Bad Boys: Aaron Hernandez Part 8

0:00 Hey everyone, and welcome back to Exposed Scandalous Files of the Elite. I'm your host Jim Chapman, and I am back with part eight of this bad boy series covering Aaron Hernandez. Now, before I get into it, I got a shout out of my newest Global Celebrity member, Miss Angela Golf. Now, Miss Golf is from the great state of Texas, Cleveland, Texas. To be specific and fun fact about Cleveland. This community was formed in eighteen seventy eight when Charles Cleveland, who the city is named after, decided sixty three point six acres of land. He wanted to donate that to the railroads. Now he had an agreement that a railway station would bear his name, which it did, and oddly enough, I'm sure at the time he didn't realize the entire city would be named after him. Now the city is near the much larger city of Houston, Texas.

1:03 And I want to thank you so much, Miss Angela Golf for joining the Global Celebrity Tier on Patreon. Now, if any listeners would like to find out what all the fun is about, check us out patreon dot com Slash Exposed podcast Files. So let's get into today's episode, and the last time that I left you, mister Bradley had completed his testimony and I were thinking the same thing. I was that he did a good job of articulating his experience with Aaron Hernandez and how Aaron Hernandez likely was guilty of everything that Alexander Bradley was saying. He also appeared to radle the defense attorney and frustrate him because he could just not intimidate Alexander Bradley. So I was pretty convinced, and it's sounds like you were too, that Aaron Hernandez was going to be found guilty.

2:05 So what happened? And I'm not going to cover everyone else that testified, because Bradley's testimony was really the most damning, but overall, and I listened to all of them, I felt the prosecution proved this case beyond a reasonable doubt, which is their burden. So the prosecutor, the defense, they rest their cases and the case is turned over to the jury, and after thirty two hours of deliberations, the jury comes back with verdicts of not guilty of the first degree murders of for Tado in de abru.

2:45 The only thing. That Aaron Hernandez was found guilty of was unlawful possession of a firearm. And that's pretty much a slap on the rest. And I've got to be honest, that shocked me. Just appeared the jury did not find Alexander Bradley credible. They felt like he was testifying as part of a deal that he made with prosecutors so he wouldn't do all this time in prison, I'm assuming. So regardless of. All of that, on April fourteenth of twenty seventeen, Hernandez, fresh off this victory, if you will, was still headed back to prison because he's already got a life sentence for the murder of Odin Lloyd. Now, just five days later this happened. And I'm going to reference the actual passage in the book that I've used, not primarily but heavily in my researching of this story, and it's called All American Murder. It's by James Patterson and Mike Harkey, and that passage reads, the phones in Jim Housing unit all looked the same, minted on columns. They were silver colored with black handsets to use them. Prisoners punched in pen numbers that had to be assigned to them upon arrival, but prison etiquette had to be followed by general understanding.

4:17 Each phone was claimed by a different gang. The Latin Kings had their own phones. The gangs from Boston in Springfield had their phones. Aaron Hernandez used phones that were claimed by the Bloods. In the days immediately following his exoneration for the double murders in Boston, he spoke with his lawyers and with family members. He'd stay on the line with his fiance Scheyena until the last possible minute. Then, as nine thirty mireed, a correction officer would call time five minutes to count. The CEO would shout every night was the same in g two would shuffle off grudgingly to their cells. Hernandez would climb a set of blue stairs to his cell, cell number fifty seven, left of the correction officer's desk, located one level below. The COO would flip a switch that caused all the doors in the unit to slam shut and lock for the night.

5:22 Then the prisoners would stand facing a window in their cell door, and the COO would walk slowly past each cell, eyebawling the prisoners and physically checking to make sure each door was locked. Some CEOs walked the ground floor first, then climb the stairs to count the second. Some CEOs did the opposite. It was as much variety as the system allowed for. For Aaron Hernandez, this had been the routine for two years, but the past few days had been different. According to an. Internal prison report quote, he was positive and even happily emotional, which was not usual of Hernandez. Aaron told other inmates that he was looking forward to reuniting with his family and with Seyenna. He was still young twenty seven. If Jose Boz could work his magic again, he may have had a few years of football left in him. Since Friday's verdict, he had been talking about the NFL and going back to play, even if it wasn't for the Pats, An inmate would say, he talked about his daughter and spending time with her now. It was the evening of April eighteenth of twenty seventeen. The Patriots, who had won the Super Bowl again that year, would be going to the White House the next morning to meet with President Trump.

6:46 But once again Aaron stayed on the line with Seyena, drawing out the last long minutes of the day. Then the CEO called time, and Hernandez shuffled off to his cell, his dark brown eyes shining with a purpose. A few hours later, and around one in the morning, Aaron hung part of a bed sheet over his window cut into the door of his cell. He jammed the rail the door ran on with ripped up pieces of cardboard. Then he opened his Bible to the Book of John and wrote John three point sixteen in red ink across his forehead. Slicing into his right middle finger, Aaron used his own blood to mark the same passage in the Bible. He wrote John three point sixteen in his own blood on the wall of his cell and drew a crude pyramid like the one on the back of a one dollar bill.

7:41 Beneath it, he wrote the word Illuminati, leaving several handwritten notes by the side of the Bible. He made large stigmato like marks in blood on both of his feet, then stripped naked. He poured several bottles of shampoo from the prison canteen all over the floor, and he picked up another part of the bed sheet, which he had twisted tightly into a rope. Hernandez tied one end of the twisted sheet to the top of one of the vertical slides in the window across from the door to his cell, but the crossbar was just five feet from the floor. There was a metal desk directly beneath it a metal chair next to it. Both had been bolted right into the wall. What happened next took doing and determination on Aaron's part. First, he rolled up some towels and stuck them through the crossbars so that the twisted sheet wouldn't slide down the vertical slide. Then he tied the other end of the sheet around his neck. By the time the guards found him, Aaron Hernandez was cold to the touch, and folks, it was on that night that obviously he committed suicide.

