A judge ruled Wednesday that prosecutors in the Massachusetts murder trial of former Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez may not introduce evidence about the shooting of a Hernandez friend in Florida a few months before the killing, reports the Associated Press.
Judge Susan Garsh earlier had ruled prosecutors could not bring up evidence of the February 2013 shooting of Alexander Bradley, and on Wednesday she declined to revisit that ruling, despite prosecutors' requests. Hernandez is on trial for the June 2013 slaying of Odin Lloyd, who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancee.
Prosecutors contended the first shooting contradicts a defense claim that Hernandez would not shoot a friend, per the AP. But Hernandez attorney James Sultan argued the Florida allegations were unproven and did not lead to charges.
According to Bradley, he was at a strip club in Miami with Hernandez and two others the night he got shot. "He got into an argument with Hernandez and insulted him, and Bradley has said he then was shot between the eyes and dumped in an industrial area by Hernandez," the report said.
However, Garsh decided the defense had not "opened the door" to allowing the evidence.
