudden loss of his father, Dennis Hernandez. 16 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 1: Amidst the conflicting backdrop of his athletic triumphs and personal battles, 17 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 1: it was Aaron's off field behavior characterized by aggression, questionable 18 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 1: associations and substance abuse that was increasingly stealing headlines and 19 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:32,559 Speaker 1: looming large over his promising NFL future. What would happen next? 20 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:36,680 Speaker 1: Aaron Hernandez had entered his professional career like Mentos and 21 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: Asda Caid, ready to explode. How did this happen? Why 22 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:45,839 Speaker 1: would any NFL team take on such a huge risk? Hmm? 23 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 1: Remember how I told you about coach Urban Meyer over 24 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 1: at the University of Florida and his practice of protecting 25 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 1: Florida Gators' star players at any cost. Well, urban Meyer 26 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: is fast friends with New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick. 27 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 1: According to The Boston Globe, the two coaches met in 28 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:04,920 Speaker 1: the winter of two thousand and five and have spent 29 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 1: time together outside of work routinely ever since, with Belichick 30 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:12,520 Speaker 1: telling reporters quote, I go back a long way with 31 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: urban Meyer and calling him a great man and a 32 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:19,639 Speaker 1: great friend. So one could assume that Erban Meyer used 33 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:22,920 Speaker 1: his friendship currency with Bill Belichick to pull the deal 34 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:26,079 Speaker 1: over the finish line for Aaron and assuming that urban 35 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 1: Meyer did vouch for Aaron Hernandez's readiness to turn a 36 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 1: new leaf in the pros to Bill Belichick, it was 37 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 1: a touchdown, Urban Meyer could say yet another one of 38 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 1: his players had gone pro, and Aaron Hernandez had his 39 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 1: NFL dream realized. Patriots coach Bill Belichick, meanwhile, had signed 40 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 1: on for a whole lot more trouble than he could 41 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 1: have ever imagined. Bringing Aaron back to New England, where 42 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 1: his roots and troubles ran deep, instantly introduced challenges that 43 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: would contribute to the abrupt end of his NFL career 44 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 1: and ultimate his life. In fact, the potential impact of 45 00:03:03,919 --> 00:03:09,200 Speaker 1: geographical distance on Aaron Hernandez's trajectory was noted by Greg Badard, 46 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:14,400 Speaker 1: a seasoned football columnist. Badard, who closely followed Aaron's career, speculated, 47 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:16,799 Speaker 1: I think this story would have turned out a lot 48 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 1: differently if he's, say, in Seattle or San Francisco, or 49 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:25,240 Speaker 1: someplace just out of reach of Bristol, Connecticut. And maybe 50 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 1: Greg Badard is right, because even Dennis Sansusi, Aaron hernandez 51 00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:33,680 Speaker 1: close childhood friend and high school football teammate, expressed deep 52 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 1: reservations about him moving back north when he heard about 53 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 1: the Patriots draft him. Going to New England was the 54 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 1: worst thing the NFL could have done. Sansusie reflected to 55 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 1: the Boston Globe, the one place you don't send him 56 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 1: back is where he tried getting away from. So there 57 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 1: was Aaron Hernandez back close to his old stomping grounds 58 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 1: at just twenty years old, having become the youngest player 59 00:03:56,720 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 1: in the NFL form millions of people. He was now 60 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 1: a symbol of potential redemption and proof that talent could 61 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 1: outshine adversity. But the problem with being a symbol is 62 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 1: that underneath the sheen of front facing glory, the same 63 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:16,080 Speaker 1: old problem still often exists, just buried deep down away 64 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 1: from the spotlight. Such was the case for Aaron even 65 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 1: as he embarked on his rookie season with the Patriots, 66 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:25,479 Speaker 1: Aaron Hernandez was back in Bristol on his off time, 67 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 1: again entangled with local criminals, smoking weed and getting into trouble. 68 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:33,800 Speaker 1: But as long as Patriots coach Bill Belichick didn't know 69 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 1: well what harm could come of it. Right at first, 70 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 1: it's safe to assume that Coach Belichick didn't know that 71 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 1: anything was amiss. After all, Aaron Hernandez was a Titan 72 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:49,919 Speaker 1: on the field, partnering with Rob Gronkowski, who even to 73 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:52,719 Speaker 1: this day, is largely regarded as one of the greatest 74 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:56,239 Speaker 1: tight ends of all time. Aaron quickly became a lynch 75 00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 1: pin in the Patriots strategy, offering the team an offense 76 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 1: versatility that was both envied and feared across the NFL. 77 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:07,920 Speaker 1: He recorded forty five receptions and six touchdowns in his 78 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:11,359 Speaker 1: rookie season, a rare feat for someone so young, to 79 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:17,680 Speaker 1: say the least. Moving into a second season, Aaron Hernandez 80 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 1: star continued to rise. He caught seventy nine passes for 81 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 1: nine hundred ten yards and seven touchdowns, demonstrating an athleticism 82 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 1: that made him one of quarterback Tom Brady's favorite targets. However, 83 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:33,080 Speaker 1: as the Patriots marched toward the Super Bowl in Aaron's 84 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 1: standout twenty eleven season, the rising star gave his team 85 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:41,599 Speaker 1: and fans a scare. In a pivotal Divisional round playoff 86 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:45,480 Speaker 1: game against the Broncos, a determined Aaron Hernandez, in an 87 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:48,840 Speaker 1: effort to score the first rushing touchdown of his NFL career, 88 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 1: collided with Denver linebacker Joe Mays after advancing only two 89 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 1: yards of the needed four. The impact left erin with 90 00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 1: a concussion, his second documented brain injury. Despite appearing groggy 91 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:05,040 Speaker 1: as he walked off the field and receiving medical attention 92 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 1: on the sidelines. The Patriots classified his concussion as minor. 