8:57 So I'm also going. To read very reports, one from the state Police covering the investigation into the suicide and also one summarizing inmate interviews. So the state Police they investigated this and this is how it reads. On Wednesday, April nineteenth, twenty seventeen, at approximately four point fifteen in the morning, the undersigned, which is the state policeman that created this report, was advised that the Massachusetts Department of Corrections reported the unattended death of a twenty seven year old Hispanic mail Aaron Hernandez until fifty seven of the General Housing Unit G two.

9:43 The Undersigned responded along with Lieutenant Daniel Wildgrubb in Corporal Christin Glanton. Upon arrival, the Undersigned spoke with Sergeant Todd Smith of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections Office of Investigatives Services. Sergeant Smith advised that around three to three in the morning, a Code ninety nine was called by Corrections officer Guard Gerard bro reporting Hernandez was hanging in cell number fifty seven. Once other correction officers arrived on the scene, the correction officers discovered the door was pegged, which meant cardboard had been shoved into the door tracks to prevent the door from opening. The corrections officers had to manually open the door to enter the cell. As they entered the cell, the CEOs discovered that Hernandez had placed a large amount of shampoo on the floor, which made it very slippery.

10:39 The corrections officers were able to cut Hernandez down, who was hanging naked from a bed sheet tied around the window bars. As the corrections officers began, CPR medical staff arrived on the scene and attached an AED which advised no shock. CPR was continued as Hernandez was transported to the u Mass Health alone As Hospital by ambulance. Upon arrival at the hospital, Hernandez was treated by doctor Evan Swasey. Hernandez never regained consciousness and was declared dead at four oh seven am by doctor Swasey. As the Undersigned entered the treatment room in the emergency room of the UMass Health Hospital at approximately five twenty one am, the Undersigned observed Corrections Officer Hilton and Corrections Officer Azase standing by a gurney covered with a sheet. The Undersign removed the sheet and observed Hernandez with cervical collar brace. Ligature marks were visible on Hernande's neck and there was some discharge slash vomit from his nose and mouth areas. Hernandez right middle finger had a fresh cut and there was some blood on the adjacent fingers. There also appeared to be a large circular blood mark on each of her Ninda's feet, and John three point sixteen was written on her nandaz forehead.

11:59 In inc there were no signs of trauma or violence on Hernandez's body. Hemorrhaging was present in both eyes, Lavidity was present, and rigor mortis was beginning to set in and lividity, folks, for those of you that may not know, that's when you get pulling of blood. So, especially in a situation where you're hanging, the blood all drains down and it pulls in spots of you, of your body, and that's what he's referencing there. Glinton also photographed and documented Hernandez's body. Representatives of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner arrived on the scene and took custody of Hernandez's body at approximately six point thirty am. Hernandez body was then transported to an office in Boston. Lieutenant Rogrub Glanton and the Undersign responded to the Correctional Center on April nineteenth of twenty seventeen, and Sergeant Smith advised the Undersign that Hernandez had been locked in a single inmate cell around nineteen fifty nine hours. Hernandez remained in the cell until three oh three am, when Hernandez was discovered hanging.

13:13 Sergeant Smith and Sergeant Rumriy, the Interior Perimeter Security Commander, advised the Undersign that there was video surveillance of the G two cell block from the time Hernandez entered the cell until the time he was transported by ambulance. According to Sergeant Rumriy, no one entered the cell until the CEOs entered it to render aid. The Undersign observed the cardboard stuffed into the door tracks leading into the cell. On the wall of the cell, there were several drawings and John three point sixteen was written in a substance consistent with blood. Under the drawings was a Bible opened to John three sixteen with the sixteenth verse marked in blood, and next to the bible were three hand written notes.

14:00 Under the bed was a piece of the bed sheet that had been cut and that had been around her Nandez's neck Tied on the bars of the window. Was the other piece of the bed sheet. Lieutenant will Grub cut the sheet from the window and placed it into evidence. There were no signs of a struggle in the cell, and another officer photographed and documented the scenes. Lieutenant will Grub and the Undersign spoke with Co Bro on April nineteenth of twenty seventeen. He advised that he was working twenty three hundred to seven hundred shift and was assigned to the G two housing in it. Correction Officer Bro last saw Hernandez around one o'clock am during the one o'clock check, and according to him, at three oh three am he observed the sheet hanging in front of hernandez cell door.

14:49 Coo Bro asked. Hernandez to remove the sheet or sound off. As Coo Bro poked a piece of the sheet that was hanging outside of the door, the sheet fell and he observed heard Hernandez hanging naked from the window. Coo Bro immediately called a Code ninety nine, and once the door opened, Correction Officer Bro and several other CEOs attempted to lift Hernandez to relieve pressure. As Hernandez was cut down, Correction Officer Bro began performing chess compressions and swapped out with other CEOs until Hernandez was removed from the unit. Sergeant Rumri and Sergeant Smith provided the undersign with copies of video surveillance logs and reports in reference to hernandez death.

