BOSTON — Aaron Hernandez moved one step closer to his next murder trial this week.
Following a court order, his former lawyers have handed the cellphone, reportedly an AT&T Blackberry, over to the ex-Patriots player’s current defense attorneys.
A court document indicates that Ropes and Gray LLP delivered the device to Rankin and Sultan LLP on March 30, five days after the judge’s order. Attorney Charles Rankin and his team will have a limited amount of time to inspect the phone before prosecutors can apply for a search warrant.
Prosecutors believe the phone could contain evidence in the July 2012 double murder of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado. Hernandez is expected to go on trial for that case later this year.
Hernandez is already serving time after being convicted last year in the death of Odin Lloyd.
