The jury in the murder trial of former Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez ended its sixth day of deliberations Tuesday without reaching a verdict, per the Associated Press. The jury, which is made up of seven women and five men, have deliberated for nearly 35 hours since they received the case last week.
Superior Court Judge Susan Garsh dismissed the jury for the day, reminding them all media sources of news and warning them not to discuss the case with anyone.
"Please do not do any research of any kind," she said.
Hernandez has pleaded not guilty in the murder of Odin Lloyd in June 2013. Hernandez’s lawyer has acknowledged his client was there when Lloyd was shot, but has pinned the murder on two of Hernandez’s friends. Prosecutors argued Hernandez killed Lloyd and thought he could get away with it because no one would believe it was him.
If Hernandez is found guilty of murder, the jury must decide if it is a first-degree or second-degree charge. To convict him of first-degree murder, the jury must find Hernandez caused Lloyd’s death, and did so either intentionally and with deliberate premeditation or with extreme atrocity or cruelty. It carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison.
If convicted of second-degree murder, it carries an automatic sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years.
Hernandez is also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of .22-caliber ammunition.
