Aaron Hernandez arrested; released by Pats (pg 6)

[PhoSita]

I guess I'm not familiar with all the language, but is this really all circumstantial?  Like if they have bullet casings that tie back to the weapons?  Weapons you can tie to Hernandez directly?  Plus the texts, that they were seen together, etc.  Seems like a LOT of parts tying it together.

That's just it, circumstantial evidence is evidence that needs to be tied together with inferences in order to result in a conclusion that somebody is guilty.

Evidence that is not circumstantial would be footage of Hernandez doing the shooting, or eyewitness testimony to that effect.  It could also be fingerprints on a gun, if that gun has been definitively identified as the murder weapon and there's accompanying ballistic / gunpowder residue evidence etc.

Basically, circumstantial is anything that merely suggests that somebody is guilty because it tells you about the surrounding circumstances of the crime, but doesn't directly prove anything about the crime itself.

[Celtics Insider]

And I think you're going overboard.  You seriously think the Jets are better even with the receiving issues for the Pats?  I don't at all, and I'm no Pats fan and do think the receivers are a serious issue.  But the funny thing is as bad as their issues are, the Jets are worse in receivers.

Yes, I think our team, as a whole, will be better. We always have one of the best special teams. Westhoff retired, but I expect us to maintain our top position there that we've held for years and years.

Our defense is always also one of the best. We lost Landry, yes, but he really only went for big hits, so he missed a lot of tackles. His brother is a good replacement who can tackle well. We got Dee Milliner in the draft, who is said to be the next Revis by many. We added some much-needed pass-rushers in Antwan Barnes and Sheldon Richardson. We added a good vet in Antonio Garay. We have one of the best DEs in the league in MoWilk. Coples and D. Davis both played very well the second half of the season. Cro was one of the best CBs in the league last year. You get the point. Our defense will only get better with our new additions.

Our offense, while still not great, will not be as bad. (Eventually) Geno will get the starting spot from Sanchez, which is an immediate upgrade (any QB is). Our HBs will be upgraded with Ivory and Goodson. Greene had HORRIBLE yards after contact, and couldn't hit any outside runs or catch. Ivory and Goodson are both quality backs. McKnight also showed flashes when he played. We lost Keller, but we acquired Kellen Winslow, who, according to multiple reports, looked like one of the best players on the field during his tryout. I anticipate him being back to his old self, which is obviously an upgrade from Keller. We added a lot of depth to our OL and (possibly) upgraded both starting guards. Santonio Holmes will be back from injury. Kerley had a good season and will only grow. As raw as Hill was last year, he can only grow.

I think that we'll shock a lot of people. They'll call me a homer now, but our record won't lie.

[Rondo2287]

And I think you're going overboard.  You seriously think the Jets are better even with the receiving issues for the Pats?  I don't at all, and I'm no Pats fan and do think the receivers are a serious issue.  But the funny thing is as bad as their issues are, the Jets are worse in receivers.

Yes, I think our team, as a whole, will be better. We always have one of the best special teams. Westhoff retired, but I expect us to maintain our top position there that we've held for years and years.

Our defense is always also one of the best. We lost Landry, yes, but he really only went for big hits, so he missed a lot of tackles. His brother is a good replacement who can tackle well. We got Dee Milliner in the draft, who is said to be the next Revis by many. We added some much-needed pass-rushers in Antwan Barnes and Sheldon Richardson. We added a good vet in Antonio Garay. We have one of the best DEs in the league in MoWilk. Coples and D. Davis both played very well the second half of the season. Cro was one of the best CBs in the league last year. You get the point. Our defense will only get better with our new additions.

Our offense, while still not great, will not be as bad. (Eventually) Geno will get the starting spot from Sanchez, which is an immediate upgrade (any QB is). Our HBs will be upgraded with Ivory and Goodson. Greene had HORRIBLE yards after contact, and couldn't hit any outside runs or catch. Ivory and Goodson are both quality backs. McKnight also showed flashes when he played. We lost Keller, but we acquired Kellen Winslow, who, according to multiple reports, looked like one of the best players on the field during his tryout. I anticipate him being back to his old self, which is obviously an upgrade from Keller. We added a lot of depth to our OL and (possibly) upgraded both starting guards. Santonio Holmes will be back from injury. Kerley had a good season and will only grow. As raw as Hill was last year, he can only grow.

I think that we'll shock a lot of people. They'll call me a homer now, but our record won't lie.

Jets could have more butt fumbles than wins this year

[PhoSita]

I think that we'll shock a lot of people. They'll call me a homer now, but our record won't lie.

[KJR]

Guilty.  If the facts are as alleged, he's guilty.

I'd keep an open mind if I were on the jury.  But I'm not.  So, here's my opinion.  He will be convicted.