15:34 All other items seemed to have no evidentiary value and were left in the custody of the Department of Corrections. Over the course of the investigation, the UNDERSIGN reviewed surveillance evidence of the G two housing unit phone logs and calls from Hernandez on April eighteenth and nineteenth of twenty seventeen. The surveillance videos showed Hernandez was on the phone just prior to be locked in a cell. Hernandez entered his so alone at approximately nineteen fifty nine hours and the cell doors locked until three seven am, when the door's open for the code ninety nine. The UNDERSIGN also listened to the last five phone calls Hernandez made on April eighteenth of twenty seventeen. Hernandez does not make any apparent indication of the intent to harm himself during any of those calls. On Wednesday, April nineteenth, twenty seventeen, doctor Henry Neilds performed an autopsy of Hernandez. Doctor Neilds determined the cause of death to be asphixia by hanging. The manner of death was ruled by doctor Neilds as a suicide.

16:37 A post mortem toxcology report indicated that Hernandez's blood came back negative for all substances tested, to include synthetic cannabis. On April twenty fourth, twenty seventeen, the Undersign responded to the Department of Correction's Office of Investigations. The Understegn took copies of a letter found in Hernandez property, as well as copy of several unknown writing samples of Hernandez. On April twenty fourth of twenty seventeen, at approximately fourteen hundred hours, the Undersigned delivered copies of the letters found in Hernandez sell to the Department of Corrections. Based upon the findings of the Chief Medical Examiner and the investigation by the Undersign, the Undersign, respectively, requests the case be closed until new information is uncovered that will warrant the case being open.

17:28 So there you have that. Jim, did you see what happened in Texas today? Wait before you tell me that, let me tell you what happened in New York. It cannot be as crazy as the case I told you about yesterday in Louisiana. You know what, we should do a podcast about it. And with that we did. Crime War Weekly covers the crime news headlines that have dominated the week. We cover trending crimes from all over the country and even sprinkle in a few Globally. Crime are Weekly is available now wherever you listen to your podcasts simply by searching Crime Wire Weekly or clicking the link in the description of this podcast. And I'm going to cover What's not as an inmate interview summary, and it basically says the summaries of the unit interviews conducted by the Inner Perimeter Security officers are as followed. Out of the inmates that were interviewed, many inmates claim to have no or very little interaction with Hernandez. Those inmates stated Hernandez was a private inmate who was approachable, but felt it was their business to get involved with him and they would rather keep to themselves.

18:44 Few inmates brought up what was being said on the news and on the radio stations they had been listening to. One inmate stated specifically that the ninety eight point five radio broadcast had been disrespectful, saying he deserved what he got, and had also mentioned that they had brought up the fact Hernandez may be gay. Multiple inmates stated they had interactions with her Nandez on a daily basis, but it was more of a respectful relationship with only high and by type conversations. In passing. Many inmates stated that they had congratulated Hernandez on his recent court decision. Inmates that had more frequent interactions with Hernandez stated he showed no signs of any trouble or depression, and stated he carried on as normal. They stated Hernandez had made multiple phone calls and colluding a phone call to his fiance and daughter, and with positive feelings. No inmates stated he had any trouble within the unit or spoke of any other known problems. Inmates that had stated they were close with Hernandez stated that he was very excited over the weekend after his verdict had come down on Friday. They stated he was positive and even happily emotional, which was not usual of Hernandez, they said. One of these inmates said that they had played basketball recently with her Nandez and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. A couple of inmates stated that he had come to their door before lock in and described the conversation as nothing

20:16 out of the ordinary. Of the inmates had said they were quote tight or real close with Hernandez. They stated he had been more and more spiritual as time progressed in prison. They felt that his suicide had been some sort of religious message. One inmate stated that he did her nandez laundry and Hernandez had requested his laundry had been ready for the weekend because he was expecting a visit from his fiance and his daughter. He stated nothing was wrong with Hernandez and he didn't seem upset. Another inmate stated that Hernandez had talked to him more and more frequently with a religious tongue. This inmate stated that Hernandez came to his door before lock in and stated, quote, remember when you die, your soul gets reincarnated. Another source stated that her Nandas had recently mentioned a rumor. This rumor was that if an inmate had an open appeal on his case and died in prison, he is acquitted of his charge and will be deemed not guilty. A source who claimed to be one of Hernandez's closest friends stated, quote, spoke with him yesterday and he was in a great place.

21:25 He was a very spiritual guy who was always quoting the Bible. Since Friday's verdict, he had been talking about the NFL and going back to play, even if it wasn't with the Pats. He talked about his daughter and spending time with her. There was absolutely no indication that he would do anything like that, and one of the last inmates interviewed stated, quote, what do you do when you get good news? Just celebrate, right, And that's how that report read. Okay, so we left a suicide note to Shay. I'm going to read that to you quickly. It's really just a little lover or paragraph. It says, Shay, you have always been my soulmate and I want you to live life and know I'm always with you. I told you what was coming indirectly. I love you so much and know you are an angel. We split into two to come change the world. Your characteristics is that you are a true angel and the definition of God's love.

22:21 Tell my story fully, but never think anything besides how much I love you. This was the Supremes, the Almighties plan, not mine. I love you. Let in it, redacted his daughter's name, Know how much I love her. Look after redacted and redacted for me. They are my boys. And then he put in parentheses You're rich. I knew I loved you equals savage garden And there you have it. Strange, not easy to follow. But that is the suicide note that he left for Shay, So this story he would be far from over with Aaron Hernandez's death when in May of twenty seventeen, an obscure law, the one that was referenced by that inmate, it wasn't referenced by the law's name, which it's actually known as the abatement principle. But that obscure law paid the way for Aaron Hernandez's conviction to be overturned in the murder of Odin Lloyd. So I'm going to reference the following article from ESPN, and this is May ninth of twenty seventeen. A judge erased a twenty thirteen murder conviction against former NFL star Aaron Hernandez, ruling the case.

