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U.S. NEWS Thursday 2 March 2017

Defense: Killer of 2 is star witness, not Aaron Hernandez

DENISE LAVOIE those two worlds collided,”
AP Legal Affairs Writer Haggan said.
BOSTON (AP) — The real Hernandez and Bradley
killer of two men in a hail were only in the club for 10
of gunfire at a stoplight minutes that night. Haggan
was not former New Eng- said Hernandez became
land Patriots player Aaron angry when de Abreu ac-
Hernandez but rather the cidentally bumped into
government’s star witness him while dancing, spilling
in the double murder trial, Hernandez’s drink, then
Hernandez’s attorney al- smiled at him.
leged Wednesday in open- Haggan said video sur-
ing statements, revealing veillance from outside the
the defense strategy for club shows Bradley trying
the first time. to calm down an agitated
Attorney Jose Baez, known Hernandez.
for winning an acquittal Two hours later, Hernan-
for Florida mom Casey An- dez saw the men’s car at
thony in the death of her a stoplight, grabbed a gun
daughter, said prosecutors from the glove compart-
want to convict his client so ment and called out to de
badly that they made “a Abreu and Furtado. Assistant district attorney Patrick Haggan points at former New England Patriots tight end
deal with the devil,” refer- Haggan said Bradley will Aaron Hernandez as Haggan delivers his opening statement to the jury during the first day of
ring to Hernandez’s former testify that Hernandez said, Hernandez’s double murder trial at Suffolk Superior Court Wednesday, March 1, 2017 in Boston.
friend, Alexander Bradley. “Yo, what’s up now?” and (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
Bradley has said he was added a racial slur before
with Hernandez the night of leaning across Bradley in of mentioning the Boston tence after being convict- charges that she murdered
the shooting and is sched- the driver’s seat and firing shootings to Hernandez. ed in the 2013 killing of Odin her 2-year-old daughter,
uled to testify against him. five bullets into the car. He also suggested de Lloyd, a semi-professional Caylee. The case garnered
But Baez told jurors Brad- Haggan said Hernandez Abreu knew Bradley and football player who was national media attention
ley fatally shot Daniel de trusted Bradley not to tell that the two men had a dating the sister of Hernan- after photos showed An-
Abreu and Safiro Furtado police about the crime un- dispute over drugs. dez’s fiancee. thony partying in the days
over a drug deal. til seven months later, when Hernandez, now 27, al- Baez gained fame dur- after her daughter’s disap-
“By pure coincidence, Bradley made the mistake ready is serving a life sen- ing Anthony’s 2011 trial on pearance. q

Judge: Proof that wife helped Orlando shooter is ‘debatable’

PAUL ELIAS tremist views. Her husband, modern U.S. history and ly- scheduled. Prosecutor Sara tially said she didn’t know
Associated Press Omar Mateen, pledged ing to investigators. She has Sweeney declined com- anything about the attack
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — A allegiance to several ter- pleaded guilty and faces ment outside court. Salman but later told investigators
federal judge in California ror organizations during life in prison if convicted. and her young son had that Mateen abused ste-
said Wednesday that it is last year’s attack that left The judge said Wednes- gone to live with her mother roids, was “pumped up” on
“debatable” whether the 49 people dead at Pulse day that prosecutors have in suburban San Francisco, that night and said “this is
government has enough nightclub before police provided no evidence. where Salman was arrested the one day” as he walked
evidence to convict a killed him. “She herself is They have not offered tran- in January. The mother and out the door.
woman of helping her hus- not charged with provid- scripts, recording or video uncle each pledged their Sweeney also has said that
band plan the Orlando ing material support to a of Salman’s 16-hour inter- homes as collateral to se- the couple ran up $25,000
nightclub rampage, order- terrorist organization,” the rogation, which she faced cure Salman’s release. in credit card debt and
ing her released from jail judge said, noting that without a lawyer in the Salman’s attorney, Linda spent $5,000 in cash in the
until trial. Salman has no criminal re- hours after the June 12 at- Moreno, said it is unusual days before the shooting.
U.S. Magistrate Judge cord and that friends and tack, Ryu said. Prosecutors for bail to be granted in Among the purchases was
Donna Ryu also said Noor former teachers called her will file their appeal with a terror-related cases. an $8,000 diamond ring for
Salman, 31, is not danger- “peaceful and nonviolent.” federal judge in Orlando, “It’s extraordinarily rare and Salman. They also made
ous and there is no proof Salman has been charged where Salman is charged a statement of the govern- Salman the death benefi-
she has ties to the Islamic with helping Mateen plan and where any trial will be ment’s case,” Moreno said. ciary of his bank account,
State group or holds ex- the worst mass shooting in held. One has not yet been Prosecutors say Salman ini- prosecutors said. q