Aaron Hernandez is officially an innocent man, at least in the eyes of the state of Massachusetts.
On Tuesday, a judge ruled that Hernandez’s 2015 conviction for the murder of Odin Lloyd has been erased.
Aaron Hernandez's 2015 murder conviction has been abated by Judge Susan Garsh. He is technically not guilty. Commonwealth likely to appeal.
— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) May 9, 2017
Many legal experts knew this was coming after Hernandez committed suicide in his jail cell last month, as Massachusetts is one of few states that still follows a legal principle called “abatement ab initio.” What that means is that someone who has been found guilty of a crime has his or her conviction overturned if all of the appeals in the legal process have not been exhausted at the time of death.
Prosecutors have asked that Hernandez’s conviction not be overturned, as it will make it more difficult for Lloyd’s family to proceed with civil action against Hernandez’s estate. In fact, that is why some theorized that Hernandez decided to take his own life. You can read more about that here.
With Hernandez being found not guilty of a 2012 double murder in Boston just days before he hanged himself, the former NFL star has now died an innocent man for legal purposes.