23:44 Law in Massachusetts has long been established that defendants who die before their appeals are heard should have their convictions of vacated. Bristol County Superior Court Judge E. Susan Garsh said Tuesday she was compelled to follow precedent in ordering that hernandez first degree murder conviction be dismissed in the death of the semi professional player Odin Lloyd. Hernandez killed himself in prison last month while serving a life sentence. Lloyd's mother fought back tears after the ruling Tuesday, saying the former New England Patriots tight End would always be guilty in the eyes of her family. Quote in our book, He's guilty, and he's always going to be guilty, Ursula Award said of Hernandez. But I know, I know one day I'm going to see my son, and that's the victory I have, and I'm going to take that with me.

24:36 I'm waiting for my Master to say, well done, my good and faithful servant, and welcome to the joys of my kingdom, and that's when I will see my baby again. I'm not giving up. When God says the battle's over, the battles over. So I'm holding on until he tells me to give up. And that freaking infuriates me that this was overturned, because this he's so disrespectful to the family. It's just disgusting. I can't believe that happened. But we'll move on. Bristol County DA Thomas Quinn said he plans to appeal the ruling and is willing to take the case all the way to the Massachusetts Supreme Court. Despite the tragic ending to airin hernandez life, he should not reap the legal benefits of an antiquated rule.

25:22 Quinn said, state. And federal courts from across the country have rejected this antiquated rule. Massachusetts is, in my opinion, needs to follow suit. Lawyers for Hernandez had argued the Supreme Judicial Court had applied the legal doctrine without exception, even in cases of suicide. They said his conviction wasn't considered final because the automatic appeal he was entitled to had not been heard. Prosecutor Patrick Boomberg said hernandez suicide was a calculated act. He cited a report issued last week from the doc that said Hernandez told another inmate he had a rumor that if the inmate has an open appeal on the case and dies in prison, he would be acquitted. Gorse said there may be many complex, admired reasons that Hernandez killed himself.

26:10 She cited a report from prison officials that some inmates said they knew about a radio broadcast that speculated Hernandez may have been gay. She also said a possible mental disturbance was reflected in the suicide note to his fiance in which he said as death was quote the Supremes, the almighties plan not mine. Lloyd's mother had filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Hernandez. Her attorney, Douglas Chef, said he doesn't believe the civil case would be undermined by the dismissal of hernandez conviction. An attorney in hernandez criminal case filed core papers last month that said his estate is currently worth zero. Chef said the only identified lass identifiable assets he knows of or hermand As house, theyde at one point three million dollars in a hummer. But in that that a message Hernandez left first fiance said in part you're rich, and he said, we don't know what that refers to. We'd like to find out. Hernandez appeal attorney John Thompson told reporters he believes is still uncertain as to whether Hernandez took his own life. Thompson said he has recent correspondence from Hernandez in which he said he was interested in pursuing an appeal. Hernandez lead attorney in his recent double murder trial, Jose Boss, had pledged to independently investigate the death state police said in an investigative report, and I'm not going to go through that because.

27:35 I just did. His death came five days after he was acquitted, and then it kind of goes through what he did, so at this point just disgusting, sickening stuff in my opinion. Now, there's another thing the public discovered during this time, and that is that Boston University had been studying Aaron's brains since his death to see if he suffered from CTE. But before we get into the results of that, let me cover what CTE is. Now. It stands for chronic traumatic encephalopathy and it's a miracle that I just pronounced that right.

28:16 I'm only gonna try it once. It's a progressive disease that degenerates the brain. It's found in individuals with history of repetitive head trauma. It's characterized by the build up of an abnormal protein. This is called tau tau in the brain, which can lead to cognitive, emotional, and behavioral problems. CTE is primarily diagnosed after death through a brain onutopsy, but suspicion can arise from symptoms and a history of repeated head impacts. Key features of CTE. It's very progressive and it worsens over time, it degenerates.

28:58 It involves a gradual breakdown and loss of brain cells, and it's caused by repetitive head trauma like when you're playing football. Protein build up is kind of the hallmark of CTE. That thau, that tail protein in the brain. That's what causes the normal brain function to be disrupted. And what are some symptoms, Well, a lot of it's cognitive memory loss, confusion, difficulty concentrating, impaired judgment. There's a lot of behavior changes that are associated aggression, being very impulsive, being very irritable, depressed, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, all that, and you'll notice mood instability. One point you're happy, one point you're sad, and it's just back and forth all the time.

29:55 And who's at risk athletes, soccer, boxing, high key football, the UFC, things like that. Also military personnel, veterans who have been in combat for example and got a head injury very at risk. And really anyone else that gets multiple head injuries like from accidents. If you get in several car accidents and you get knocked out in these accidents, that can bring on CTE. And they're learning more. About this as they go along in society. The problem with CTE is a lot of times it's not diagnosed until you die, and then they look at your brain and they discover all this protein build up in there. Now, not everyone with head injuries will develop CTE. It's a high risk factor, obviously, but there's been a lot of people that have had major head collisions from football, et cetera that don't develop CTE. They don't really have an exact number of people that actually had CTE because they have to be able to look at your brain to do that. A lot of people don't allow that to happen after someone dies, and there's no cure for CTE.

