# NFL's Aaron Hernandez murder suspect? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 20, 2013, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517 "2013-06-20T22:34:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517/21 "2013-06-21T16:00:36Z")
> [@Bootis](#): > > I don’t know how this could be a “lot worse” than the Ray Lewis case though. At worst its equally bad. Lewis didn’t go to prison, and got to return to his career. That’s the _best_ case for Hernandez, and it isn’t a good bet at that. ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517/22 "2013-06-21T16:57:35Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Lewis didn’t go to prison, and got to return to his career. That’s the _best_ case for Hernandez, and it isn’t a good bet at that. Ah you meant worse, for Hernandez himself. Yeah, I doubt he’s on the field again anytime soon, if ever. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517/23 "2013-06-21T17:16:49Z")
Worse for my Pats, too. 🙂 But they’ve already made their decision. They’ve barred him from the stadium. IOW Tebow better be practicing his routes. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517/24 "2013-06-21T17:52:18Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > But they’ve already made their decision. They’ve barred him from the stadium. IOW Tebow better be practicing his routes. Good. I’m a Pats fan too, but fuck that guy. He shoots a guys eye out in Florida, now it looks like he ganked someone else into the big sleep. Great football player, but apparently a total piece of shit as a human being. Good riddance (football-wise, that is). ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517/25 "2013-06-21T19:44:07Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Good. I’m a Pats fan too, but fuck that guy. He shoots a guys eye out in Florida, now it looks like he ganked someone else into the big sleep. > > Great football player, but apparently a total piece of shit as a human being. Good riddance (football-wise, that is). Now if we can only get Michael Vick run out of the NFL… ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517/26 "2013-06-22T00:39:33Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Lewis didn’t go to prison, and got to return to his career. That’s the _best_ case for Hernandez, and it isn’t a good bet at that. And I don’t think the commish will let him just come straight back in, even if charges get dropped. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517/27 "2013-06-22T21:17:43Z")
> [@Darth\_Sensitive](#): > > And I don’t think the commish will let him just come straight back in, even if charges get dropped. Why not? Ray Lewis was let back in, Michael Vick was let back in, and they were found GUILTY of crimes. If the charges are dropped, it would be a pretty big double-standard to not let him back. However, I can see Kraft and Belichick not letting him back on the team, but hard to say…they let Dennard play while he was facing charges, so…who knows. That being said, everything we’ve seen/heard so far indicates he’s involved _somehow._ And if Hernandez is convicted of a crime associated with this, I say “fuck him” and get him off my team. I don’t understand the people who stand by players guilt of serious crimes because “They’re a good player!” ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517/28 "2013-06-23T05:20:28Z")
Goodell wouldn’t be the commish until six years after Lewis was fined $250K by the NFL for not murdering anybody. Kinda hard to do anything there… Goodell’s conduct policy didn’t go into effect until 2007. Vick was suspended indefinitely (ended being 2 years + 2 games). Pacman got an indefinite suspension (ended up being a year) for multiple incidents including a strip club shooting where charges were ultimately dropped, then an indefinite suspension (4 games) for getting in trouble that year. Roethlisberger got a 6 game (later reduced to 4) suspension after his sexual assault issues, and never even got charged. So yes, I am positive that unless something big breaks, like it was all a Putin scheme to keep Kraft’s ring through a frame job, Hernandez gets an indefinite suspension. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517/29 "2013-06-26T13:14:04Z")
It’s on. [Hernandez has been arrested](http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2013/06/26/aaron-hernandez-taken-away-from-his-home-handcuffs-state-police-charges-not-yet-known/wK61wqDS7zOjYdOHIpq80O/story.html). Assume we’ll find out the charges later today. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517/30 "2013-06-26T14:20:45Z")
Ouch. It was a “show up first thing in the morning and cuff him in front of the media circus” arrest, not a “inform his lawyer that he should surrender himself quietly” arrest. That makes me think the charges are going to be more serious than obstruction of justice. I did like this quote from the article: > [@](#): > > Jane (a neighbor) said many families live on the street, and children in the neighborhood have reacted to the unexpected intrusion into their daily lives by selling lemonade and baked goods to reporters, who would, in turn, let the kids play around with their equipment. Pretty enterprising kids there in North Attleborough. ---
