Judge erases Aaron Hernandez’s murder conviction (1 Viewer)

[Rugger]

That law should be struck down. The man was convicted. Just because he took his life, now his "legacy" will be untarnished. I doubt that they'll retry him posthumously, which they should.

I'm sure he violated his contract in more ways than one and the Pats will not have to pay.

Maybe I am looking a this the wrong way, but my first thought was "good for his kids". Maybe my point of view is skewed from having a strong relationship with a family whose father is likely going to serve the rest of his life in prison. I get heart broken thinking about what his kids are having to endure because of the decisions of their father. However, their father was not due to make millions of dollars. So maybe I am wrong for feeling empathy for Hernandez' kids, but I do feel it and after all of the legal finagling, I hope there is something left for them.

I can understand and appreciate how the Lloyd family would be upset with this legal loophole, but, and I hope this does not come off insensitive, Hernandez isn't walking out of jail. Still I would imagine this ruling has reopened wounds that should have never been opened.

As far as the Patriots having to pay the remainder of his contact, once again I do not want to come off insensitive, but they are not going to pay Hernandez. His family, and specifically his children, would likely at least see some of the remaining money that he earned based on his play.

I am not condoning what he did. I am not saying that I agree with the loophole in the law. My first thought, however, was that his children may see some benefit from a tragic series of events.

I do not see how taking his life leaves his legacy untarnished. I don't think it changes his legacy in the least. In fact I would actually say it tarnishes it further because he will still be talked about and it will have nothing to do with sports.

 

[Rugger]

Except it doesn't.

Hum maybe my previous post was wrong then. I guess I assumed that if the Patriots are on the hook for the remainder of his signing bonus, his family and specifically his kids, would benefit from a tragic series of events.

When you say it doesn't is that because there is still legal maneuvering to be done or that they would not benefit for other legal reasons.

 

[Meachemdat]

This has been in motion ever since his death. All this judgement does though is push it to a higher court where it will go through the process. There is very little chance that it passes once there.

The judge made this ruling because it technically is a law, but it will now have to go through a higher court system which can make a final judgement.

Very little chance it makes it past that.

 

[Soundwave]

Pats should have to pay the signing bonus. I would think the rest of the contract is void, but not any signing bonus.


Similar to how we still had to pay Junior.
(although somewhat different situations)

 

[Hedon James]

Agreed. I doubt the Patriots will have to put forth much effort to prove that he was in violation of his contract. The whole "conduct detrimental to the team" clause will be all they have to present.

and if that fails, there's always Roger's "conduct detrimental to the shield" catch-all....that one seems vague enough to nail whomever you want, while simultaneously overlooking similar matters. WWRD..."what would Roger do"

 

[FatCitySaint]

Dudes dead, I think he paid the ultimate price....this just needs to go away now

 

[Mudbug67]

Do you care to share what evidence of this that you have that makes you so sure?

Hernandez killed someone and forfeited his life for doing so. He would have spent the rest of life in jail but chose to end it. The victim's relatives most probably would have preferred to see him get the death penalty rather than sit in jail. Even though he's dead now, they will probably feel cheated even thought what they probably wanted has happened. However, the fact that his suicide now clears the way for his wife and child to get the money from his contract is just another example of some of the ridiculous laws that we have in place. Corporations (teams) use these same laws to cheat deserving people daily. It just so happens that a convicted killer exploited a loophole to game the system against a corporation. There is no compassion for Hernandez having taken his life and as one poster has already said, there is nothing noble about it.

I'm sure there is plenty of evidence he didn't show up to work for a year plus

 

[superchuck500]

Hum maybe my previous post was wrong then. I guess I assumed that if the Patriots are on the hook for the remainder of his signing bonus, his family and specifically his kids, would benefit from a tragic series of events.

When you say it doesn't is that because there is still legal maneuvering to be done or that they would not benefit for other legal reasons.

What I'm saying is that there is no legal "loophole" that gives Hernandez his "guaranteed" money just because he elected to kill himself in prison, which voids the conviction.

He signed a 7-year deal in 2012, that included a $12.5 million signing bonus and just under $16M guaranteed. The signing bonus was apparently not fully paid up at signing - there was still $3.25M left due to him before 2013 started.

He played in 2012 and he never played a snap for them again. The day after his arrest in July 2013, the Patriots voided the contract, stating that the contract "was guaranteed for skill and injury. It wasn't guaranteed for personal conduct that cast the club in a negative light." The Patriots didn't pay him any further money, including the remainder of the $3.25 signing bonus that was still unpaid.

