NFL: Patriots release tight end Hernandez following murder charges

New England Patriots star player Aaron Hernandez was taken into custody from his Massachusetts home on Wednesday.

The tight end has been charged with murder and firearms offenses, and was brought in for a brief hearing at Attleboro District Court.

Hernandez is charged with the murder of Odin Lloyd, a local semi-professional football player. The 27 year old victim’s body was discovered on June 17 at an industrial park about a mile from Hernandez’s home.

Even though Hernandez pleaded not guilty to all the alleged charges, the judge still ruled that the player be held without bail.

It has been widely speculated that Lloyd and Hernandez who were friends had an altercation in a night club on one of the days leading up to his death.

Hernandez’s arrest was followed by a series of police activity in and around the vicinity of his home.

A statement by the Patriots, issued just an hour and a half after Hernandez was handcuffed, read: ‘The New England Patriots have announced the release of tight end Aaron Hernandez following his arrest in the investigation of a homicide last week in North Attleboro, Mass.”

‘A young man was murdered last week and we extend our sympathies to the family and friends who mourn his loss. Words cannot express the disappointment we feel knowing that one of our players was arrested as a result of this investigation.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello was quoted in the NFL official website as saying: ‘The involvement of an NFL player in a case of this nature is deeply troubling.”

Hernandez has played three seasons for the Patriots, and was elevated to star status as the Patriots won the AFC Championship in 2011. For his contributions in the 2011 season, he was awarded the Pro Bowl honors and in 2012 agreed to a lucrative five-year contract extension.

Source: Daily Mail