**Author:** ![WreckingCrew](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wreckingcrew/32/4080_2.png) [@WreckingCrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WreckingCrew)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517/31 "2013-06-26T14:49:20Z")
And he has been released from the Patriots - since there will be a big salary cap hit, this makes me think the charges will be a lot more than obstruction of justice. Patriots statement: “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. We realize that law enforcement investigations into this matter are ongoing. We support their efforts and respect the process. At this time, we believe this transaction is simply the right thing to do.” ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517/32 "2013-06-26T14:54:15Z")
I’m sure the team had a way already worked out with the commissioner and the NFLPA to avoid the cap hit - a suspended/ineligible list or some conduct clause in his contract or something. Whatever, that doesn’t matter right now. Soon enough, we’ll know if he’s a murderer or just an accomplice to murder. And why. After that, screw him. ---
**Author:** ![WreckingCrew](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wreckingcrew/32/4080_2.png) [@WreckingCrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WreckingCrew)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517/33 "2013-06-26T14:59:47Z")
They will probably be OK: "For those asking what the salary cap charge would be in the event the Patriots ever decided to terminate the contract. . . If that happened in 2013, Hernandez would count $2.55 million against the salary cap, and then in 2014 would carry a cap charge of $7.5 million from the remaining proration on the signing bonus. One other factor to consider: A club can recover bonus money and avoid a cap hit if a player violates one of the league’s personal conduct policies or defaults on contract language." One would assume that murder is a violation of the league’s personal conduct policy. > **[Revisiting details of Hernandez contract](https://www.espn.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4744681/revisiting-details-of-hernandez-contract)** > > In light of the criminal investigation surrounding Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, some have asked about details of the five-year contract extension that Hernandez signed with the team last August. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517/34 "2013-06-26T15:15:51Z")
The Pats spread his bonus out over several years (for self-protection?), so they don’t even have to recover a good bit of it - they haven’t \*paid \*it yet. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517/35 "2013-06-26T15:44:19Z")
In _other_ NFL player murder [news](http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9424219/ausar-walcott-cleveland-browns-rookie-arrested-tuesday-charged-attempted-murder)… Though to be fair, in this case he probably wasn’t trying to actually kill the guy. Still not great for the NFL to have two of these going on. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517/36 "2013-06-26T16:41:03Z")
An undrafted rookie free agent? The Browns can cut him like that, and almost even deny he ever existed. Hernandez is a major star and the Pats are an elite franchise with a growing history of troubled player signings (Donte Stallworth being another recent example), though. This is going to take a while to fade. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517/37 "2013-06-26T17:00:39Z")
All I know is that is one hideous McMansion he’s got there. Well, it’s not hideous really, but it’s certainly devoid of character. I’ll bet there’s an identical house right across the street (and all the way down). ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517/38 "2013-06-26T17:08:42Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > An undrafted rookie free agent? The Browns can cut him like that, and almost even deny he ever existed. > > Hernandez is a major star and the Pats are an elite franchise with a growing history of troubled player signings (Donte Stallworth being another recent example), though. This is going to take a while to fade. Maybe so, but 2 of the top 4 stories on ESPN’s site right now are about NFL players being arrested in murder (or attempted murder) investigations. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517/39 "2013-06-26T17:17:43Z")
I’m surprised the Patriots cut him before the arraignment. Makes me think they know something that isn’t public knowledge yet…like what charges Hernandez is facing. Given the immediate release, the media perp walk arrest, and some of the other stories as this developed, I’m guessing he’s going to be charged with murder…not as an accomplice, but as the killer. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517/40 "2013-06-26T17:48:23Z")
It’s not too surprising. Unlike Ray Lewis, this wasn’t just after the Superbowl but as teams are getting ready for camp. I imagine they’d also be more cautious if they had 4 more off-season months to work with. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfls-aaron-hernandez-murder-suspect/661517.md?page=3)