93 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:12,840 Speaker 1: As a result, Aaron was in practice the following week, 94 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:16,919 Speaker 1: though he was listed as limited. Aaron's head injury and 95 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 1: get on with it approach to recovery happened amid growing 96 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: concerns about players safety in the NFL, as the league 97 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 1: was grappling with the implications of chronic traumatic encephalopathy or 98 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 1: CTE following the suicides of former players diagnosed with the condition. 99 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:37,160 Speaker 1: But the concerns were just rumblings at this point. Remember, 100 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:42,119 Speaker 1: the NFL didn't formally acknowledge CTE as an organization until 101 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:46,719 Speaker 1: twenty sixteen. That's five years after this incident with Aaron, 102 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:50,040 Speaker 1: so without paying too much mind to their young tight 103 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:53,679 Speaker 1: ends injury, the Patriots continued to train and play hard, 104 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:57,039 Speaker 1: with Aaron helping lead the team to Super Bowl forty six, 105 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:01,200 Speaker 1: and though they didn't clinch the championship, Aaron hernandez performance 106 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:05,839 Speaker 1: on the sport's biggest stage was undeniable. His pivotal contributions 107 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 1: were recognized in twenty twelve when the Patriots rewarded him 108 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 1: with a five year contract extension. Worth forty one million 109 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 1: dollars with a guaranteed twelve and a half million signing bonus. 110 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 1: At the time, this was the largest bonus ever for 111 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 1: a tight end. It signaled the Patriots' faith in his 112 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: potential and solidified his status as a key player for 113 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 1: the franchise's future. It seemed that Aaron was having a 114 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 1: pinch me moment and that he was well on his 115 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:40,760 Speaker 1: way to personal fulfillment and professional greatness. He told reporters, quote, 116 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 1: this place changed me as a person because you can't 117 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 1: come here and act reckless. I was one of those persons. 118 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 1: I came here and might have acted the way I 119 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 1: wanted to act. But you get changed by Bill Belichick's way, 120 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 1: you get changed by the Patriot way. And now that 121 00:07:56,920 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 1: I'm a Patriot, I have to start living like one, 122 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:04,520 Speaker 1: making the right decisions for them and to the outside world, 123 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 1: it looked like Aaron was doing just that, living within 124 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 1: the lines and enjoying the American dream. He bought a 125 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 1: one point three million dollar mansion in North Attleborough's prestigious 126 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: Westwood Estates and moved into it with his longtime girlfriend, 127 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 1: Seyanna Jenkins, whom he'd known since elementary school. They welcomed 128 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 1: a daughter, Avl Hernandez, together, adding another layer to an 129 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:31,360 Speaker 1: already idyllic picture. Aaron was seemingly cementing his status as 130 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:36,079 Speaker 1: a fulfilled man living a charmed life. Fatherhood is definitely 131 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:40,119 Speaker 1: a great experience. She's a beautiful little girl. I am excited, 132 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 1: Aaron Hernandez told the press, his voice filled with emotion. 133 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:49,479 Speaker 1: I'm happy, see me smiling. But this seemingly classic successful 134 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 1: pro athlete's existence concealed a more complex reality. Beyond the 135 00:08:54,240 --> 00:09:03,280 Speaker 1: mansion's walls. Hernandez life was still fraught with contradictions. For 136 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:06,839 Speaker 1: one thing. Despite becoming engaged to the mother of his child, 137 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 1: Shanna Jenkins, there was growing speculation that Aaron Hernandez was gay. 138 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:15,360 Speaker 1: And not only was he gay, according to his high 139 00:09:15,400 --> 00:09:19,160 Speaker 1: school friend and quarterback teammate Dennis Sansusi and his older 140 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: brother Dj Hernandez, but Aaron had terribly conflicted emotions about 141 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:28,439 Speaker 1: his sexuality, stemming from early childhood sexual abuse and his 142 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:33,800 Speaker 1: father's enforced machismo. According to CNN, Aaron allegedly shared that 143 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:36,600 Speaker 1: at just six years old, he was forced to perform 144 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:39,560 Speaker 1: oral sex by an older boy during a game of 145 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:43,080 Speaker 1: hide and seek. He never got over this. According to 146 00:09:43,120 --> 00:09:46,840 Speaker 1: his older brother DJ, and When DJ allegedly walked in 147 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:49,320 Speaker 1: on Aaron in bed with two male friends at a 148 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:52,560 Speaker 1: bachelor party many years later, he claims that he asked 149 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 1: Aaron if he was gay, saying, if you are, I 150 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:58,640 Speaker 1: don't care. I love you. You're my brother. But according 151 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 1: to DJ, Aaron reacted with sheer fury, screaming, don't you 152 00:10:03,160 --> 00:10:05,720 Speaker 1: ever ask me that again. If you say that again, 153 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:12,079 Speaker 1: I'll fucking kill you. Dennis and Susie's revelations about their 154 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:17,199 Speaker 1: time together in high school mirror DJ's story. According to Sansusi, 155 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:21,720 Speaker 1: he and Aaron Hernandez had an intermittent sexual relationship that 156 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:25,319 Speaker 1: spanned from middle school through high school. Me and Aaron 157 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:28,320 Speaker 1: always had a great relationship and bond, but in middle 158 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 1: school it progressed to just more than friends. We were 159 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:34,240 Speaker 1: very much into trying to hide what we were doing. 