As the multiple prosecutions of Aaron Hernandez continue to percolate, an effort to block him from receiving any additional money from his former NFL team hits full boil on Wednesday.
Via the Associated Press, a lawyer representing the estates of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado will ask a judge during a Wednesday hearing to block the Patriots from paying any further money to Hernandez. The goal is to ensure that the money will be available if/when it’s proven in civil court that Hernandez killed the two men.
“It’s really a motion to prevent any further payments to be made by the New England Patriots to Mr. Hernandez pending any further action of the court,” lawyer William Kennedy said. “What we’re looking to do is preserve as much as we possibly can -- any assets -- for the satisfaction of the families of the two decedents.”
Hernandez has filed a grievance seeking the payment of bonus money and other guaranteed sums from the team. Because the Patriots cut Hernandez promptly after he was arrested, the Patriots arguably have forfeited the ability to keep $3.25 million in bonus money that was earned by Hernandez when he signed his contract in August 2012 but not actually due to be paid until March 2014.
Which means that the $3.25 million ultimately will be available to the estates of at least two of Hernandez’s three alleged victims.
Which means that, by fighting to keep Hernandez’s money, the Patriots essentially are fighting to keep money from the families of the people he allegedly killed.