NEWS: Judge bars NFL clothing, logos from Hernandez murder trial

 

Aaron Hernandez appeared in court with one of his attorneys, Charles Rankin on December 12, 2014. Pool photo by Robert E. Klein / The Boston Globe
Aaron Hernandez appeared in court with one of his attorneys, Charles Rankin on December 12, 2014. Pool photo by Robert E. Klein / The Boston Globe

Aaron Hernandez appeared in court with one of his attorneys, Charles Rankin on December 12, 2014. Pool photo by Robert E. Klein / The Boston Globe 


 

By Steve Klamkin WPRO News

The Aaron Hernandez defense team asks permission to question prospective jurors individually, and to challenge more than the usual number of jurors, up to 30.

They’re also hoping to screen out possible thrill seekers hoping to get on the jury for their own self-promotion.

In addition to all of the usual court rules, the judge has issued strict orders for the public; no one attending the trial may wear any clothing or display any items or photos with the Patriots or any NFL team logo. Only 20 seats will be reserved for the public, on a first come basis.

In a five-page order, Judge Susan Garsh issued an order regarding the protocol, public attendance and media coverage of the Hernandez trial, scheduled to begin with jury selection January 9, 2015 in Fall River Superior Court.

“No person wearing clothing, or a button or other object attached to clothing, or carrying an object that displays any Patriots or other NFL team logo, football-related insignia, or words and/or a photograph that relate in any way to this case will be permitted entry to the Fall River Justice Center during any phase of the trial,” Judge Garsh wrote in her order.

Lawyers for Hernandez, the former Patriots player who has pleaded not guilty to murder and weapons charges in the June, 2013 shooting death of Odin Lloyd, asked the judge to permit up to 30 preemptory challenges of jurors, and to question jurors individually.

Group questioning, wrote attorneys Michael Fee and James Sultan, “may not be sufficient to identify potential jurors harboring latent biases or thrill-seekers who may want to be on this jury for their own self-promotion or self-aggrandizement.”

They asked that such individual questioning take place outside the presence of other jurors and outside the hearing of the media.

In a hearing last Friday, Judge Garsh indicated that the public and the media have a right to attend the proceedings.

 

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