160 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:37,600 Speaker 1: We didn't want people to know. I was in such 161 00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 1: denial because I was an athlete. Sansusi said, you mean 162 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:43,719 Speaker 1: to tell me that the quarterback and the tight end 163 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:46,880 Speaker 1: were gay. He sleeps with other men. No, it doesn't 164 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 1: sit right with people. It didn't sit right within our 165 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:53,560 Speaker 1: own stomachs at the time. Sansusi further described his alleged 166 00:10:53,559 --> 00:10:57,480 Speaker 1: relationship with Aaron Hernandez as weird says, both of their 167 00:10:57,600 --> 00:11:02,040 Speaker 1: dads were openly homophobic. After making out, it was like, 168 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 1: did someone catch us? Did someone know? Dude? If we 169 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:10,360 Speaker 1: get caught, it's ruined. Our parents are going to disown us. 170 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 1: We had to hide what we were. Dennis and Susi 171 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:17,920 Speaker 1: wouldn't come out as gay for many years, and for Aaron, 172 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 1: this additional layer of duplicity within his own life added 173 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:27,720 Speaker 1: substantial pressure. He grappled with his personal and professional stresses 174 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:32,199 Speaker 1: by hitting the nightclubs, where naturally, his associations with questionable 175 00:11:32,280 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 1: characters continued unabated. The difference now was that Aaron Hernandez 176 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 1: had an awful lot of money. It was a recipe 177 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:46,920 Speaker 1: for disaster, and on the night of July fifteenth, twenty twelve, 178 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:50,640 Speaker 1: the situation came to a head when Aaron, accompanied by 179 00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:55,080 Speaker 1: his hometown friend and assistant Alexander Bradley, ventured into the 180 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:59,880 Speaker 1: Cure Lounge in Boston's Theater District. At that same club, 181 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 1: two immigrants from Cape Verdon, twenty nine year old daniel 182 00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:06,680 Speaker 1: lebru and twenty eight year old Saphiro Fortado were enjoying 183 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:11,240 Speaker 1: drinks they accidentally knocked into Aaron Hernandez, spilling on the 184 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:14,719 Speaker 1: volatile NFL Star. Now, most people would wipe off the 185 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 1: drink and move on with their night, given that the 186 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:21,560 Speaker 1: dowsing was unintentional, Maybe if someone had already had too 187 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 1: many drinks and was feeling particularly vile, they might exchange 188 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:29,080 Speaker 1: angry words and even throw a couple of punches. But 189 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:32,320 Speaker 1: allegedly Aaron Hernandez waited until le Bru and for Tato 190 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 1: left the club and followed them hours later. Around two 191 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:40,600 Speaker 1: thirty am on July sixteenth, twenty twelve, the unwitting friends 192 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:43,720 Speaker 1: piled into their BMW along with three other men, as 193 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 1: Aaron continued to trail them in a silver SUV. When 194 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:50,920 Speaker 1: daniel Lebru and Saphiro Fortado stopped at a red light, 195 00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:55,040 Speaker 1: Aaron Hernandez allegedly pulled up on their car's right side 196 00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:59,000 Speaker 1: and then quote fired a thirty eight caliber revolver multiple 197 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:02,320 Speaker 1: times from the driver's side of his vehicle into the 198 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:08,319 Speaker 1: passenger's side of the victim's vehicle. Daniel Lebru and Spiro 199 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 1: Fortado were each hit several times. A bro died from 200 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:14,959 Speaker 1: a gunshot wound to the chest, and Fortado died from 201 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 1: a wound to the head. A third person was wounded 202 00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:20,560 Speaker 1: in the arm, and two others in the car ran 203 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 1: away without sustaining injuries. This is a shocking account and 204 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:28,960 Speaker 1: investigators wasted no time trying to get to the bottom 205 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:33,679 Speaker 1: of what had happened. Boston homicide detectives quickly reviewed surveillance 206 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 1: footage from the Cure Lounge and noted Aaron Hernandez among 207 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:41,959 Speaker 1: the clubgoers that night. Initially, his presence was viewed by 208 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:46,520 Speaker 1: the detectives as coincidental, but their opinion shifted when it 209 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:49,960 Speaker 1: was revealed that the silver Suv, a loner from a 210 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:54,960 Speaker 1: car dealership, had been hidden in Robert Valentine's garage. You 211 00:13:55,120 --> 00:14:01,320 Speaker 1: remember Terry Hernandez's maiden name, right, Valentine. Robert Valentine was 212 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 1: Aaron hernandez uncle. Now the silver Suv used in the 213 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 1: drive by shooting of daniel lebrou and Safiro Fortado could 214 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:13,440 Speaker 1: be linked to the troubled tight end. Sadly, for the 215 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:17,319 Speaker 1: devastated families of a bru In Fortado, the prosecution's case 216 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:21,000 Speaker 1: was light on forensics and relied heavily on testimony from 217 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:26,119 Speaker 1: Aaron hernandez friend and assistant Alexander Bradley, who received immunity 218 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:30,280 Speaker 1: in exchange for taking the stand. Alexander Bradley said he 219 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:33,800 Speaker 1: was with Aaron Hernandez during the fatal shooting, and since 220 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 1: the prosecution couldn't prove beyond a reasonable doubt that it 221 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:40,240 Speaker 1: had been Aaron and not Alexander who pulled the trigger, 222 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:45,720 Speaker 1: Aaron was acquitted of the double homicide. Chillingly, Aaron had 223 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 1: gotten a tattoo of a gun similar to the murder weapon, 224 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:52,920 Speaker 1: with exactly five bullets, the same number of bullets that 225 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:57,840 Speaker 1: had been fired. That is not random, That is not art. 226 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 1: That is evidence. Prosecutor Patrick Hagen said, that is a confession. 227 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 1: The deadly Cure Lounge incident left an indelible mark on 228 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 1: Aaron Hernandez, and not a good one. While you might 229 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:17,080 Speaker 1: assume that he'd take such an experience and recognize the 230 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 1: need to dramatically shift his behavior, you be wrong, dead wrong. 231 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:27,480 Speaker 1: Aaron instead became even more volatile and unpredictable. Even the 232 00:15:27,520 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 1: other Patriots players were increasingly concerned. Brandon Lloyd, a receiver 233 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:36,040 Speaker 1: for the New England Patriots, shared his observations of Aaron 234 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:40,520 Speaker 1: hernandez erratic behavior, portraying a man caught between extreme mood 235 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:44,760 Speaker 1: shifts of aggression and vulnerability. There would be swings where 236 00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:48,800 Speaker 1: he'd be the most hyper masculine, aggressive individual in the room, 237 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:53,200 Speaker 1: ready to fight somebody in fits of rage. Lloyd recounted, yet, 238 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:56,760 Speaker 1: in stark contrast, Hernandez could also be the most sensitive 239 00:15:56,800 --> 00:15:59,840 Speaker 1: person in the room, talking about cuddling with his mother. 