I WOULD JUST LIKE TO COMMENT
FIRST ON THE EXTRAORDINARY
DIGNITY AND CLASS OF THE WOMAN
WHO JUST ADDRESSED YOU.
I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO THANK THE
JURY FOR THEIR SERVICE IN THIS
CASE THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR THE
JURY SYSTEM, A FAIR TRIAL WITH A
JURY OF OUR PEERS BEING ONE OF
THE MOST IMPORTANT RIGHTS THAT
WE AS CITIZENS HAVE IN THIS
COUNTRY.
IT IS NOT EASY TO TAKE THREE
MONTHS AWAY FROM YOUR WORK AND
FAMILY TO SIT IN JUDGMENT OF A
FELLOW CITIZEN.
THE JURY'S VERDICT WAS WELL
SUPPORTED BY THE EVIDENCE, AND I
AM FLAWED -- I APPLAUD THE CLOSE
ATTENTION THEY PAID.
ERIN HERNANDEZ -- AARON
HERNANDEZ WAS KNOWN AS A
PERMANENT PATRIOTS FOOTBALL
PLAYER, BUT THE FACT THAT HE WAS
A FOOTBALL PLAYER MEANT NOTHING
IN THE END.
THE VICTIM, ODIN LLOYD, WAS A
YOUNG MAN WITH HIS WHOLE LIFE
AHEAD OF HIM.
HE WAS WORKING, SPENDING TIME
DEVELOPING A LOVING RELATIONSHIP
WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND, AND
ENJOYING LIFE.
EVERY DAY, THIS YOUNG MAN MADE
AN EFFORT TO RIDE HIS BICYCLE
FROM DORCHESTER TO NORWOOD TO
EARN A PAYCHECK.
IN HIS SPARE TIME, HE CONTINUED
TO PLAY THE SPORT HE LOVES.
HE WAS DEEPLY LOVED BY HIS
FAMILY AND FOR -- AND FRIENDS,
AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE COMMENTS
MADE TODAY.
HE DID NOT DESERVE TO FALL
VICTIM TO THE BRUTAL AND
SENSELESS MURDER THAT BARON
AARON HERNANDEZ
STANDS GUILTY OF COMMITTING.
THEY APPEARED IN COURT EVERY
DAY.
THEY CONDUCTED THEMSELVES WITH
THE UTMOST CLASS DURING THE
TRIAL.
THEIR DIGNITY -- THEY APPLY
GREAT STRENGTH.
ONLY THEY CAN APPRECIATE HOW
DIFFICULT THIS ORDEAL WAS.
URSULA WARD HAS LET HER FAMILY
THROUGH THIS TREMENDOUS
CATASTROPHE WITH THE PUBLIC
SPOTLIGHT ON HER EVERY STEP OF
THE WAY.
I AGAIN COMMEND HER FOR HER
GRACE AND CLASS BEFORE YOU TODAY
THROUGHOUT THE TRIAL AND HER
COMMENTS TO THE JUDGE.
SHE IS A VERY SPECIAL PERSON.
I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY
SINCERE GRATITUDE AND ADMIRATION
FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR TRIAL
TEAM.
IT WAS A GREAT TEAM EFFORT.
BILL MCCAULEY AND THE TEAM SPENT
MOST OF THE TIME DURING THE LAST
22 MONTHS FOCUSING ON THIS CASE
AND PREPARING TO OBTAIN JUSTICE
FOR ODIN LLOYD AND HIS FAMILY.
THEY DID JUST THAT.
PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW HOW MUCH TIME
THEY SPENT DURING THE LAST TWO
YEARS AT THE EXPENSE OF THEIR
FAMILIES AND PERSONAL TIME.
THE JOB OF A PROSECUTOR CAN
OFTEN GO UNDERAPPRECIATED
BECAUSE MOST OF THE WORK IS DONE
OUTSIDE THE CAMERAS.