There's direct evidence he was there: multiple videos and the text from the deceased.  The circumstantial evidence, if true, is overwhelming.  There's no conceivable chance based on this recitation of the facts he was coerced or an unwilling participant, or confused about what was to occur.  There probably will be direct testimony on the murders themselves.

I said on here a couple days ago that the least culpable would start talking, and that's probably the case.

It might take a year for this to play out, but my supposition from a couple days ago is the most likely direction this will go:

He'll plead diminished capacity or lack of culpability because of (1) repeated concussions, (2) steroid use, and (3) painkillers.  He'll say he had no choice because his job required him to play through pain and use medications.  (This will be on advice of his fancy-pants lawyers, because there will be no chance of beating the charges directly.)

As a bonus, he might plead diminished capacity because of fetal alcohol syndrome.

These arguments won't work.  But it's all he's got.  The lawyers will wind up with his signing bonus.  And he will do the time.

Sad, sad, sad.

[PhoSita]

Guilty.  If the facts are as alleged, he's guilty.

I'd keep an open mind if I were on the jury.  But I'm not.  So, here's my opinion.  He will be convicted.

There's direct evidence he was there: multiple videos and the text from the deceased.  The circumstantial evidence, if true, is overwhelming.  There's no conceivable chance based on this recitation of the facts he was coerced or an unwilling participant, or confused about what was to occur.  There probably will be direct testimony on the murders themselves.

I said on here a couple days ago that the least culpable would start talking, and that's probably the case.

It might take a year for this to play out, but my supposition from a couple days ago is the most likely direction this will go:

He'll plead diminished capacity or lack of culpability because of (1) repeated concussions, (2) steroid use, and (3) painkillers.  He'll say he had no choice because his job required him to play through pain and use medications.  (This will be on advice of his fancy-pants lawyers, because there will be no chance of beating the charges directly.)

As a bonus, he might plead diminished capacity because of fetal alcohol syndrome.

These arguments won't work.  But it's all he's got.  The lawyers will wind up with his signing bonus.  And he will do the time.

Sad, sad, sad.

Does Hernandez even have a significant history of head trauma?

[Roy H.]

It will be interesting to see what witnesses talk here.  Unless somebody directly implicates him, this is a case where a jury could feel like he looks guilty, but there is "reasonable doubt" created by his defense attorney focusing on the holes in the prosecution's case.

It worked for OJ.

[Snakehead]

And I think you're going overboard.  You seriously think the Jets are better even with the receiving issues for the Pats?  I don't at all, and I'm no Pats fan and do think the receivers are a serious issue.  But the funny thing is as bad as their issues are, the Jets are worse in receivers.

Yes, I think our team, as a whole, will be better. We always have one of the best special teams. Westhoff retired, but I expect us to maintain our top position there that we've held for years and years.

Our defense is always also one of the best. We lost Landry, yes, but he really only went for big hits, so he missed a lot of tackles. His brother is a good replacement who can tackle well. We got Dee Milliner in the draft, who is said to be the next Revis by many. We added some much-needed pass-rushers in Antwan Barnes and Sheldon Richardson. We added a good vet in Antonio Garay. We have one of the best DEs in the league in MoWilk. Coples and D. Davis both played very well the second half of the season. Cro was one of the best CBs in the league last year. You get the point. Our defense will only get better with our new additions.

Our offense, while still not great, will not be as bad. (Eventually) Geno will get the starting spot from Sanchez, which is an immediate upgrade (any QB is). Our HBs will be upgraded with Ivory and Goodson. Greene had HORRIBLE yards after contact, and couldn't hit any outside runs or catch. Ivory and Goodson are both quality backs. McKnight also showed flashes when he played. We lost Keller, but we acquired Kellen Winslow, who, according to multiple reports, looked like one of the best players on the field during his tryout. I anticipate him being back to his old self, which is obviously an upgrade from Keller. We added a lot of depth to our OL and (possibly) upgraded both starting guards. Santonio Holmes will be back from injury. Kerley had a good season and will only grow. As raw as Hill was last year, he can only grow.

I think that we'll shock a lot of people. They'll call me a homer now, but our record won't lie.

No offense but I'm going to call you a homer.  There's no reason to think they have improved that much.

[Fafnir]

It will be interesting to see what witnesses talk here.  Unless somebody directly implicates him, this is a case where a jury could feel like he looks guilty, but there is "reasonable doubt" created by his defense attorney focusing on the holes in the prosecution's case.

It worked for OJ.

If the prosecution's theory of the crime is that he was the shooter yes.

But I think they can easily get him as an accessory based on his subsquent actions to the shooting. I thought the mexican standoff crime theory (where each co-conspirator says the other is the shooter) typically fails.