240 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 1: Aaron hernandez continuing association with his friends from Bristol was 241 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:08,040 Speaker 1: definitely a worry for the other Patriots players, who knew 242 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:11,680 Speaker 1: about their troubling influence and were wary of Aaron's behavior 243 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 1: in their presence. Dane Fletcher, a linebacker for the Patriots, 244 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:20,480 Speaker 1: expressed his reservations about Aaron's Bristol entourage setting boundaries for 245 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 1: a Patriots get together by telling him, Chico, here's the 246 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:26,120 Speaker 1: one rule. You can bring one of your friends. I 247 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 1: don't agree with your friends. You can bring one, but 248 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 1: not any more than that was Dane Fletcher worried about 249 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:35,760 Speaker 1: what might happen in an altercation if the Patriot pals 250 00:16:35,760 --> 00:16:39,760 Speaker 1: were outnumbered by Aaron's Bristol buddies. It certainly wouldn't have 251 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:46,320 Speaker 1: been an unreasonable concern. Despite the warning signs pointing to 252 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 1: Aaron's increasing instability. The Patriots had a lot pinned on 253 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:53,800 Speaker 1: the broad shoulders of their talented tight end going into 254 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 1: the twenty twelve NFL season, But for once, Aaron couldn't 255 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:01,760 Speaker 1: redeem himself on the field. He sustained an ankle injury 256 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:05,560 Speaker 1: that sidelined him for six games, a significant setback that 257 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 1: was compounded by a shoulder injury a torn labrum that 258 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:11,399 Speaker 1: he got promptly on his return to the gridiron in 259 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:15,840 Speaker 1: a game against the Miami Dolphins. Aaron Hernandez soldiered through 260 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 1: the pain of the torn labrum in order to participate 261 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:21,560 Speaker 1: in the season's final six games, which culminated in a 262 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:25,840 Speaker 1: disappointing loss to Baltimore in the conference championship game. It 263 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:29,040 Speaker 1: was to be the last game of Aaron Hernandez's short 264 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:36,240 Speaker 1: but mostly stellar career. That off season for Aaron was 265 00:17:36,280 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 1: marked by turmoil. He and his assistant Alexander Bradley, seemingly 266 00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 1: undeterred by their summer escapade and the resultant violent deaths 267 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:48,800 Speaker 1: of daniel lebru and Saphiro Furtado, revisited the cure lounge. 268 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:52,600 Speaker 1: Their departure from the venue escalated into a high speed 269 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 1: pursuit by state troopers, culminating in Alexander Bradley's dui arrest. 270 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:02,120 Speaker 1: Aaron attempted to use his selectelebrity status to diffuse the situation, 271 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:07,640 Speaker 1: reportedly saying Trooper, I'm Aaron Hernandez. It's okay this time. However, 272 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:11,760 Speaker 1: it was anything but okay, and Aaron's fame offered no 273 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:16,639 Speaker 1: shield against the consequences of their actions. Bradley's dui stuck. 274 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:21,639 Speaker 1: The bad times continued from there. A subsequent trip to 275 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:24,520 Speaker 1: Florida for a Super Bowl party hosted by Aaron hernandez 276 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:29,280 Speaker 1: former teammate Deontay Thompson, only increased the divide between Aaron's 277 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:35,520 Speaker 1: smiling public image and his private psychological turmoil. Amidst the celebrations, 278 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:39,280 Speaker 1: Aaron's paranoia surged while at the Miami strip club Tutsis, 279 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:43,840 Speaker 1: where he suspected the presence of undercover police surveillance. Now 280 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:48,199 Speaker 1: his paranoia in this instance was not baseless. Alexander Bradley 281 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:51,720 Speaker 1: would later imply that their shared secret, the double murder 282 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 1: of daniel Le Brow and Sofira Fertado, might well have 283 00:18:54,920 --> 00:18:59,680 Speaker 1: attracted heightened police attention. That shared secret had also ratcheted 284 00:18:59,760 --> 00:19:03,840 Speaker 1: up the tension between Aaron Hernandez and Alexander Bradley. Now 285 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:07,159 Speaker 1: I've told you that Alexander Bradley was Aaron's longtime friend 286 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:10,399 Speaker 1: and acting assistant, but he was a lot more than that. 287 00:19:11,119 --> 00:19:14,800 Speaker 1: Alexander was a dangerous guy in his own right, a 288 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 1: notorious drug kingpin and self proclaimed drug dealer. He was 289 00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:22,200 Speaker 1: exactly the kind of person the other Patriot players tried 290 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:26,120 Speaker 1: to avoid engaging with. So when Aaron and Alexander had 291 00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:29,959 Speaker 1: a disagreement, it was just about guaranteed to be bloody. 292 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:34,120 Speaker 1: That knight at Tutsi's in Miami, when Aaron was already 293 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:38,760 Speaker 1: worried about undercover police, Alexander apparently commented that the cops 294 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:41,719 Speaker 1: could be after him for the quote stupid shit he'd 295 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:45,320 Speaker 1: done in Boston. That remark was all it took to 296 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:49,720 Speaker 1: light Aaron Hernandez match. Aaron took Alexander to a somewhat 297 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:52,879 Speaker 1: remote area later that night and allegedly shot him in 298 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:57,800 Speaker 1: the head. Remarkably, Alexander Bradley survived the shot, but he 299 00:19:57,920 --> 00:20:01,960 Speaker 1: lost his right eye, possibly because he himself didn't have 300 00:20:02,119 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 1: great rapport with the police, and possibly because his account 301 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:10,240 Speaker 1: of events was faulty, Alexander Bradley refused to cooperate with 302 00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:14,480 Speaker 1: the police investigating his shooting. Instead, he decided to try 303 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:18,880 Speaker 1: and seek revenge against Aaron Hernandez directly. I didn't want 304 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:21,280 Speaker 1: to talk to the police, Alexander Bradley said, when the 305 00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:24,879 Speaker 1: case finally came to court in March twenty seventeen. I 306 00:20:25,040 --> 00:20:30,880 Speaker 1: wanted mister Hernandez. I wanted his life. As Alexander Bradley recovered, 307 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:34,520 Speaker 1: albeit with significant injuries, the fallout from that night began 308 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:37,760 Speaker 1: to unfold, and a confrontation played out through text messages. 309 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:42,119 Speaker 1: Alexander's messages to Aaron were a blend of threats and 310 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:46,880 Speaker 1: demands for compensation, reflecting the deep scars left by the incident. 