SJC Justice Appeal To Reinstate Aaron Hernandez Murder Conviction

BOSTON, MA — Aaron Hernandez will remain a innocent man in death.

The Justice David Lowy of the state's Supreme Judicial Court wrote in a decision that he has denied petition from the Commonwealth to appeal a lower court decision to vacate the former New England Patriots player's murder conviction.

Hernandez, who killed himself in April, was still in the appeals process for the murder of Odin Lloyd when he hanged himself. Because he had not exhausted his legal options prior to his death, the conviction was vacated as allowed by state law.

The appeal, brought in front of a single justice by Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn, could still could ask the full court whether someone with a criminal conviction should die an innocent person if they pass before the appeals process is over.

“Should the case be appealed, this Court will give consideration to an application for direct appellate review,’’ Lowy wrote, according to the Boston Globe.

The deadline to move forward is Nov. 17.

Hernandez was found hanging in his jail cell at the Souza-Baranowski Correction Center at 3:03 a.m. on April 19. Officers at the prison found the door jammed with cardboard and had to force their way though to get to Hernandez. He was taken to UMass-Memorial Health Alliance Hospital in Leominster where he was pronounced dead at about 4 a.m. At the time, he was serving a life sentence for Lloyd's 2013 death.

Hernandez's death came days after he was found innocent of a 2012 South Boston double murder.

Image Credit: AP Photo Stephan Savoia Pool File