Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, in custody on murder charges, has penned a letter echoing his not guilty plea, in response to a pen pal wishing to give the 23-year-old encouragement.
Hernandez was arrested in late June on murder charges for the killing Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old Boston semi-professional football player, whose body was found in Massachusetts, on June 17. Soon after authorities arrested Hernandez, after he was dropped by the NFL team.
Former New England Patriots NFL football tight end Aaron Hernandez appears at Attleboro District Court on Wednesday, July 24, 2013, in Attleboro, Mass. Hernandez has pleaded not guilty to murder in the death of Odin Lloyd. Hernandez was in court for what was supposed to be a probable cause hearing, but prosecutors said the grand jury is still considering the evidence against him. A judge rescheduled the probable cause hearing for Aug. 22, after considering defense objections to a delay. (AP)
The latest from Hernandez is a letter posted by TMZ in reply to a man named Karl who had written him after being in the same jail 15 years prior.
Here are a few choice quotes from Hernandez's hand-written letter on yellow, lined paper:
"I know everything happens for a reason and I know "God" has a plan for me and something good will come out of this."
"[...] when they say NOT GUILTY and all the people who turned on me will feel like crap."
"I know there is a reason I'm going thru this and I will figure it out through my relationship with the Lord."
"I can't wait to sign this again when I'm playing again an prove all the haters an da talkers WRONG."
A letter that authorities confirm did originate at the jail, but cannot confirm was actually written by Hernandez. (Image source: TMZ)
Read the full letter on TMZ, which it vetted with authorities as authentic. Hernandez also included in his letter that it be kept "off social media," which obviously didn't happen.
Watch this report from WBZ-TV on the letter sent to the pen pal in which the sheriff says the letter did originate at the jail but he can't confirm Hernandez penned it:
Attleboro District Court released more than 100 pages of court documents last week. Among these documents were photos from Hernandez's home surveillance system, which appear to show him holding a gun both before and after the killing.
Authorities believe Lloyd was killed with a .45-caliber Glock, which they have said hasn't been recovered. Prosecutors said previously that a gun Hernandez is seen holding in the home surveillance appears to be a Glock.
Documents filed in Florida also say that police in Hernandez's hometown of Bristol, Conn., while investigating Lloyd's killing, found a car rented in the ex-NFL star name being sought in connection with a July 2012 double killing in Boston.
Hernandez is being held without bail until his hearing on August 22.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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