Aaron Hernandez may be eligible to have his murder conviction overturned because of an outdated legal principle in Massachusetts, but prosectors are asking a judge to prevent that from happening.
Massachusetts district attorney Thomas Quinn filed a motion on Monday arguing that overturning Hernandez’s conviction for the murder of Odin Lloyd would be rewarding a “conscious, deliberate and voluntary act.” Quinn also argues that the “abatement ab initio” principle in Massachusetts is outdated and not recognized by several other states. NBC Boston provided a full copy of the court filing.
Because Hernandez had not yet exhausted all of his appeals in the Lloyd case, he is eligible to have his conviction overturned. In addition to making him an innocent man in death, overturning the decision would also make it more difficult for Lloyd’s family to proceed with civil action, which is something Quinn mentioned.
One theory that emerged after Hernandez committed suicide is that he did so to protect his estate. You can read more about that here.
Lloyd’s family has already said they will move forward with their lawsuit against Hernandez, despite the former NFL star’s attorneys submitting a motion to have the murder conviction overturned.