311 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:49,720 Speaker 1: You left me with one eye and a lot of 312 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:53,720 Speaker 1: head trauma. You owe for what you did, Alexander texted, 313 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:58,199 Speaker 1: igniting a furious exchange that saw Aaron desperately trying to 314 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:02,400 Speaker 1: navigate the threats looming over him. The once inseparable pair 315 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:08,520 Speaker 1: were now dangerous enemies. In an effort to shield himself 316 00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 1: from Alexander Bradley's relentless intimidation, Aaron Hernandez turned to Ernest 317 00:21:14,080 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 1: bo Wallace, a Bristol acquaintance of his with a checkered past, 318 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:21,479 Speaker 1: for protection. It was clear that Aaron was genuinely worried 319 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:25,359 Speaker 1: about the threat Alexander posed. In fact, Aaron was so 320 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:30,080 Speaker 1: worried that he sought guidance from an unlikely confidant, Bill Belichick, 321 00:21:30,359 --> 00:21:34,240 Speaker 1: the new England Patriots head coach. Aaron's approach to Belichick 322 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:38,760 Speaker 1: was uncharacteristic for an NFL player, signaling the depths of 323 00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 1: his desperation. He viewed Belichick not just as a coach, 324 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 1: but as a surrogate father figure to whom he could 325 00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:50,119 Speaker 1: safely reveal his fears. Their planned meeting at Gillette Stadium, however, 326 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:54,959 Speaker 1: fell through, pushing their discussion to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. 327 00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:59,960 Speaker 1: This meeting represented a critical juncture, a moment where Into 328 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:05,359 Speaker 1: might have redirected Aaron's path. Apparently, Aaron laid bare his 329 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:09,280 Speaker 1: anxieties to Bill Belichick, expressing fears for his and his 330 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:14,240 Speaker 1: family's safety and hinting at the tumult beneath his professional facade. 331 00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:18,879 Speaker 1: He allegedly spoke of feeling pursued, even fearing assassination on 332 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:22,960 Speaker 1: the football field. A startling admission that highlighted his profound 333 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:28,879 Speaker 1: sense of vulnerability and paranoia. Brian Murphy, Aaron Hernandez agent, 334 00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:33,160 Speaker 1: later testified about the gravity of the situation, recounting how 335 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:36,600 Speaker 1: Aaron had even pondered a drastic career shift to ensure 336 00:22:36,640 --> 00:22:40,560 Speaker 1: his family's safety. He wanted to talk to Coach Belichick 337 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:44,159 Speaker 1: about possibly being traded or released so he could go 338 00:22:44,200 --> 00:22:47,200 Speaker 1: play for one of the West Coast teams, Brian Murphy revealed, 339 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:52,159 Speaker 1: underlining Aaron's desperation for a geographical escape from the threats 340 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 1: that shadowed him. Of course, many of the threats were 341 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:59,000 Speaker 1: of his own making, but still, his outreach to Coach 342 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:01,359 Speaker 1: Belichick seemed like I could cry for help from a 343 00:23:01,359 --> 00:23:05,200 Speaker 1: grown man drowning under the weight of his own bad choices. 344 00:23:08,560 --> 00:23:12,160 Speaker 1: The response from the Patriots, and specifically from Bill Belichick, 345 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:16,640 Speaker 1: to Aaron hernandez plea for help, raises poignant questions about 346 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:22,720 Speaker 1: the potential missed opportunities for intervention. Coach Belichick's seeming acknowledgment 347 00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:26,800 Speaker 1: of Aaron's concerns, only to later dismiss them, underscores a 348 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:30,560 Speaker 1: disconcerting lack of sufficient response to a player clearly in 349 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:33,600 Speaker 1: turmoil he was a twenty two year old kid who 350 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:36,840 Speaker 1: was ultimately signed for an enormous amount of money, who 351 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:40,280 Speaker 1: had known problems, and no one did anything to try 352 00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:43,400 Speaker 1: to address what was going on, said George Leean Tyre, 353 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 1: one of Aaron hernandez lawyers. But while what Attorney lean 354 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:51,200 Speaker 1: Tyre said is certainly true, and while there were opportunities 355 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:56,080 Speaker 1: for others to intervene, ultimately Aaron Hernandez was a grown 356 00:23:56,160 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 1: man responsible for his own actions, and those actions were unconscionable. 357 00:24:03,119 --> 00:24:05,800 Speaker 1: The descent of Aaron Hernandez into the abyss of his 358 00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:09,359 Speaker 1: darkest impulses marks a stark departure from the image of 359 00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:12,679 Speaker 1: an NFL star on the rise. With so much attention 360 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:17,480 Speaker 1: going towards his anxieties around Alexander Bradley's revenge threats, Aaron's 361 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:21,880 Speaker 1: commitment to football and the discipline it requires began to wane. 362 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:26,360 Speaker 1: This drew the ire of Coach Belichick. Aaron hernandez flippant 363 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:30,280 Speaker 1: attitude toward his professional responsibilities, coupled with a hint of 364 00:24:30,359 --> 00:24:35,560 Speaker 1: mockery towards Coach Belichick's reprimands, suggested a man increasingly detached 365 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:40,800 Speaker 1: from the ramifications of his actions. Rolling Stone exclusively reported 366 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:43,080 Speaker 1: that friends of Aaron Hernandez said he was using the 367 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:47,080 Speaker 1: maniacal drug angel dust or PCP by this time and 368 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:51,720 Speaker 1: was carrying a gun wherever he went. According to the magazine, 369 00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:54,840 Speaker 1: sources close to the tight End added that throughout the spring, 370 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:57,879 Speaker 1: when players were expected to be preparing themselves for the 371 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:02,640 Speaker 1: marathon NFL season, Aaron Hernandez had missed workouts and sessions 372 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:05,320 Speaker 1: with a rehab trainer, and had been told by his 373 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:08,880 Speaker 1: head coach Bill Belichick that he was one misstep from 374 00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:13,320 Speaker 1: being cut. Apparently, Aaron also blew off sessions with his 375 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:17,119 Speaker 1: therapist Alex Guerrero and stood up Tom Brady, who was 376 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:20,760 Speaker 1: running a camp for Patriots receivers. And while he was 377 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 1: sinking his relationships with the Patriots, Aaron was revving up 378 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:29,200 Speaker 1: his associations with guys like Ernest bo Wallace and Carlos Ortiz, 379 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:32,879 Speaker 1: both of whom had troubling pasts and were living listlessly 380 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:36,840 Speaker 1: under the roof of Aaron's cousin, Tanya Singleton. These were 381 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:39,560 Speaker 1: men who had never found their way, and sure enough 382 00:25:40,119 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 1: they were dragging Aaron Hernandez deeper and deeper into a 383 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:47,359 Speaker 1: life of crime. Odin Lloyd A twenty seven year old 384 00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:51,000 Speaker 1: semi pro football player for the Boston Bandits had recently 385 00:25:51,040 --> 00:25:54,919 Speaker 1: become an integral part of Aaron Hernandez's life. Alongside Ernest 386 00:25:54,960 --> 00:25:59,800 Speaker 1: bo Wallace and Carlos Ortiz. Odin shared Aaron's interests in 387 00:25:59,800 --> 00:26:04,520 Speaker 1: a busy nightlife, video games, and marijuana. Plus he was 388 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:09,320 Speaker 1: dating Aaron's fiance's sister, Shania Jenkins, further tying them together. 389 00:26:10,040 --> 00:26:13,080 Speaker 1: Their camaraderie, however, took a fatal turn in the early 390 00:26:13,119 --> 00:26:17,679 Speaker 1: hours of June fifteenth, twenty thirteen. After spending an evening together, 391 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:23,840 Speaker 1: something about Odin Lloyd's actions incited Aaron Hernandez, now infamous wrath. 