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 Associate Justice Susan Garsh denied a renewed request by
prosecutors to allow evidence related to the shooting of Alexander
Bradley, who filed a civil lawsuit against Hernandez, saying the
incident was "quite different."
Prosecutors had argued the Florida shooting case refuted the defense
team's assertion that Hernandez would never have shot the alleged
victim in this case, Odin Lloyd, because the two were friends.
Lloyd, 27, was found shot to death in June 2013 in an industrial
park near Hernandez's home in North Attleboro, Massachusetts.
Christina Hanley, a forensic scientist at a Massachusetts State
Police crime laboratory, testified that fibers found on bullets from
the crime scene appeared to be the same as those from pieces of
Lloyd's clothing, including a plaid shirt, a gray tank top and a
blue hooded sweatshirt. She said she examined samples of both at a
microscopic level.
 Lloyd was a semi-professional football player who was dating the
sister of Hernandez's fiancée. His girlfriend has testified the two
were not close but were in the early stages of a friendship and
smoked marijuana together.
On Wednesday, Bristol County Assistant District Attorney William
McCauley said defense attorneys had indicated 32 times the nature of
the relationship between the two men, and "constantly referred to
them as being friends."
Defense attorney James Sultan said the motion to allow prosecutors
to introduce evidence about the Florida case was "frivolous," and
that prosecutors were essentially arguing Hernandez has "a
propensity to shoot his friends."
Bradley filed a civil lawsuit in June last year against Hernandez,
who he said shot him in the face in Florida in February 2013 after a
late-night dispute. Bradley, who lost his right eye, never filed
criminal charges.
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Garsh said the motive and timing of the Florida incident were "quite
different."
Prosecutors say the 25-year-old former tight end and two friends,
Ernest Wallace and Carlos Ortiz, picked up Lloyd at his Boston home
and drove him to the North Attleboro industrial park.
Lloyd was shot multiple times, and investigators found several empty
shell casings from a .45 handgun nearby. They found a similar shell
casing that had been removed from a car rented by Hernandez. The
weapon has not been found.
Wallace and Ortiz, who also face murder charges, will be tried
separately. Prosecutors have said Hernandez orchestrated the murder.
All three men have pleaded not guilty.
Hernandez had a $41 million contract with the New England Patriots.
He was cut from the team following his arrest.
(Editing by Richard Valdmanis and Alan Crosby)
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