I HAVE NOTHING BUT ADMIRATION
AND RESPECT FOR THEIR EFFORTS
AND PERFORMANCE DURING THIS
TRIAL.
I DO WANT TO SPECIFICALLY
ACKNOWLEDGE THEM INDIVIDUALLY.
I WILL NOT COVER EVERYBODY, BUT
IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW NOT ONLY
BILL MCCAULEY, BUT PAT, WHO DID
TREMENDOUS WORK IN THIS CASE.
RYAN GRIFFIN, OUR TECHNICAL
PERSON, JENNIFER PURCELL, A
YOUNG WOMAN WHO WORKED
TIRELESSLY BEHIND THE SCENES TO
PREPARE THIS CASE TO PROVIDE
IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO OUR
PROSECUTORS.
ROGER MICHAEL, AN ADVOCATE WHO
WORKED SO CLOSELY WITH THE
FAMILY AND PROVIDED THEM COMFORT
DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME.
FRANK RAMOS.
I ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS MY
APPRECIATION TO MY PROSECUTORS'
FAMILIES FOR THE SACRIFICES THEY
HAD TO MAKE OVER THE PAST TWO
YEARS.
WE SPENT MANY SUNDAYS HERE
OUTSIDE THE PUBLIC EYE, DEVOTED
TO PUTTING THE BEST CASE FORWARD
FOR THE VICTIM'S FAMILY AND THE
PUBLIC.
I ALSO WANT TO SPECIALLY
RECOGNIZED DAWN RILEY IN THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEIR COOPERATION WAS TREMENDOUS
AND A CREDIT TO THEIR
PROFESSIONALISM.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK OUR
STATE POLICE DETECTIVE UNIT, WHO
WORKED TIRELESSLY ON THIS CASE.
IN PARTICULAR, ERIC BENSON, THE
CASE OFFICER.
JEREMIAH DONOVAN, ANDY LEE
DETECTIVE FOR THAT APART -- AND
THE LEAD ITS ACTIVE FOR THAT
DEPARTMENT.
THEY WERE IMPORTANT FOR THE
SUCCESS OF THE PROSECUTION.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE
DRISCOLL POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR
THEIR COOPERATION.
LASTLY, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK
THE MEDIA, YOU, FOR YOUR
PATIENCE DURING THE LAST THREE
MONTHS.
RESPECTING ADHERENCE TO THE GAG
ORDER THAT WAS IN PLACE, YOU
ACTED PROFESSIONALLY AND WITH
DILIGENCE IN RESPECTING THE GAG
ORDER.
MR. QUINN, WHAT DID YOU THINK
WHEN MS. WARD SAID THAT SHE
FORGIVES THE PEOPLE WHO DID THIS
TO HER SON?
THOMAS QUINN: I THINK IT IS A
TREMENDOUS COMPLEMENT TO HER.
IN THE END, FORGIVENESS IS WHAT
IT IS ABOUT FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT
TO DO THAT.
IT SHOWS WHAT TYPE OF PERSON SHE
IS.
[INAUDIBLE]
THOMAS QUINN: I FELT CONFIDENT
WE PRESENTED A STRONG CASE.
AFTER A FAIR CONSIDERATION ALL
THE EVIDENCE, THAT MR. HERNANDEZ
WOULD BE CONVICTED.
DO YOU FEEL THE JUDGE
PROCEEDED --
THOMAS QUINN: DURING EVERY TRIAL
THERE ARE DECISIONS THAT WE
AGREE WITH AND THAT WE DISAGREE
WITH.
ARE YOU SURPRISED? THOMAS
QUINN: I WAS NOT.
HOW DO YOU THINK THE FACT
THAT HE WAS A FOOTBALL CELEBRITY
IMPACTED THE TRIAL?
THOMAS QUINN: IT IMPACTED IT
SIGNIFICANTLY.
CERTAINLY IT WAS A MAJOR CASE.
