As his former Patriots teammates spent Thursday preparing to play in the Super Bowl, Aaron Hernandez sat in a Massachusetts courtroom listening to opening arguments as his first-degree murder trial got underway.
Bristol County assistant district attorney Patrick Bomberg's hour-long opening statement for the prosecution highlighted two key findings in the state's case: A footprint recovered at the scene of Odin Lloyd's killing matched sneakers worn by Hernandez, and a marijuana joint found next to Lloyd's body contained DNA from both Lloyd and Hernandez.
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Bomberg said Hernandez and two associates drove Lloyd to an industrial park in North Attleborough, Mass., not far from Gillette Stadium, early on the morning of June 17, 2013. Home surveillance footage placed Hernandez and the two associates arriving at Hernandez's nearby home about 10 minutes later.Police discovered Lloyd's body later that day. He was shot six times with a .45 caliber handgun, according to Bomberg.
The murder weapon has not been found.
When defense attorney Michael Fee took the floor, he told the jury circumstantial evidence alone would not be enough prove Hernandez's guilt.
“Mere presence is not enough in our system,” Fee said in a 35-minute presentation. “We can’t be convicted of a crime just because we hang with the wrong people or are in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Fee accused police of a "sloppy and unprofessional" investigation that immediately singled out Hernandez because of his fame and status as a professional football player.
"We are here because the police and prosecutors targeted Aaron Hernandez from the very beginning," Fee said. "Aaron never had a chance. It was over."
Bomberg accused Hernandez of both planning the murder and trying to cover it up.
PHOTOS: Investigation images
Fee also questioned Hernandez's motive for killing Lloyd. The two often partied together, and Lloyd sold marijuana to Hernandez, Fee said.
"Aaron Hernandez was planning his future, not a murder," Fee repeated several times through his opening rendition.
Hernandez, 25, a Bristol, Conn., native, has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The prosecution presented the grim crime-scene photos of Lloyd's bullet-ridden body. Lloyd's mother, Ursula Ward, and other family members were shown weeping in the courtroom at the sight.
Presiding judge E. Susan Garsh repeatedly emphasized before opening statements that the burden to prove Hernandez's guilt is on the prosecution.
Hernandez associates Ernest Wallace and Carlos Ortiz also face murder charges in Lloyd's death and have pleaded not guilty.
Opening statements were originally scheduled for Tuesday but were postponed due to inclement weather in the region. They were then expected to begin around 9 a.m. Thursday but were delayed again for about two hours when a juror was late because of unplowed streets.