FanPost

Aaron Hernandez Charged With Murder

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via a57.foxnews.com

Not a good day for the NFL, the New England Patriots, and Aaron Hernandez.

From Shutdown Corner:

Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was charged with first degree murder and five other gun-related charges on Wednesday.

Hernandez was transported by police to his arraignment at Attleboro District Court and arrived at the courthouse just before 2 p.m. Eastern. He was mostly expressionless as he heard the charges read in the courtroom, and didn't change expression as he heard the prosecutor outline the case against him. That included the prosecutor saying there was surveillance video of Hernandez with a gun the night Lloyd was shot. The prosecutor asked that Hernandez be held without bail, and despite Hernandez's lawyer Michael Fee's argument that Hernandez is not a risk to flee, the judge ordered Hernandez be held without bail.

The Patriots wasted little time in releasing Hernandez after his arrest this morning:

Hernandez is currently without a job, having been cut by the Patriots shortly after his arrest, but the NFL said in a statement that Hernandez "will have his day in court." There is precedent in a player having a very successful career after facing serious charges.

On Wednesday morning before 9 a.m., police showed up at Hernandez's house and put him in handcuffs after he answered the door, then walked him to a police car and took him into custody.

Less than two hours after Hernandez was arrested, the Patriots cut him.

The Patriots will lose approximately 10 million in cap space over the 2013-14 seasons as dead money with the timing and conditions of the release.

The prosecutor offered some details of the charges against Hernandez. Hernandez was seen with Lloyd at 2:30 a.m. the morning he was found dead, according to the Boston Globe's Wesley Lowery, one of the reporters in the courtroom. Hernandez's phone included texts to Lloyd and two friends the night of the murder. According to Lowery, the prosecutor said police have Hernandez on tape with a firearm saying "you can't trust anyone anymore" before picking up Lloyd.

The NFL has moved in the direction of stricter player conduct policies. Yet the incidents keep piling up (please click on link).

Given the proliferation of off-the-field incidents in the last year, what steps will the NFL need to take to protect the integrity of the game, and reduce the ever-increasing number of DUI's, drug problems and other incidents??? Are the Rams doing the right things for their team and with their players to ensure a minimal amount of trouble off the field??? As a Rams fan, are you concerned about the future of the many "character issue" players brought in by the Rams in the last two off seasons???

More coverage from Yahoo Sports (link), Yahoo Sports (link), Shutdown Corner (arraignment video) (link) and our own SB Nation (link).