[Snakehead]

It will be interesting to see what witnesses talk here.  Unless somebody directly implicates him, this is a case where a jury could feel like he looks guilty, but there is "reasonable doubt" created by his defense attorney focusing on the holes in the prosecution's case.

It worked for OJ.

If the prosecution's theory of the crime is that he was the shooter yes.

But I think they can easily get him as an accessory based on his subsquent actions to the shooting. I thought the mexican standoff crime theory (where each co-conspirator says the other is the shooter) typically fails.

I was also wondering about obstruction of justice and that kind of thing from how he was destroying the evidence from the phone, video, and maybe moving the body.  Again, I have no real idea what I'm talking about I just watched The Wire before 

[D.o.s.]

Guilty.  If the facts are as alleged, he's guilty.

I'd keep an open mind if I were on the jury.  But I'm not.  So, here's my opinion.  He will be convicted.

There's direct evidence he was there: multiple videos and the text from the deceased.  The circumstantial evidence, if true, is overwhelming.  There's no conceivable chance based on this recitation of the facts he was coerced or an unwilling participant, or confused about what was to occur.  There probably will be direct testimony on the murders themselves.

I said on here a couple days ago that the least culpable would start talking, and that's probably the case.

It might take a year for this to play out, but my supposition from a couple days ago is the most likely direction this will go:

He'll plead diminished capacity or lack of culpability because of (1) repeated concussions, (2) steroid use, and (3) painkillers.  He'll say he had no choice because his job required him to play through pain and use medications.  (This will be on advice of his fancy-pants lawyers, because there will be no chance of beating the charges directly.)

As a bonus, he might plead diminished capacity because of fetal alcohol syndrome.

These arguments won't work.  But it's all he's got.  The lawyers will wind up with his signing bonus.  And he will do the time.

Sad, sad, sad.

Any reasoning behind that?

[Celtics Insider]

And I think you're going overboard.  You seriously think the Jets are better even with the receiving issues for the Pats?  I don't at all, and I'm no Pats fan and do think the receivers are a serious issue.  But the funny thing is as bad as their issues are, the Jets are worse in receivers.

Yes, I think our team, as a whole, will be better. We always have one of the best special teams. Westhoff retired, but I expect us to maintain our top position there that we've held for years and years.

Our defense is always also one of the best. We lost Landry, yes, but he really only went for big hits, so he missed a lot of tackles. His brother is a good replacement who can tackle well. We got Dee Milliner in the draft, who is said to be the next Revis by many. We added some much-needed pass-rushers in Antwan Barnes and Sheldon Richardson. We added a good vet in Antonio Garay. We have one of the best DEs in the league in MoWilk. Coples and D. Davis both played very well the second half of the season. Cro was one of the best CBs in the league last year. You get the point. Our defense will only get better with our new additions.

Our offense, while still not great, will not be as bad. (Eventually) Geno will get the starting spot from Sanchez, which is an immediate upgrade (any QB is). Our HBs will be upgraded with Ivory and Goodson. Greene had HORRIBLE yards after contact, and couldn't hit any outside runs or catch. Ivory and Goodson are both quality backs. McKnight also showed flashes when he played. We lost Keller, but we acquired Kellen Winslow, who, according to multiple reports, looked like one of the best players on the field during his tryout. I anticipate him being back to his old self, which is obviously an upgrade from Keller. We added a lot of depth to our OL and (possibly) upgraded both starting guards. Santonio Holmes will be back from injury. Kerley had a good season and will only grow. As raw as Hill was last year, he can only grow.

I think that we'll shock a lot of people. They'll call me a homer now, but our record won't lie.

No offense but I'm going to call you a homer.  There's no reason to think they have improved that much.

Care to cite specific examples? Where have they not improved? We've literally improved every position outside of maybe SS.

[Fafnir]

Lets move the Jets/Pats talk to another thread.

[j804]

so supposedly surveillance footage inside his home shows him walking through the house with the gun after the murder, before going in to the basement with it and the footage going off? also he's shown minutes before people heard gunshots passing in his car through that area toward the murder spot and then leaving after. this guy Lloyd was seen leaving with him that day too. I don't see how he gets out of that.

[j804]

Aaron Hernandez was locked and loaded 4 years before his current alleged murder predicament ... and he made sure to capture the gun-toting moment on camera.

TMZ has obtained this photo ... showing a 19-year-old Aaron brandishing a Glock handgun for a selfie iPhone pic.  You can see a magazine inserted into the gun, but it's unclear if it was loaded.

We've learned the pic was taken in Gainesville, Florida in 2009 ... the same time Hernandez was playing football for the University of Florida.

Aaron is wearing what appears to be a Livestrong bracelet -- which is pretty ironic, because spokesperson Lance Armstrong also left his sport in disgrace.