Aaron Hernandez’s Fiancee Granted Immunity for Testimony

Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez’s fiancee, Shayanna Jenkins, received immunity in court in exchange for her testimony on Feb. 10. She is now expected to become a prosecution witness.

Aaron Hernandez’s fiancee received immunity in court in exchange for her testimony against him on Feb. 10.

According to Yahoo! Sports’ Dan Wetzel, Shayanna Jenkins will eventually become a prosecution witness as a result. Hernandez is charged as being the mastermind of former semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd’s murder in June 2013. Lloyd was the boyfriend of Shaneah Jenkins, Shaynna’s younger sister. 

Wetzel says Hernandez and the older Jenkins, 25, had been dating on an on-and-off basis since their high school days in Bristol, Conn. They now have a daughter after they decided to move in together.

Prosecutors have built a strong case against Hernandez, but still don’t have a murder weapon, an eyewitness and a confession, per Wetzel. They also claim Hernandez implied that Jenkins helped cover up the crime by disposing the murder weapon, per Yahoo! Sports.

Wetzel adds his take on Jenkins receiving immunity:

“What light Shayanna Jenkins can shed on the hours and days after the incident is still unknown. The court sealed the immunity deal. This doesn’t 100 percent assure she’ll testify, she could still refuse, be held in contempt of court and deal with the repercussions. Jenkins was accused of lying under oath to a grand jury looking into the case, so it was expected the prosecutors would use that leverage to push for a deal in exchange for her testimony.

“Still, she had appeared fiercely loyal to Hernandez thus far.”

Boston.com’s Jordan Lebeau reported on Tuesday that Hernandez has had his share of supporters on social media lately. The hashtag “#FreeHernandez” has been prominent on Twitter. 

These Hoes Ain’t Loyal.. #FreeHernandez pic.twitter.com/ANzJFI0DX6— Ike Turner™ (@LCTheLegend) February 10, 2015

“@A_Train5: U know who I’m riding with #FreeHernandez pic.twitter.com/XqsCZ4Jqet”— kingcake_is_bae (@Who_Dat_Nola00) February 6, 2015

In spite of this, Lebeau describes support for Hernandez as “muted at best.” Lebeau spoke with a courthouse police officer who has been around since the jury was selected last month. Even if there is a ban of wearing Hernandez jerseys inside the courthouse, the police officer told Boston.com only a handful of people have been wearing Hernandez’s outside. 

Lebeau also interviewed a Boston waitress, who said her customers rarely discuss the Hernandez trial over a good meal.

 However, it’s a different scenario on social media. Lebeau cites @FreeAH1989 on Twitter and Support for Aaron Hernandez on Facebook. Jeanie, the coordinator of the Facebook page, insisted on remaining anonymous. Lebeau says this is so because support for the former Patriots tight end “has fractured relationships, sparked name calling and online trolling, and fostered a distrust of the media among his supporters.”

On the other hand, Julia, a New England resident and the owner of the Twitter account, opened up to Lebeau about supporting Hernandez online:

 “I started [this account] a few days after he was arrested. I just could not fathom the story being thrown at the public of a gangster NFL player who kills someone that can be linked to them around the corner from their house. It sounds incredible.

 “…that this young kid that went to college, came here, and got $40 million managed to be such a gangbanger because he has tattoos and likes guns? It’s amazing that the media would generalize like that. 

 “He’s Hispanic, he’s young, he’s from Connecticut, and he had some problems in college. People tried to put all of that into a context that fit the story. Now they say he was in a gang in Connecticut and doing all of these gun runs. The Commonwealth has a tendency to blow things out of proportion when they’re major stories. Does anyone remember the Louise Woodward trial? We’re known for blowing things out of proportion. 

 “I didn’t expect to get letters back, I didn’t think I would. But I wrote to him to encourage him, and I sent him pictures of things outside, since I lived on the water at the time. I also sent him pictures I took while I was doing everyday things, just to cheer him up. I mean, he’s in prison, what does he have to look at?”

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