31:16 You can treat it a little bit and manage the symptoms, but there is no cure once it occurs. So now that you know what CTE is, let's get into the results as it relates to Aaron Hernandez and I Minum reference an article put out by Boston University. This was on September twenty first of twenty seventeen, and it reads as follows. Aaron Hernandez, a former New England patriot and convicted murderer who died from suicide in jail in April, suffered from chronic traumatic I'm not even going to try to pronounce it again. Suffer from CTE to a degree never seen before by researchers at Boston University. In such a young person. Hernandez, just twenty seven, when he hanged himself with a bed sheet, was riddled with what's known as stage three CTE to a degree that quote, we've never seen in our four hundred and sixty eight brains, except for in individuals very much older. That from Anne McKee, director of Boston University's Chronic Traumatic I'm not going to try to say it again Center. She went on to say individuals with similar gross findings were at least forty six years old at the time of death. CTE, which has four stages, is progressive and it's finding athletes and others who suffer repeated concussions and other brain trauma. It's

32:47 associated with dementia, mood changes, and aggression. Quote, especially in the frontal lobes, which are very important for decision making, judgment, and cognitive skills. We could see damaged the inner chambers of the brain, McKee said as she screamed through slides showing sections of Hernandez brain. This would be the first case we've ever seen of that kind of damage in such a young individual. She said. In addition to deposits of the protein tile, which is associated with CTE, other evidence of the disease ranged across her named as brain that included diluted ventricles, the chambers storing spinal fluid which indicated the braining trunk, and an atrophied for nex, which are the nerves associated with memory, all of these caused by repetitive brain trauma. Noting that Hernandez did not suffer from other brain diseases such as Alzheimer's, McKee said that in every place that we looked, it was classic CTE. This is substantial damage that undoubtedly took years to develop. McKee is a School of Medicine professor of neurology and pathology, and had disclosed in September that Hernandez has suffered from CTE. Her center has done pioneering research on the illness through its bank of donated brains, including Hernandez. She brief reporters on details of her examination during their second annual CTE conference, and she said this

34:19 brain had been one of the most significant contributions to our work because of hernandez youth and the organ's pristine condition when it was turned over by the medical examiner. The integrity of the brain tissue is so well preserved that we're advancing our understanding of the disease at a sub microscopic level. We're able to do things in this particular brain that we can't always do given the condition of the brain when we receive it. She went on to say helmets do not protect athletes from the jarring head movements associated with CTE. It's an intrinsic component of football. Every time you have a tackle or collision, you're going to have these rapid forces affecting the brain. That's one of the most difficult things to keep football safe. Hernandez CTE prompted the players a state to sue the National Football League and the Patriots, and I'm going to get into that in a second. But she went on to say, while I'm not going to connect the dots with his behavior or difficulties during life, the frontal lobes and his were very severely affected. Were involved in problem solving, judgment, impulse control, and social behavior. There were also parts of Aaron Hernandez's brain that were involved in emotional regulation and emotional behavior fear and anxiety that were affected. She also said that while Hernandez had genetic markers that make people vulnerable to brain disease, it wasn't certain that it contributed

35:49 to his condition. So look, all that's horrible, but he didn't get a pass in my mind, regardless of that. But take with that what you will. Now, something positive in this case finally occurred on March thirteenth of twenty nineteen, when the AP released this article that I'm going to reference reversing reversing that abatement principle as it relates to the initial conviction of Aaron Hernandez. So let me read you that Aaron Hernandez martyr conviction was reinstated in a sweeping ruling in the Massachusetts highest Court that does away with the legal principle that made the former NFL star innocent in the eyes of the law after he killed himself in prison. The Supreme Court unanimously found that the legal rule that erased hernandez conviction is outdated and no longer consistent with the circumstances of contemporary life. It ordered Hernandez conviction be restored and the practice be abolished for future cases. The ruling does not affect past cases. Then it goes into her Hernandez and what he did. I'm not going to cover all that, but it says, under the doctrine rooted in centuries of English law, a conviction should not be considered until the final appeal can determine whether mistakes were made that deprived the defendant of fair trial. House states handle cases such as Hernandez very widely. Some like Massachusetts, tossed the convictions,

37:23 while other states dismissed the defendant's appeal and the conviction stands, which in my opinion, is how it should be. Others allow appeal courts to consider the dead defendant's case. The da whose office prosecuted Hernandez case, applauded the court's decision, saying they are pleased that justice has served in the case. The antiquity practice of vacating a valid conviction is being eliminated, and the victim's family can get closure that they deserve. The decision has helped the family to obtain closure from a horrible loss of their beloved son, Odin, and it also said other high profile Massachusetts. Criminals who convictions have been erased after their deaths include John Salvey, who was convicted of killing two abortion clinic workers and winning five other people during his shooting in nineteen ninety four, and Roman Catholic priest John Geogan, a key figure in the clergy sex abuse scandal that rocked the Boston Archdiocese and spread across the globe, also had his child molestation conviction vacated after he was beaten to death in two thousand and three in his cell the same maximum security prison where her Nandz died. Victory there as odin Lloyd's family.

38:48 They may never get closure, because you don't get closure in these things, but at least they got some justice there, all right. So in that most recent article that I just covered, I told you about the NFL getting sued by the family of Aaron Hernandez over CTE. And when I say the family, his fiance, Shay and his child who was also listed in this suit against the New England Patriots and the NFL. And I'm going to go over that with you quickly, give you facts of that case. And it says the National Football League is the most successful professional sports organization in the US. In twenty sixteen alone, the NFL generated approximately thirteen billion with a B dollars in revenue. A substantial portion of this revenue comes from sponsorships licensing in the sale of national broadcasting rights to football games. Professional football teams that compete in the league, such as the Patriots, share a percentage of the league's overall revenue. Since its formation in August of nineteen twelve, the American Professional Football Association renamed the NFL in nineteen twenty two. The NFL had promoted the game of football, acting as a governing body and establishing rules related to player health, safety, league policies, and ownership. The NFL actively monitors player conduct, health and safety, and in addition, the

40:21 NFL consults with medical professionals regarding the risk of players health associated to playing football. The NFL has autonomous power to establish rules and policies, and at all relevant times exercised its power to set rules and policy for the health and safety of football players. Then it goes on to say the NFL was well aware of the long term risks of head impacts for decades. The medical and scientific community has been aware of the link between repetitive joining and injury to the head and increase risks of neurocognitive damage. Since the early nineteen nineties, the medical and scientific community is indicated through overwhelming consensus that many football players developed brain injuries from sub concussive injuries and concussions.

