'I learned to keep my mouth shut': Fiancee of former NFL star Aaron Hernandez testifies she never pressed him on his friend being shot because she 'knew her role'
The fiancee of NFL star Aaron Hernandez claims she never pressed him about his friend being shot because she'd 'learned to keep my mouth shut', as she testified in his double murder trial.
Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez was compelled to take the witness stand by a judge on Thursday in her fiance's trial for the murders of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado in Boston's South End in July 2012.
Prosecutors say Aaron Hernandez later shot his friend Alexander Bradley - the only person who could implicate him in murders - in the face during a Florida trip to celebrate the 2013 Super Bowl.
Jenkins-Hernandez, who never married Hernandez but legally changed her name in 2015, told the court that she became aware Bradley had been shot but couldn't recall whether they had spoken about it or if she had asked Hernandez where he was at the time.
'I learned to keep my mouth shut in certain situations,' the mother-of-one had testified when asked why she never pressed Hernandez about Bradley being shot.
'I played my role. Meaning I cleaned and I did everything else. There was no reason for me to ask any questions,' she added.
Video courtesy WBZ
Jenkins-Hernandez said Bradley's wasn't a friend of hers, although he had come round to their home and eaten with them, so she didn't believe him being shot in the face was worth asking Hernandez about.
'I pick and choose my battles,' she told the court. 'There are some things worth arguing about. I didn't see that as one of them.
Hernandez smiles as he listens to her testimony during his trial for the July 2012 killings of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado, on Thursday
'He wasn't my friend. We weren't sitting on the couch watching movies and eating popcorn together.
'It was a sad situation but why would I press on that?'
She added that she couldn't say whether Bradley was Hernandez's closest friend as her husband spent a lot of time in his 'mancave' in the basement while she 'stayed upstairs and took care of my child.'
Jenkins-Hernandez also appeared to go back on her testimony to the grand jury.
When questioned by the prosecution about whether she knew her fiance and Bradley were together in Florida at the time Bradley was shot in February 2013, she replied she had only testified 'in a general manner'.
She insisted she told the jury Hernandez and Bradley were together at the time, because she meant they were both in Florida on a trip together. She also admitted that she had never been a fan of Bradley, and that she believed he was 'bad news' for her fiance.
Jenkins-Hernandez began dating Hernandez in high school and later rekindled their relationship when Hernandez joined the Patriots. They got engaged in October 2012 and she has been a constant presence in court during proceedings.
She also stuck by him during an earlier trial where Hernandez was found guilty of the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd, a semi-professional football player who was dating Jenkins' sister.
On Thursday, Jenkins-Hernandez also testified about finding a gun in the 'junk drawer' of the North Attleboro home she shared with Hernandez.
The mom-of-one said it did not 'bother' her that her fiance kept a gun at home with their child as she said many people kept guns for protection.
The next time she went in the junk drawer, it was missing, she told the court.
Jenkins-Hernandez also testified about the night of July 16, 2012, when Hernandez is accused of killing Furtado and Abreu in Boston. His fiance was in Florida at the time according to financial records.
The prosecution said Hernandez placed a 17-second phone call to her 2.37am on the night of the double murders.
Jenkins-Hernandez, who was due to testify yesterday but never took the stand, replied that she did not remember receiving the call or a voicemail but said it was not unusual for him to call at that hour.
She also identified a Toyota 4Runner allegedly tied to murders, as one Hernandez had received through a promotional deal during her testimony.
Her fiance, a former Patriots tight end, is already serving a life sentence for Lloyd's murder.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...testifies.html
The fiancee of NFL star Aaron Hernandez claims she never pressed him about his friend being shot because she'd 'learned to keep my mouth shut', as she testified in his double murder trial.
Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez was compelled to take the witness stand by a judge on Thursday in her fiance's trial for the murders of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado in Boston's South End in July 2012.
Prosecutors say Aaron Hernandez later shot his friend Alexander Bradley - the only person who could implicate him in murders - in the face during a Florida trip to celebrate the 2013 Super Bowl.
Jenkins-Hernandez, who never married Hernandez but legally changed her name in 2015, told the court that she became aware Bradley had been shot but couldn't recall whether they had spoken about it or if she had asked Hernandez where he was at the time.
'I learned to keep my mouth shut in certain situations,' the mother-of-one had testified when asked why she never pressed Hernandez about Bradley being shot.
'I played my role. Meaning I cleaned and I did everything else. There was no reason for me to ask any questions,' she added.
Video courtesy WBZ
Jenkins-Hernandez said Bradley's wasn't a friend of hers, although he had come round to their home and eaten with them, so she didn't believe him being shot in the face was worth asking Hernandez about.
'I pick and choose my battles,' she told the court. 'There are some things worth arguing about. I didn't see that as one of them.
Hernandez smiles as he listens to her testimony during his trial for the July 2012 killings of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado, on Thursday
'He wasn't my friend. We weren't sitting on the couch watching movies and eating popcorn together.
'It was a sad situation but why would I press on that?'
She added that she couldn't say whether Bradley was Hernandez's closest friend as her husband spent a lot of time in his 'mancave' in the basement while she 'stayed upstairs and took care of my child.'
Jenkins-Hernandez also appeared to go back on her testimony to the grand jury.
When questioned by the prosecution about whether she knew her fiance and Bradley were together in Florida at the time Bradley was shot in February 2013, she replied she had only testified 'in a general manner'.
She insisted she told the jury Hernandez and Bradley were together at the time, because she meant they were both in Florida on a trip together. She also admitted that she had never been a fan of Bradley, and that she believed he was 'bad news' for her fiance.
Jenkins-Hernandez began dating Hernandez in high school and later rekindled their relationship when Hernandez joined the Patriots. They got engaged in October 2012 and she has been a constant presence in court during proceedings.
She also stuck by him during an earlier trial where Hernandez was found guilty of the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd, a semi-professional football player who was dating Jenkins' sister.
On Thursday, Jenkins-Hernandez also testified about finding a gun in the 'junk drawer' of the North Attleboro home she shared with Hernandez.
The mom-of-one said it did not 'bother' her that her fiance kept a gun at home with their child as she said many people kept guns for protection.
The next time she went in the junk drawer, it was missing, she told the court.
Jenkins-Hernandez also testified about the night of July 16, 2012, when Hernandez is accused of killing Furtado and Abreu in Boston. His fiance was in Florida at the time according to financial records.
The prosecution said Hernandez placed a 17-second phone call to her 2.37am on the night of the double murders.
Jenkins-Hernandez, who was due to testify yesterday but never took the stand, replied that she did not remember receiving the call or a voicemail but said it was not unusual for him to call at that hour.
She also identified a Toyota 4Runner allegedly tied to murders, as one Hernandez had received through a promotional deal during her testimony.
Her fiance, a former Patriots tight end, is already serving a life sentence for Lloyd's murder.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...testifies.html