392 00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:27,679 Speaker 1: Did Odin become aware of Aaron's homosexuality and threaten to 393 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:31,040 Speaker 1: out him. Did Aaron see Odin talking with men whom 394 00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:36,120 Speaker 1: Aaron had had earlier altercations with and feel betrayed. Nobody 395 00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 1: knows for sure, but whatever went down on June fifteenth, 396 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:45,560 Speaker 1: this much is clear. Odin Lloyd's fate was sealed. Even 397 00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:48,439 Speaker 1: as he celebrated his first Father's Day as a dad 398 00:26:48,520 --> 00:26:52,120 Speaker 1: with his own little daughter, Aviel. On June sixteenth, twenty thirteen, 399 00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:56,800 Speaker 1: Aaron Hernandez was orchestrating a deadly meet up with Odin Lloyd. 400 00:26:57,720 --> 00:27:01,520 Speaker 1: Aaron texted Odin under the pretense of continued friendship and 401 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:05,000 Speaker 1: a possible drug pickup plan for the early hours of 402 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:09,080 Speaker 1: the following morning. Then Aaron texted his two pals, Ernest 403 00:27:09,119 --> 00:27:13,320 Speaker 1: bo Wallace and Carlos Ortiz, asking them for help in 404 00:27:13,480 --> 00:27:18,439 Speaker 1: killing Odin Lloyd. And that is exactly what happened. The 405 00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:23,760 Speaker 1: ensuing events unfolded with chilling precision as Aaron, along with 406 00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:27,480 Speaker 1: Ernest and Carlos, picked up Odin Lloyd around two thirty 407 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:32,320 Speaker 1: am on June seventeenth, twenty thirteen, under the pretense of 408 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:36,280 Speaker 1: picking something up altogether, and then drove him to an 409 00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:40,720 Speaker 1: industrial park where his life was brutally ended between three 410 00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:44,040 Speaker 1: twenty three and three point thirty am in a hail 411 00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:49,679 Speaker 1: of gunfire. Odin sent cryptic final texts to his sister 412 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:53,359 Speaker 1: from the passenger seat of Aaron's car just moments before 413 00:27:53,400 --> 00:27:57,200 Speaker 1: his murder, indicating his awareness of the peril he was in. 414 00:27:57,920 --> 00:28:02,440 Speaker 1: He texted her, did you you see who I am with? NFL? 415 00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:08,120 Speaker 1: Just so you know. Five forty five caliber bullet casings 416 00:28:08,640 --> 00:28:12,080 Speaker 1: matching the five bullet wounds in Odin Lloyd's body, were 417 00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:15,919 Speaker 1: found near where he was killed. Police would settle quickly 418 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:19,280 Speaker 1: on Aaron Hernandez as their prime suspect, since he was 419 00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:22,879 Speaker 1: captured in video footage with Odin Lloyd not long before 420 00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:28,920 Speaker 1: the assassination. The investigation that followed peeled away the facade 421 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:33,600 Speaker 1: of Aaron Hernandez's dual existence, revealing a man ensnared by 422 00:28:33,640 --> 00:28:38,480 Speaker 1: his own decisions and associations. Patriots coach Bill Belichick and 423 00:28:38,520 --> 00:28:42,560 Speaker 1: Patriot's owner Robert Craft, confronted with the possibility of one 424 00:28:42,560 --> 00:28:46,880 Speaker 1: of their player's involvement and murder, sought clarity swiftly and 425 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:51,320 Speaker 1: directly from Erin. Both men were met with adamant denials 426 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:55,640 Speaker 1: of any wrongdoing by Aaron. Robert Craft remembered finding Aaron 427 00:28:55,640 --> 00:28:58,760 Speaker 1: Hernandez in a weight room working out and pulling him 428 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:03,320 Speaker 1: into an adjacent office for private talk. I told him 429 00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:06,080 Speaker 1: that I understood there was an incident, that it transpired, 430 00:29:06,520 --> 00:29:09,160 Speaker 1: and I wanted to know whether he was involved and 431 00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:12,680 Speaker 1: if he was any player that comes into our system 432 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:16,200 Speaker 1: I consider part of our extended family, and I wanted 433 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:20,320 Speaker 1: to get him help. Robert Kraft recalled, but Aaron said 434 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:23,760 Speaker 1: he was not involved, that he was innocent, and that 435 00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:26,560 Speaker 1: he hoped that the time of the murder incident came 436 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:30,400 Speaker 1: out because he said he was in a club. Later, 437 00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:34,040 Speaker 1: when Robert Kraft saw Aaron Hernandez one final time in 438 00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:37,640 Speaker 1: the stadium, he related that Aaron hugged and kissed me 439 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:42,080 Speaker 1: and thanked me for my concern. Robert Kraft's final encounter 440 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:45,160 Speaker 1: with Aaron Hernandez, marked by a hug and a kiss, 441 00:29:45,800 --> 00:29:50,960 Speaker 1: symbolized the tragic disconnect between Aaron's projected innocence and the 442 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:57,840 Speaker 1: horrible reality of his actions. It wouldn't be long before 443 00:29:57,920 --> 00:30:01,680 Speaker 1: Robert Kraft and the world reali the full tragedy that 444 00:30:01,840 --> 00:30:05,720 Speaker 1: was the Aaron Hernandez saga. Just days later, on June 445 00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:10,040 Speaker 1: twenty sixth, twenty thirteen, Aaron was arrested, charged with first 446 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:14,920 Speaker 1: degree murder and multiple firearms violations. Within two hours of 447 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:18,959 Speaker 1: his arrest, the New England Patriots, facing a crisis unlike 448 00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:22,480 Speaker 1: any other in their storied history, had severed ties with 449 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:26,360 Speaker 1: their once lauded tight end annulling the remainder of his 450 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 1: forty one million dollar contract. Globe sportswriter Greg Badard covered 451 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:35,640 Speaker 1: the unraveling, writing, that's when you realized that this was 452 00:30:35,720 --> 00:30:39,719 Speaker 1: not going to probably end well for Aaron Hernandez. His 453 00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:43,840 Speaker 1: words encapsulated the shock and disbelief that must have enveloped 454 00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:47,880 Speaker 1: the higher ups who had once celebrated Aaron's athletic prowess 455 00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:53,000 Speaker 1: and signature. Megawatt smiled. Robert Kraft publicly expressed his sense 456 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:56,760 Speaker 1: of betrayal, stating that he and the Patriots organization had 457 00:30:56,800 --> 00:31:00,560 Speaker 1: been duped by Aaron Hernandez. This sentiment was echoed by 458 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:05,000 Speaker 1: coach Bill Belichick in a rare and emotional address. Belichick, 459 00:31:05,160 --> 00:31:08,320 Speaker 1: known for his stoic demeanor and focus on football operations, 460 00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:12,120 Speaker 1: admitted to feeling personally disappointed and hurt by the turn 461 00:31:12,160 --> 00:31:16,160 Speaker 1: of events. As the coach of the team, I'm primarily 462 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:19,120 Speaker 1: responsible for the people that we bring into the football operation, 463 00:31:19,320 --> 00:31:24,080 Speaker 1: Bill Belichick solemnly declared. Overall, I'm proud of the hundreds 464 00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:26,960 Speaker 1: of players that have come through this program, but I'm 465 00:31:26,960 --> 00:31:31,200 Speaker 1: personally disappointed and hurt in a situation like this. While 466 00:31:31,240 --> 00:31:34,520 Speaker 1: nobody could have foreseen just how debilitating of a downfall 467 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:38,520 Speaker 1: Aaron would have, it's difficult to imagine that Bill Belichick 468 00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:41,760 Speaker 1: didn't regret not having helped his paranoid player who had 469 00:31:41,800 --> 00:31:44,840 Speaker 1: come to him asking for his help just months earlier. 