THE CASE GAINED NATIONAL
ATTENTION.
I THINK IN THE END A FAIR TRIAL
WAS PROVIDED TO THE DEFENDANT.
IN THE END, HE IS A CELEBRITY, A
PATRIOTS FOOTBALL PLAYER.
THAT ATTRACTS EVERYBODY.
BUT IN THE END, HE WAS A MAN WHO
COMMITTED A SERIOUS MURDER AND
WAS CONVICTED BY A JURY OF HIS
PEERS.
[INAUDIBLE]
THOMAS QUINN: I RESPECT THE JURY
SYSTEM, AND THEY HAVE MADE THEIR
DECISION, BASED ON WHAT THEY DO
IN THE PRIVACY OF DELIBERATIONS.
HE WAS CONVICTED OF FIRST-DEGREE
MURDER OF ODIN LLOYD.
HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK --
THOMAS QUINN: EACH PORTION OF
THE TESTIMONY PUT TOGETHER
EVIDENCE THAT IN TOTAL PRESENTED
THE CASE FOR A CONVICTION.
DID THAT INCLUDE
PREMEDITATION?
THOMAS QUINN: YOU HEARD THE
EVIDENCE OF THE NUMBER OF SHOTS
AND THE MANNER OF THE KILLING.
IT WAS APPROPRIATE BASED ON THE
EVIDENCE THAT YOU HEARD.
DO YOU THINK ANAREN HERNANDEZ
-- DO YOU THINK AARON HERNANDEZ
PULLED THE TRIGGER?
THOMAS QUINN: AGAIN, I DO NOT
KNOW WHAT THE JURORS -- THEY
SPOKE TO YOU EARLIER -- I
RESPECT THE PRIVACY OF THEIR
DELIBERATIONS, AND I THINK THE
EVIDENCE WAS PRESENTED.
DO YOU PLAN TO PROSECUTE THE
THREE REMAINING CHARGES?
THOMAS QUINN: OUR GOAL IS THE
SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTION OF THE
MOST CRUCIAL MATTER, THE KILLING
OF ODIN LLOYD.
HOW DIFFICULT WAS IT TO TRY
THE CASE WITH NO MURDER WEAPON,
NO EYEWITNESS, AND NO REALLY
HARD AND FAST MOTIVE?
THOMAS QUINN: I WOULD SAY THAT
OUR TEAM, OUR PROSECUTION,
LOOKED AT ALL THE EVIDENCE IN
THIS CASE.
THERE WAS NO EYEWITNESS.
THERE WAS AN EYEWITNESS, I WOULD
SUGGEST TO YOU, IN THE
VIDEOTAPE.
THAT WAS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THE
JURY COULD CONSIDER, WHAT WAS ON
THE TAPE PRIOR TO THE HOMICIDE
AND AFTER THE HOMICIDE.
SO I THINK I HAVE THE UTMOST
RESPECT FOR THE QUALITY OF OUR
PROSECUTORS AND THE JOB THAT
THEY DID.
FRANKLY, AS HIGH PUBLICITY AS
THIS CASE WAS, I HAD COMPLETE
CONFIDENCE, AS I DID IN ALL THE
PEOPLE INVOLVED.
[INAUDIBLE]
THOMAS QUINN: THAT IS A
STRATEGIC DECISION THAT THE
DEFENSE MAKES.
I THINK THE EVIDENCE WAS CLEAR
THAT HE WAS AT THE SCENE, BASED
ON A REASONABLE VIEW OF IT,
BASED ON THE DNA, THE VEHICLE,
AND THE FOOTPRINT.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HE
CONCEDED IN THE CLOSING, AND IT
IS CONSISTENT WITH THE EVIDENCE.
WERE YOU SURPRISED BY THAT?
THOMAS QUINN: WAS I SURPRISED BY
THAT?
NOT NECESSARILY, BUT AGAIN, I AM
NOT REALLY READING WHAT IS IN
HIS MIND, THE DEFENSE'S MIND.
