BOSTON — A lawyer for former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez has objected to the judge’s selection of a white woman as the jury forewoman in his double-murder trial.
Attorney Ronald Sullivan Jr. made his argument Monday as jurors started their second day of deliberations. The jury deliberated for about six hours Friday.
Sullivan said the choice of a white woman on the mostly minority jury “has very troubling racial overtones.” He said choosing her as forewoman ensured she would remain on the jury instead of being dismissed as an alternate.
Judge Jeffrey Locke said he found it “astounding” that Sullivan would make that claim.
The victims were Cape Verdean. Hernandez’s father is Hispanic, and his mother is Italian.
Hernandez is charged in the 2012 shootings of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado in a drive-by shooting in Boston. Hernandez’s lawyers said the shooter was Alexander Bradley, Hernandez’s friend who was with him that night.
Bradley was the prosecution’s star witness. He testified that Hernandez became enraged and shot the men because he felt disrespected after one of them bumped into Hernandez and spilled his drink.
Hernandez’s lawyers said Bradley shot the men over a drug deal.