470 00:31:46,880 --> 00:31:50,080 Speaker 1: The Patriot's locker room, a place once energized by Aaron 471 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:53,760 Speaker 1: hernandez talent and charisma, was left to grapple with the 472 00:31:53,800 --> 00:31:57,840 Speaker 1: reality of his actions. Belichick, seeking to guide his team 473 00:31:57,880 --> 00:32:01,280 Speaker 1: through this tumultuous period, made made it clear that Aaron's 474 00:32:01,360 --> 00:32:04,120 Speaker 1: name would no longer be a part of their discourse. 475 00:32:05,080 --> 00:32:10,160 Speaker 1: Dane Fletcher recounted Coach Belichick's firm directive, Aaron Hernandez is 476 00:32:10,200 --> 00:32:13,920 Speaker 1: not part of this team, Belichick stated, unequivocally, he will 477 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:17,000 Speaker 1: not be spoken about in this locker room. While the 478 00:32:17,160 --> 00:32:20,280 Speaker 1: NFL rolled on, Aaron Hernandez had to adjust from the 479 00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:24,920 Speaker 1: roar of Patriots fans to the austere confines of prison 480 00:32:25,920 --> 00:32:28,560 Speaker 1: as he awaited trial in the summer of twenty fourteen 481 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:31,719 Speaker 1: at the Suffolk County Jail. His life, once filled with 482 00:32:31,800 --> 00:32:35,920 Speaker 1: Sunday glory, the rush of money, and the corderie of teammates, 483 00:32:36,520 --> 00:32:39,640 Speaker 1: was replaced by a seven x ten foot cell existence 484 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:43,560 Speaker 1: with limited visits from his fiancee Chayana, and daughter Aviel 485 00:32:44,040 --> 00:32:47,920 Speaker 1: through a glass window. Yet, Aaron Hernandez seemed to find 486 00:32:47,960 --> 00:32:52,600 Speaker 1: a peculiar contentment in his new structured life, finding solace 487 00:32:52,680 --> 00:32:57,440 Speaker 1: and poker cribbage reading. Harry Potter and even deriving small 488 00:32:57,480 --> 00:33:02,040 Speaker 1: pleasure from warming snacks in the prison mindcrowave this man, 489 00:33:02,080 --> 00:33:04,400 Speaker 1: who had found a path to the top amidst the 490 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:08,320 Speaker 1: chaos of the outside world, now found comfort in the 491 00:33:08,360 --> 00:33:12,520 Speaker 1: meticulous organization of his cell, describing it to us fiancee 492 00:33:12,560 --> 00:33:17,200 Speaker 1: Seanna Jenkins as my room is very organized. It's actually cozy. 493 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:21,560 Speaker 1: I think I enjoy it too much. Aaron's adaptation to 494 00:33:21,640 --> 00:33:26,160 Speaker 1: prison life, with its enforced structure and routine, contrasted sharply 495 00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:29,840 Speaker 1: with the free spirited life he'd let outside. I tried 496 00:33:29,880 --> 00:33:31,920 Speaker 1: as hard as I could to live the dream life, 497 00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:34,920 Speaker 1: Aaron Hernandez confided during one of his nearly three hundred 498 00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:38,640 Speaker 1: phone calls from jail, but it didn't end up working out. 499 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:42,840 Speaker 1: Mark Ziogus, who had coached Aaron years earlier in Little League, 500 00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:45,840 Speaker 1: detected a sense of relief in his letters from prison. 501 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:49,600 Speaker 1: It almost feels like the pressure on Aaron is off 502 00:33:49,920 --> 00:33:52,520 Speaker 1: now that he is in jail. Mark said he must 503 00:33:52,560 --> 00:33:55,840 Speaker 1: have felt a lot of pressure. It makes you feel sad. 504 00:33:56,200 --> 00:33:58,360 Speaker 1: Why didn't he try to deal with it through counseling 505 00:33:58,480 --> 00:34:02,040 Speaker 1: or something. But prison is not a party, and the 506 00:34:02,080 --> 00:34:06,360 Speaker 1: seemingly peaceful existence Aaron was leading was merely a waiting 507 00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:08,840 Speaker 1: period leading up to his trial for the murder of 508 00:34:08,920 --> 00:34:13,080 Speaker 1: Odin Lloyd. Despite the damning evidence and the high profile 509 00:34:13,239 --> 00:34:16,840 Speaker 1: nature of the case, Aaron Hernandez seemed to remain hopeful 510 00:34:16,880 --> 00:34:20,560 Speaker 1: about his future, telling friends from his cell that they 511 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:24,200 Speaker 1: know I ain't do shit. They know I'm innocent. But 512 00:34:24,239 --> 00:34:28,799 Speaker 1: even Aaron's own family wasn't convinced. Djy's enduring love for 513 00:34:28,840 --> 00:34:33,800 Speaker 1: his brother overshadowed the grim reality of Aaron's circumstances. Whether 514 00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:36,759 Speaker 1: Aaron did or did not do it, I don't know, 515 00:34:36,840 --> 00:34:41,480 Speaker 1: he said, And honestly, it's irrelevant, he continued, it really is. 516 00:34:42,040 --> 00:34:44,480 Speaker 1: He's in a situation because he decided to be in 517 00:34:44,520 --> 00:34:47,400 Speaker 1: the wrong place at the wrong time, with the wrong people. 518 00:34:48,040 --> 00:34:51,239 Speaker 1: I still love him. That's not going to change. If 519 00:34:51,239 --> 00:34:53,239 Speaker 1: I see him out here one day, the first thing 520 00:34:53,280 --> 00:34:55,000 Speaker 1: I'm going to do is give him a hug and 521 00:34:55,040 --> 00:34:57,520 Speaker 1: a kiss, just like we used to do with my father. 522 00:34:58,960 --> 00:35:01,560 Speaker 1: But dj never did get the chance to embrace his 523 00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:06,200 Speaker 1: brother Aaron in freedom again. On April fifteenth, twenty fifteen, 524 00:35:06,680 --> 00:35:10,239 Speaker 1: Aaron Hernandez was found guilty of Odin Lloyd's murder and 525 00:35:10,360 --> 00:35:14,360 Speaker 1: was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. 526 00:35:15,239 --> 00:35:19,560 Speaker 1: This verdict catapulted Aaron from the Suffolk County Jail's relatively 527 00:35:19,680 --> 00:35:24,839 Speaker 1: relaxed atmosphere to the harsh confines of the Suza Bereanowski 528 00:35:24,920 --> 00:35:30,040 Speaker 1: Correctional Center. Moving from jail to maximum security prison is 529 00:35:30,120 --> 00:35:33,680 Speaker 1: often a tremendous culture shot for inmates, and this was 530 00:35:33,680 --> 00:35:37,800 Speaker 1: certainly the case for Aaron Hernandez. Allegedly, the guards taunted 531 00:35:37,800 --> 00:35:40,640 Speaker 1: the inmates in the regime inside the facility was so 532 00:35:40,840 --> 00:35:45,840 Speaker 1: strict as to be utterly dehumanizing. In fact, the prison 533 00:35:45,960 --> 00:35:48,759 Speaker 1: has itself been at the center of review, with an 534 00:35:48,760 --> 00:35:53,120 Speaker 1: inmate uprising occurring as recently as twenty seventeen, when prisoners 535 00:35:53,200 --> 00:35:57,840 Speaker 1: reported being denied basic rights such as showers. Arin, like 536 00:35:57,920 --> 00:36:01,240 Speaker 1: so many of the inmates at SUSA Baroniowski Correctional Center, 537 00:36:01,600 --> 00:36:06,600 Speaker 1: struggled against his new harsh reality. According to CNN, Aaron 538 00:36:06,719 --> 00:36:10,239 Speaker 1: racked up about a dozen separate disciplinary offenses between May 539 00:36:10,280 --> 00:36:15,279 Speaker 1: twenty fifteen and October twenty sixteen, including three fistfights, two 540 00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:20,040 Speaker 1: smoking related issues, two surprised prison tattoos, in possession of 541 00:36:20,080 --> 00:36:24,680 Speaker 1: a nearly six inch sharpened metal shive. This report certainly 542 00:36:24,719 --> 00:36:28,120 Speaker 1: paints a very dark picture of Aaron's life behind maximum 543 00:36:28,160 --> 00:36:34,200 Speaker 1: security bars. On Wednesday, April nineteenth, twenty seventeen, at three 544 00:36:34,320 --> 00:36:38,279 Speaker 1: oh five am, twenty seven year old Aaron Hernandez was 545 00:36:38,320 --> 00:36:41,400 Speaker 1: found hanged naked from a bed sheet attached to a 546 00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:45,240 Speaker 1: window in his cell at the suz of Barnowski Correctional Center. 