THEY ARE TRYING TO PUT THEIR
BEST FOOT FORWARD, SO TO SPEAK,
IN CLOSING, AND THAT IS THE
STRATEGY THEY TOOK. I THINK THE
EVIDENCE WAS VERY STRONG THAT HE
WAS AT THE SCENE.
WHAT ABOUT SHAYANNA JENKINS?
THOMAS QUINN: LET'S FOCUS ON
THIS BEING A GREAT DAY FOR THE
COMMONWEALTH, A GREAT DAY FOR
THE FAMILY, BECAUSE THE JURY HAS
SPOKEN.
PEOPLE ON THE DEFENSE SAY
THAT YOU TARGETED HIM.
THOMAS QUINN: MY RESPONSE IS
THAT THE EVIDENCE TARGETED AARON
HERNANDEZ.
THE EVIDENCE LED TO AARON
HERNANDEZ.
THE EVIDENCE IS WHAT CONVICTED
AARON HERNANDEZ.
THERE WAS NO SLOPPY POLICE
INVESTIGATION.
IT WAS DONE THOUGHTFULLY,
PROFESSIONALLY.
THE EVIDENCE LED TO AARON
HERNANDEZ AND LED TO HIS
CONVICTION.
THEY APPEARED TO BE VERY
INVOLVED.
THAT WAS NECESSARY, ESPECIALLY
IN THE CASE OF THIS LENGTH.
SOME OF THEM WERE SELECTED THE
FIRST OR SECOND WEEK OF JANUARY.
HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR THEIR
ATTENTION AND FOCUS DURING THE
TRIAL.
FIRST-DEGREE MURDER IS THE
AUTOMATIC REVEAL.
BEYOND THAT, I WOULD NOT KNOW.
DO YOU INTEND TO FULLY
PROSECUTE THE TWO OTHER MEN?
THOMAS QUINN: THEY ARE UP FOR
REVIEW NEXT MONTH, AND THEIR
PROSECUTION IS GOING FORWARD.
DO YOU THINK THE THEORY HELD
UP?
THOMAS QUINN: I DO NOT WANT TO
TALK ABOUT THE OTHER DEFENDANTS.
THOSE ARE PENDING CASES.
IT IS ALL HYPOTHETICAL.
WE WANT TO FOCUS ON THIS CASE
AND THE SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF
IT.
SOMETHING THAT YOU TALK ABOUT
ON --
THOMAS QUINN: I THINK THE JUDGE
CONDUCTED A FAIR AND ORDERLY
PROCEEDING.
I THINK IF IT IS NATURAL AND NOT
DONE IN A WAY THAT WOULD DETRACT
, IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR
HER TO EXPRESS HER EMOTIONS WHEN
HE TESTIFIES.
THE JUDGE THROUGHOUT A LOT OF
EVIDENCE YOU GUYS BROUGHT.
GOING FORWARD, THAT
THEORETICALLY HELPED WITH THE
ISSUES.
THOMAS QUINN: OBVIOUSLY ANY
EVIDENCE EXCLUDED WILL NOT BE
SUBJECT TO APPEAL.
AUTOMATIC APPEAL, FIRST-DEGREE
MURDER, THAT IS FOR ANOTHER DAY.
WE TRIED A GOOD CASE AND
PRESENTED THE EVIDENCE IN AN
APPROPRIATE AND POPULAR -- IN AN
APPROPRIATE AND PROPER FASHION.
DO YOU THINK AARON HERNANDEZ
GOT IT WHEN THE VERDICT WAS
READ?
THOMAS QUINN: I DON'T KNOW.
WHEN YOU SAY THAT'S WHEN THEY
TAKE YOU AWAY AND SAY LIFE IN
PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE, SOMEONE
HAS TO RESPOND TO THAT.
THERE IS A CASE PENDING.
THEY ARE DEALING WITH IT.