As an aside, the estate might still have claim for that unpaid signing bonus. That argument has nothing to do with the conviction, but is based on the idea that the signing bonus was "earned" at signing and his subsequent conduct doesn't invalidate it. There's some sense to that argument, but it is beside the point about the voiding of the conviction.

So the Pats voided his contract long before there was ever a trial or a conviction. At that time, there was clear evidence about Hernandez's illegal possession of guns. There were text messages with him discussing marijuana deals and associating with convicted criminals. There was evidence of Hernandez's efforts to destroy his home surveillance system and his cell phone while the police were looking for evidence.

And in the trial, the defense made several admissions, including that Hernandez was at the scene but did not shoot Lloyd. There was evidence of his lifestyle of drugs, guns, and associating with criminal elements. Hernandez's estate will have to come after the Pats for this money - and their sole argument will be that Hernandez killed himself in prison therefore voiding the conviction that was handed down by the jury and confirmed by the judge.

This is not simply a question conviction or no conviction. The team will defend its position based on the evidence of his conduct, irrespective of the voiding of the conviction. It's hard to imagine how the estate's position will be sympathetic.

 

[superchuck500]

Pats should have to pay the signing bonus. I would think the rest of the contract is void, but not any signing bonus.


Similar to how we still had to pay Junior.
(although somewhat different situations)

Yeah, that might be a different situation. I'm not sure how scheduled (installment) signing bonuses have been treated in the past with respect to players violating their contract. Certainly at first blush, you could assume the signing bonus would be fully owed at signing.

 

[SweetT]

He should have HUNG around a little longer.

Duuuuuuuuude......I couldn't help but laugh

 

[RogerThat]

What I'm saying is that there is no legal "loophole" that gives Hernandez his "guaranteed" money just because he elected to kill himself in prison, which voids the conviction.

He signed a 7-year deal in 2012, that included a $12.5 million signing bonus and just under $16M guaranteed. The signing bonus was apparently not fully paid up at signing - there was still $3.25M left due to him before 2013 started.

He played in 2012 and he never played a snap for them again. The day after his arrest in July 2013, the Patriots voided the contract, stating that the contract "was guaranteed for skill and injury. It wasn't guaranteed for personal conduct that cast the club in a negative light." The Patriots didn't pay him any further money, including the remainder of the $3.25 signing bonus that was still unpaid.

As an aside, the estate might still have claim for that unpaid signing bonus. That argument has nothing to do with the conviction, but is based on the idea that the signing bonus was "earned" at signing and his subsequent conduct doesn't invalidate it. There's some sense to that argument, but it is beside the point about the voiding of the conviction.

So the Pats voided his contract long before there was ever a trial or a conviction. At that time, there was clear evidence about Hernandez's illegal possession of guns. There were text messages with him discussing marijuana deals and associating with convicted criminals. There was evidence of Hernandez's efforts to destroy his home surveillance system and his cell phone while the police were looking for evidence.

And in the trial, the defense made several admissions, including that Hernandez was at the scene but did not shoot Lloyd. There was evidence of his lifestyle of drugs, guns, and associating with criminal elements. Hernandez's estate will have to come after the Pats for this money - and their sole argument will be that Hernandez killed himself in prison therefore voiding the conviction that was handed down by the jury and confirmed by the judge.

This is not simply a question conviction or no conviction. The team will defend its position based on the evidence of his conduct, irrespective of the voiding of the conviction. It's hard to imagine how the estate's position will be sympathetic.

Pretty much. All in all, I doubt the organization would have a problem paying the contract for some form of positive PR out of this absolute mess. The stickler is this counting against the cap which I highly doubt Rodgie would give us a reprieve on.

The ultimate pisser is this just provides Odin Lloyd's family another legal hurdle to pursue Hernandez's estate if its even worth anything after all is said and done.

 

[Merl]

Yeah, that might be a different situation. I'm not sure how scheduled (installment) signing bonuses have been treated in the past with respect to players violating their contract. Certainly at first blush, you could assume the signing bonus would be fully owed at signing.

The CBA treats signing bonus's as advanced salary, Atlanta sued Vick for return of his unearned signing bonus. They won their case in court and once he paid they got a cap credit. Another example is when a drafted LB decided to retire after his first year. He had to pay back 3 years of signing bonus.

 

[11saints]

An appeal should be considered a mechanism for someone who is guilty to prove his innocence.

Wow. Slow down your horses, Big Brother.

 

[OldTimeGamer1966]

It may cold but he affected two other families and took 2 lives.He took the cowards way out for whatever reason. If he would have gotten away with it he would still play football make money and go on with his life. It's not a loss to society even in the least bit. He got what he deserved even if it came through his cowardly actions.

 

[newiberiasaint]

The guy was a scumbag