547 00:36:46,120 --> 00:36:48,799 Speaker 1: John three point sixteen was written in blood on his 548 00:36:48,920 --> 00:36:53,120 Speaker 1: forehead and on the prison cell wall. That passage reads, 549 00:36:53,800 --> 00:36:56,319 Speaker 1: for God so loved the world that he gave his 550 00:36:56,400 --> 00:37:00,880 Speaker 1: only begotten son, for whosoever believeth in him should not perish, 551 00:37:01,440 --> 00:37:06,040 Speaker 1: but have everlasting life. State police said Aaron's right middle 552 00:37:06,080 --> 00:37:08,759 Speaker 1: finger had a fresh cut and there was blood on 553 00:37:08,840 --> 00:37:12,920 Speaker 1: his adjacent fingers. Besides the John three sixteen written on 554 00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:16,960 Speaker 1: his forehead, there also appeared to be a large circular 555 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:20,560 Speaker 1: blood mark on each of his feet. His Bible had 556 00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:23,880 Speaker 1: been left open to John three sixteen, with the verse 557 00:37:24,040 --> 00:37:27,720 Speaker 1: marked in blood, and as reported by People magazine, three 558 00:37:27,760 --> 00:37:31,480 Speaker 1: handwritten notes were found next to that bible, one for 559 00:37:31,560 --> 00:37:36,759 Speaker 1: his fiance Shayanna Jenkins, one for his daughter Avil Jenkins Hernandez, 560 00:37:37,360 --> 00:37:42,560 Speaker 1: and one for his attorney, Jose Bayaz. To Shayana, he wrote, 561 00:37:42,719 --> 00:37:45,480 Speaker 1: you have always been my soulmate, and I want you 562 00:37:45,520 --> 00:37:48,719 Speaker 1: to love life and know I'm always with you. I 563 00:37:48,880 --> 00:37:52,360 Speaker 1: told you what was coming indirectly. I love you so 564 00:37:52,560 --> 00:37:56,399 Speaker 1: much and know you are an angel. We split into 565 00:37:56,400 --> 00:38:00,680 Speaker 1: two to come change the world. Your character, Ristic is 566 00:38:00,719 --> 00:38:04,000 Speaker 1: that of a true angel in the definition of God's love. 567 00:38:05,080 --> 00:38:08,400 Speaker 1: Tell my story fully, but never think anything besides how 568 00:38:08,480 --> 00:38:11,840 Speaker 1: much I love you. And to his young daughter, Aaron's 569 00:38:11,840 --> 00:38:16,000 Speaker 1: words were, Daddy will never leave you. I'm entering to 570 00:38:16,120 --> 00:38:19,040 Speaker 1: the timeless realm, in which I can enter into any 571 00:38:19,120 --> 00:38:23,239 Speaker 1: form at any time, because everything that could happen or 572 00:38:23,320 --> 00:38:28,520 Speaker 1: not happened, I see all at once. Life is eternal, believe. 573 00:38:30,080 --> 00:38:33,520 Speaker 1: In the wake of his death, even those intimately familiar 574 00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:38,479 Speaker 1: with Aaron's struggles expressed shock. Today my heart hurts, says 575 00:38:38,520 --> 00:38:41,480 Speaker 1: I got the worst news I could have imagined, NFL 576 00:38:41,600 --> 00:38:45,680 Speaker 1: Center Mike Pouncy said, and some, like Aaron's former agent 577 00:38:45,719 --> 00:38:50,480 Speaker 1: Brian Murphy, flat out didn't believe the police report. Absolutely 578 00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:54,080 Speaker 1: no chance he took his own life, Brian posted, Chico 579 00:38:54,200 --> 00:38:56,840 Speaker 1: was not a saint, but my family and I loved 580 00:38:56,880 --> 00:38:59,799 Speaker 1: him and he would never take his own life. As 581 00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:04,480 Speaker 1: the theories swirled, the scientists wasted no time they had 582 00:39:04,520 --> 00:39:11,280 Speaker 1: work to do. By twenty seventeen, CTE had been officially 583 00:39:11,320 --> 00:39:14,960 Speaker 1: recognized by the NFL, and medical professionals were keen to 584 00:39:15,080 --> 00:39:19,480 Speaker 1: understand how Aaron hernandez multiple head injuries might have contributed 585 00:39:19,560 --> 00:39:23,840 Speaker 1: to his life choices and untimely death. Seven months after 586 00:39:23,880 --> 00:39:28,280 Speaker 1: his suicide, the announcement came from Boston University CTE Center. 587 00:39:29,200 --> 00:39:33,920 Speaker 1: Aaron Hernandez had suffered from a severe case of CTE. 588 00:39:33,960 --> 00:39:38,400 Speaker 1: Doctor Ann McKee, the neuropathologist who heads up Boston University 589 00:39:38,520 --> 00:39:41,359 Speaker 1: CTE Center, which has studied the brains of more than 590 00:39:41,400 --> 00:39:45,200 Speaker 1: three hundred and thirty dead football players, stated that Aaron's 591 00:39:45,239 --> 00:39:49,080 Speaker 1: brain has been one of the most significant contributions to 592 00:39:49,160 --> 00:39:53,920 Speaker 1: our work. On a CTE severity scale of one to four, 593 00:39:54,520 --> 00:39:59,320 Speaker 1: Aaron hernandez brain was classified as Stage three. Doctor McKee 594 00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:02,360 Speaker 1: said she had never before seen so much damage in 595 00:40:02,480 --> 00:40:06,520 Speaker 1: anyone younger than forty six years old. The fact that 596 00:40:06,560 --> 00:40:09,799 Speaker 1: Aaron Hernandez was just twenty seven years old with that 597 00:40:09,880 --> 00:40:15,400 Speaker 1: much damage was devastating. The posthumous discovery of CTE prompted 598 00:40:15,400 --> 00:40:19,120 Speaker 1: a reevaluation of Aaron hernandez life and actions through the 599 00:40:19,200 --> 00:40:24,600 Speaker 1: lens of his debilitating neurological condition. He had certainly exhibited 600 00:40:24,600 --> 00:40:31,160 Speaker 1: behavior associated with CTE, including poor judgment, lack of impulse control, anger, 601 00:40:31,320 --> 00:40:35,960 Speaker 1: and paranoia, but distinguishing how much his actions were influenced 602 00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:41,680 Speaker 1: by his disease remains a complex and controversial challenge. After all, 603 00:40:41,760 --> 00:40:46,080 Speaker 1: Aaron's life was also marred by substance abuse, unresolved issues 604 00:40:46,160 --> 00:40:49,840 Speaker 1: related to his sexuality, and the impact of childhood trauma. 605 00:40:50,680 --> 00:40:54,760 Speaker 1: These factors make it impossible to attribute his behavior solely 606 00:40:54,840 --> 00:40:59,719 Speaker 1: to his neurological condition. As American psychologist Thomas Gilovich said, 607 00:41:00,080 --> 00:41:03,520 Speaker 1: we are the sum total of our experiences, well put, 608 00:41:03,800 --> 00:41:06,399 Speaker 1: and there are certainly a lot of experiences to add 609 00:41:06,480 --> 00:41:11,239 Speaker 1: up when it comes to accounting for the Aaron Hernandez story. 610 00:41:11,800 --> 00:41:14,800 Speaker 1: But as film director and actor Woody Allen, who himself 611 00:41:15,000 --> 00:41:18,400 Speaker 1: has come under public scrutiny multiple times for alleged sexual 612 00:41:18,440 --> 00:41:22,200 Speaker 1: misconduct counter equipped in the nineteen eighty nine film Crimes 613 00:41:22,239 --> 00:41:25,880 Speaker 1: and Misdemeanors, we are the sum total of our choices, 614 00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:30,040 Speaker 1: and here lies the crux of the Aaron Hernandez scandal 615 00:41:30,080 --> 00:41:37,440 Speaker 1: and ensuing saga experiences versus choices, The public remains incredibly divided. 616 00:41:38,080 --> 00:41:42,160 Speaker 1: Was he a victim of CTE or knowing aggressor wholly 617 00:41:42,239 --> 00:41:46,720 Speaker 1: responsible for his actions. Some view Aaron hernandez criminal actions 618 00:41:46,760 --> 00:41:51,040 Speaker 1: as utterly unforgivable, while others, like Doug Chef, the attorney 619 00:41:51,040 --> 00:41:54,800 Speaker 1: for Odin Lloyd's mother, Ursula Ward, have given real thought 620 00:41:54,840 --> 00:41:58,319 Speaker 1: as to whether Aaron's brain injury could explain the otherwise 621 00:41:58,400 --> 00:42:03,480 Speaker 1: inexplicable To mention the resounding opinion of doctor Bennettemalu, the 622 00:42:03,520 --> 00:42:06,919 Speaker 1: first doctor to identify CTE in football players, who said 623 00:42:07,480 --> 00:42:11,359 Speaker 1: Aaron Hernandez wasn't an evil man. No, he wasn't. He 624 00:42:11,520 --> 00:42:15,600 Speaker 1: was a sick man. Whatever you feel about the scandal 625 00:42:15,640 --> 00:42:19,920 Speaker 1: of Aaron Hernandez, in the end, Odin Lloyd, Sephira Fertado, 626 00:42:20,239 --> 00:42:24,440 Speaker 1: and daniel lebrou were dead alongside him, and speculations continue 627 00:42:24,480 --> 00:42:27,640 Speaker 1: to swirl to this day around other murders which may 628 00:42:27,800 --> 00:42:30,680 Speaker 1: or may not be attributable to the once great tight End. 629 00:42:31,840 --> 00:42:36,359 Speaker 1: Aaron's story is a tragic convergence of talent, turmoil and 630 00:42:36,520 --> 00:42:41,840 Speaker 1: unanswered questions. His journey from NFL stardom to death alone 631 00:42:41,880 --> 00:42:45,520 Speaker 1: in a prison cell reflects the profound impact of both 632 00:42:45,600 --> 00:42:50,120 Speaker 1: visible and invisible injuries, challenging all of us to consider 633 00:42:50,160 --> 00:42:54,360 Speaker 1: the unseen battles that individuals may face and the complex 634 00:42:54,480 --> 00:42:59,240 Speaker 1: legacy they leave behind. It's closing time with the Juice 635 00:42:59,280 --> 00:43:02,880 Speaker 1: bar for today after that starring Saga. This Barista is 636 00:43:02,880 --> 00:43:06,400 Speaker 1: all about self care and the Aaron Hernandez story is 637 00:43:06,440 --> 00:43:09,920 Speaker 1: a lot to digest. But don't worry. I'll be back 638 00:43:10,040 --> 00:43:12,279 Speaker 1: chock full of juice and raring to go with a 639 00:43:12,440 --> 00:43:16,400 Speaker 1: fresh new sports scandal next week. Right here on Playing 640 00:43:16,480 --> 00:43:33,719 Speaker 1: Dirty Sports Scandals, See you then. Playing Dirty Sports Scandals 641 00:43:33,800 --> 00:43:37,640 Speaker 1: is a production of Dan Patrick Productions, Never Ever Productions 642 00:43:37,760 --> 00:43:42,040 Speaker 1: and Workhouse Media from executive producers Dan Patrick, Paul Anderson, 643 00:43:42,400 --> 00:43:46,960 Speaker 1: Nick Panela, Maya Glickman, and Jennifer Clary. Hosted by Jay Harris, 644 00:43:47,400 --> 00:43:51,280 Speaker 1: Written and produced by Jen Brown, Francy Haiks, Maya Glickman, 645 00:43:51,480 --> 00:43:52,400 Speaker 1: and Jennifer Claire.