41:12 Independent scientists and neurologists recognized the concussions where serious injuries and result in permanent brain injury, impaired abilities, and increased onset ofmental deterioration. The NFL had been aware since nineteen ninety four that on field collisions led to latent head injuries that have long term debilitating effects on players. For decades, the NFL has been aware the multiple blows to the head can lead to long term brain injury, including but not limited to memory loss, dementia, depression, and CTE. The NFL also acknowledged the dehabilitating effects of head trauma in its core filings. In nineteen ninety nine, Mike Webster, who had played professional football for the Pittsburgh Steelers between nineteen seventy four and nineteen ninety filed a requests for complete disability benefits with the NFL based on neuro damage he sustained over the course of his career. An NFL physician examined Webster independently and concluded Webster was in fact mentally disabled as a result of head impacts he sustained while playing in the NFL. In December two thousand and six, the Fourth Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals stated in an unpublished opinion that the NFL's disability plan accepted that Webster's mental disability was cast by the multiple head injuries Webster sustained while playing pro football. The NFL was aware of the link between sub concussive and concussive

42:44 injury sustained in football in chronic neuro injury to players. The NFL hit or otherwise failed to provide this information to NFL players. The failure has been well documented in the news media, in the science centific and medical community, during Congress and in prior litigation. The NFL's Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Committee was formed in nineteen ninety four to improve player safety and recommend rule changes aimed at reducing head injuries. The committee set out to study the effects of concussions to NFL players. However, the NFL used the committee to work and manipulate the scientific and medical community in an effort to avoid potential liability in rule changes that might affect the commercial success of pro football. For years, they utilized biased, industry friendly, and false information related to concussive injuries, etc. Despite the NFL publicizing the committee's doctors and researchers were independent, the committee consisted of at least five people previously connected to the NFL, and that's significant. Moreover, the NFL failed to appoint any neurologists, head trauma specialists, or neuro pathologists to chair the committee. Instead, the Commissioner, Paul Tagliabu appointed doctor Elliott Pellman, a rheumatologist who had no specialized training or education in concussion or head injuries,

44:18 and that is very strange. Doctor Pellman was a paid physician and trainer for the New York Jets. Despite his lack of qualifications, he remained the chair of the committee from nineteen ninety four until two thousand and seven, and during this period, the committee publicly disputed scientific findings that established a link between concussions and permanent neurological injuries. Doctor Ira Casson, a board certified neurologist, and doctor David Viano, a biomedical Engineer were both members of the committee, and they attempted to discredit published scientific studies that linked head impacts and concussions suffered by NFL players two permanent neuro cognitive injuries. The committee also conducted and published industry sponsor biased, falsified, and inaccurate research to support the NFL's position there was no connection between concussions and permanent neuro injuries. In nineteen ninety seven, the Academy of Neurology published guidelines for athletes returning to play the game after having suffered a concussion.

45:26 These guidelines recommended that any athlete who suffers a concussion at grade three that's where you lose consciousness, should be ineligible to play and should rust until asymptomatic for at least one week. After a prolong grade. Three concussion, they recommended the athlete should be withheld from play. For two weeks. In two thousand and the NFL officially rejected the application of these guidelines to NFL players. Between two thousand and two and two thousand and seven, doctor Bennett Amalu, an independent researcher at the University of Pittsburgh, examined the brain tissue of deceased NFL players, including Mike Webster, Terry Long, and Andre Waters. These individuals suffered multiple concussions during their NFL careers and later in life exhibited symptoms of deteriorated cognitive functions paranoia, panic, and depression. The doctor determined these individuals suffered from the neuro disorder CTE. The doctor's findings were published in the Neurosurgery Magazine, where he concluded the Webster and Long's respective deaths were partially caused by CTM were related to multiple concussions. In response to the doctor's articles, doctor Pellman, Casson, and Viana, members of the committee wrote a letter to the editor of Neurosurgery magazine demanding that doctor Amalu's article be retracted. Doctor Amalu's articles were not retracted, and Neurosurgery Magazine would later publish additional papers by doctor Amalu.

46:59 On this time been good for them. In October of two thousand and three, the committee published its first paper and suggestive there were no long term negative effects associated with concussions or concussive injuries sustained by NFL players and that y'all is absolute fucking bullshit, and that pisces me off. There is so much proof that that's bullshit. It's unbelievable. How the hell can you say someone can be concussed to the point that they are knocked out and it not produce long term injuries when when it happens over and over and over again to the same person, unbelievable. In November of two thousand and three, doctor Pellman appeared on the HBO television program Inside the NFL to discuss a report by the Center for the Study of Retired Athletes the link concussions and depressions in former players instead of quote when I look at the study, I don't believe it. The committee subsequently published sixteen papers between two thousand and five try In two thousand and nine, the committee indicated that all of the completed studies supported their conclusion that there were no long term negative health consequences associated with concussions or injuries concussive in nature's sustained by NFL players. In two thousand and four, the committee published a study based on clinical data they collected from physicians and athletic trainers for six years and concluded there's no evidence of increased severity of injury in multiple versus

