The Associated Press
FALL RIVER (AP) — Reaction to the conviction of former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez in the 2013 killing of Odin Lloyd, a friend who was dating the sister of Hernandez’s fiancee.
“Be strong. Be strong.” — Mouthed by Aaron Hernandez to his mother and fiancee after the guilty verdict was announced.
“I forgive the hands of the people that had a hand in my son’s murder, either before or after.” — Odin Lloyd’s mother, Ursula Ward, in victim-impact statement.
“Odin was the first born of three children. Odin was my only son. Odin was the backbone of the family. Odin was the man of the house. Odin was his sisters’ keeper.” — Odin Lloyd’s mother, Ursula Ward.
“At the age of 25, I was asked to write my brother’s eulogy, the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life.” – Odin Lloyd’s sister, Olivia Thibou.
“I just can’t wrap my head around this. For the first time, it’s real. That’s not the kid I knew. I just can’t understand it. ” — Tweet from David Nelson, former Jets and Bills wide receiver who played with Hernandez at Florida.
“It’s unfortunate. You never want to see anybody in that situation. I don’t know all the details of it and whatever the case may be, but any time you hear somebody is found guilty of first-degree murder, that’s not a good situation to be in.” — Buffalo Bills veteran running back Fred Jackson.
“Based on the fundamental building blocks they were missing — no confession, no eyewitness, not a really solid motive — I thought it was going to be a not guilty.” — Suffolk University Law professor Christopher Dearborn.
“The celebrity status meant very little as the trial went on. I think over time the jurors made a decision, and the decision was who killed Odin Lloyd and why. It wasn’t about Hernandez being a New England Patriot.” — Former Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone.
“The fact that he was a professional athlete meant nothing in the end.” — Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn.
