Prosecution not opposed to Hernandez transferring jails

BOSTON (MyFoxBoston.com) – Former Patriot Aaron Hernandez may be able to transfer to a jail closer to Boston. Hernandez filed the request about two weeks ago, and prosecutors said Thursday that they’re not opposed to the move, but did address “some of the many misstatements of fact” in the original filing.

In the defense’s original motion, Hernandez requests to be moved to a jail closer to Boston, citing his own safety and lawyer's commute. He wants to be moved from the Bristol County House of Corrections in North Dartmouth to a jail closer to Boston as his lawyers have offices in the city. Given that the former pro football player was recently indicted by a Grand Jury on two counts of first degree murder among other charges and is accused in a 2012 Boston double murder, he and his attorneys say they have to meet more often.

The defense goes on to say that the Bristol County sheriff has worked closely with the D.A.'s office to gather evidence against Hernandez while he has been a pre-trial detainee. Read more on the allegations here (link to story)

Sheriff Tom Hodgson denied the allegations, as did the prosecution saying they are “baseless, theatrical and legally unsupportable,” according to the Bristol District Attorney’s response filed Thursday. They will, however, allow the move based solely based on his “reasonable request for a transfer on grounds of convenience to counsel.”

“Indeed the Commonwealth would never adopt any position that unnecessarily impeded the defendant’s right to access to counsel. Had the defendant asked the Commonwealth to join in a simple request for transfer, unadorned with inaccurate and inflammatory hyperbole, the Commonwealth would have been happy to do so,” the response read.

It goes on to say that Hernandez “significantly misstated the sheriff’s role” and that he has a “legitimate and legally recognized interest in curtailing crimes by detainees.”

Cox Media Group