48:29 single mild traumatic brain injury cases. Their research also concluded that repeated injuries occurred relatively infrequently during the six year period. In February of two thousand and five, the committee published findings based on a six year study that players who are concussed and return to the same game have fewer initial signs and symptoms than those removed from play. Return to play does not involve a significant risk of a second injury, either in the same game. Or during the season. That is absolutely insane. As well, the report continued to say, the current decision making of NFL team physicians seems appropriate for the return to the game after a concussion. Can you believe that biased and erroneous conclusions by the committee published and clue but are not limited to the following doctors. Pelman and Biano stated that because of significant percentage of players were turned to play in the same game as they suffered a concussion, and the overwhelming majority of players with concussions were kept out of football related activities for less than one week, it can be concluded that mild TBIs in professional football are not serious injuries. The NFL players did not show a decline in brain function after a concussion.

49:44 There were no ill effects among those who had three or more concussions or took hits to the head that sideline them for a week or more. No NFL player experiencing the second impact syndrome or CTE from repeated concus hushions. This is just crazy that they would even say this. In two thousand and six, the Committee published research concluding that on field evaluation by teen physicians is effective with regard to the identification of cognitive and memory impairments immediately after an injury. And what they're talking about is when these players get knocked out and they run on the field and they hold up how many fingers am I holding up? They might be holding up three, and if you say three, you're good to go.

50:28 That kind of thing. Throughout this period, the committee was heavily criticized by independent doctors and research because the committee's conclusions were contrary to multitude of peer reviewed studies that were based on one sided data collection techniques. In February two thousand and seven, doctor Pellman stepped down as the chairman of the committee following increasing media scrutiny over the committee's studies. He was replaced as chair by doctor Ira Kson and doctor Viano, but remained a member of the committee. Doctor Kason and I continue to dismiss outside studies and overwhelming evidence linked head injuries and concussions suffered by NFL players to permanent neurocognitive injuries. In a two thousand and seven televised interview by Bernard Goldberg on HBO's Real Sports, doctor Kson unequivocally stated there was no evidence that links multiple head injuries among pro football players with depression, dementia, early onset Alzheimers, or other permanent neurological disorders. On June nineteenth, two thousand and seven, the NFL held its first league wide Concussion Summit in Chicago, where all thirty two NFL teams, health and safety committees, doctors, and trainers convened. At the summit, doctor Kason told team doctors and trainers that the only scientifically valid evidence CTE has been found in boxers and jockeys.

51:57 He added it has never been signedly valid. In any other athletes. On August fourteenth, two thousand and seven, the NFL published an informational pamphlet on concussions to NFL players and their families, and its stated, current research with professional athletes has not shown that having more than one or two concussions can lead to permanent problems if each injury is managed properly. It's important to understand there's no magic number for how many concussions is too many. Research is currently underway to determine if there are any long term effects of concussion in NFL athletes. In two thousand and eight, Boston Universities doctor am mckeeth found CTE in the brains of two deceased NFL players, John Grimsley and Tom McHale. Doctor mckeeth stated the easiest way to decrease the incidents of CTE is to decrease the number of concussions or mild traumatic brain injuries. Doctor McKee further noted that this is accomplished by penalizing intentional hits to the head and adhering to strict return to play guidelines. Finally, doctor McKee concluded that studies indicate the safe return to play guidelines might require at least four to six weeks to facilitate more complete recovery and to protect from re injury, as a second concussion occurs much more frequently in the immediate period. After concussion, and I would even go further. I played football for

53:30 over ten years of my life, and I'm also an avid fan of the UFC. And I'm going to tell you when someone gets knocked out in the UFC, they become susceptible to knockouts from there on out. Chuck the Iceman Liddell was a knockout artist and he dominated the UFC about ten years ago. And then he gets knocked out, he loses his title, and he got knocked out in the next five fights he did. Once you turn that button on, you can't turn it off. But I'll continue.

54:11 Doctor Kason characterize each study is an isolated incident in response to doctor McKee studies. Responding to the publication, Doctor Kayson asserted in a written statement before his appearance at a House Judiciary Committee hearing in January of twenty ten that his position was there's not enough valid or reliable scientific evidence at present time to determine whether or not repeated head impacts in professional football result in long term brain damage. In two thousand and eight, the NFL commissioned the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research to conduct fund interviews of a random sample of over one thousand retired players and ask them questions across a range of topics, and the findings of that study, released on on September tenth of two thousand and nine, reported that diseases of the mind are rare in both the general population and NFL retirees, but the retirees do report a higher rate at six percent. The older group of retirees is particularly high.

55:18 After the finding was published, NFL spokesman Greg al Ailow stated in an email message the study did not formally diagnose dementia, that it was subject to shortcomings of telephone surveys, and that there are thousands of retired players who do not have memory problems. Doctor Kson then stated, what I take from this report is that there's a need for further studies based on these and many other documented incidents. As clear the NFL was aware of neurological rests associated with repeated head impact and that the NFL failed to disclose this to the players. The conduct also needlessly delayed adoption of rules and league policies related to player health, and it goes on and on with some other studies.

56:04 I'm not going to cover that, but I will cover what it says directly about Aaron Hernandez. Says Aaron Hernandez developed CTE as a result of playing professional football. Between twenty ten and twenty thirteen. Aaron Hernandez played football for the Patriots. During his professional football career, Aaron experience repeated traumatic had impacts, including subconcussive blows and concussions, with a greater frequency and severity than the general population of men of a similar age. The repeated head impacts experienced by Aaron, including these subconcussive blows and concussions, are known to greatly increase the risk of developing CTE. On April nineteenth, twenty seventeen, Aaron committed suicide while in custody of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections. Boston University School of Medicine after his death, examined Aaron hernandez brain and neurological matter. On August seventeenth, twenty seventeen, the School of Medicine issued a neuropathology report diagnosing Aaron with Stage three ct at the time of his death. CTE is a neurological disorder that progresses through four worsening stages of brain degeneracy. According to the CTE Society.

57:23 Individuals suffering from CTE in stage three, like Aaron, typically experienced symptoms such as memory loss, executive dysfunction, aggressive explosive behavior, loss of concentration, mood swings, depression, and cognitive impairment. The Boston University report also notes that aaron CTE pathology was unusually severe considering his young age. So that is the lawsuit. So what happened in that lawsuit? If you're curious, here's a short little paragraph on that. A lawsuit brought by Aaron Hernandez family against the NFL over CTE was dismissed by a federal judge in twenty nineteen because he was considered a retired player under a class action settlement that excluded individual claims.

58:14 The judge ruled. The lawsuit involved relitigating issues already covered by the broader NFL concussion settlement, which also stipulated the individual compensation for suicides related to CTE was too late to be sought after hernandez twenty seventeen death. So basically it got thrown out. So you would think that's it, right, Well, I got one more shocking piece of information for you, and I'm going to take you to twenty twenty four, and we're going to talk quickly about Aaron Hernandez brother DJ, DJ was arrested in twenty twenty four for threatening to shoot up the University of Connecticut. Now he pleaded to those charges, and he pleaded guilty on December eighteenth of twenty twenty four.

59:09 In a reference a quick article by the Associated Presce Dennis Hernandez, the troubled brother of late New England Patriots tight end Aaron, pleaded guilty to threatening to carry out a shooting at the University of Connecticut and to kill three people outside of the state, including a judge. In twenty twenty three, federal prosecutor said Hernandez, thirty eight, who went by DJ while playing football for Yukon in the mid two thousands, appeared. In federal court in Hartford and. Plaged guilty to transmitting interstate communications containing a threat to injure, which carries up to five years in prison. Sentencing is set for February sixth, twenty twenty five. His public defender did not immediately return an email. Terry Hernandez told police around the time of his arrest in Brustol last year that he had deteriorating mental health problems, including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Dennis Hernandez was shocked with a stun gun and taken into custody after he came out of his sister's house with his arms raised, yelling shoot me and threatening to harm officers. Federal prosecutors said Hernandez threatening is shooting at Yukon's main campus in July of twenty twenty three while messaging another person on Facebook. Quote, I will recommend remaining away from there because when I go, I'm taking down everything, Hernandez wrote. And I don't give a fuck who gets caught in the crossfire. I've died for

1:00:41 years now, and it's other people's turn. I'm prepared to give my life. Not all shootings are bad, and I'm realizing some are necessary for change to happen. Court filing said Hernandez was struggling financially, was frustrated at seeing other people get hired as football coaches, and fell owed by Yukon. He played quarterback and wide receiver for the Huskies. Police said her name as had driven to the Yukon campus and to Brown University in Rhode Island, where he once served as quarterbacks coach to map the schools out for shooting. Also in July of twenty twenty three, prosecutors said her name has made multiple Facebook posts threatening to harm or kill three people who lived outside of Connecticut, including a state judge. Hernandez has penning charges in state court in Connecticut in connection with an incident outside ESPN headquarters in Bristol.

1:01:34 He was arrested in March of twenty twenty three on misdemeanor breach of the peace charges. After police set he threw a bag containing a brick and a note over a fence and ont ESPN's property before leaving it said quote to all media outlets, It's about time you all realize the effects media has on family members. Since you're a worldwide leader, maybe you could lead how media and messages are delivered brick by brick. Clean it up, yours truly, DJ Hernandez. The note said authority said. Hernandez was angry with people he believed were profiting from the death of his younger brother, Aaron Hernandez, who killed himself in twenty seventeen while serving death sentence. So what happened to him?

1:02:20 Let's get to the sentencing February seventh of twenty twenty five, the brother of late New England patriots Tiny and air And Hernandez was sentenced Friday to eighteen months up prison time, but he was served to time serve, so he didn't really stay in prison any longer. Dennis Hernandez, thirty eight, who went by DJ while playing quarterback at Yukon, was suffering a severe mental health problem at the time of the threats in his sense, received treatment and medication, according to his public defender. Hernandez, who apologized for his action during brief comments and court, was expected to be released from custody later that afternoon. The Federal Bureau of Prison record show he was no longer in custody as of the evening of this article. State criminal charges in Connecticut and Florida in other cases, including allegations against ESPN, are expected to be dismissed because of the federal case, adding those incidents happen during the same mental health crisis.

1:03:23 So there you have it. Look, this has been a long series. I wanted to give the rest of it to you today because I got some other shit I need to get into other than Aaron Hernandez. But I hope you enjoyed this Bad Boys series. Would love to hear your opinions. Comment. Y'all know I post this on the Facebook page and I usually link each episode that I post comment in there and let me know what you think. Did CTE play a major role in this? Do you feel bad. Because of the CTE to the point that it kind of excuses the murder of Aden Lloyd. I'd love to know your opinion because there's a big gray area there and I just want to know what y'all think, what my listeners think. Thank you so much for listening. I got some big check coming up here on Exposed Scandalous Files of the Elite. I'll see you in a couple of days when we drop our next episode. And until next time for Exposed Scandalous Files of the Elite, I'm your host, Jim Chapman.

1:04:30 Much love,