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Sheriff: Aaron Hernandez had explicit relationship with tipster, not with juror

Sheriff: Aaron Hernandez had explicit relationship with tipster, not with juror

Convicted murder and former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez had a “sexually explicit relationship” with an anonymous tipster who claimed one of the jurors who convicted Hernandez was biased, according to the Bristol County Sheriff.

Thomas M. Hodgson, who oversaw Hernandez while he was at the House of Correction in Massachusetts, denied that the murder case was tainted, according to the Boston Herald, but said that Hernandez appears to have engaged in a non-physical relationship with a woman who claimed that a juror was biased.

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“It sounds like letters, not contact. We don’t have contact visits here,” Hodgson said. “He was in special management, too. He was in a cell by himself, so it sounds like sexually explicit letters.”

After being convicted of first-degree murder, Hernandez was sentenced to life in prison without parole in the death of acquaintance Odin Lloyd in 2013.

A tipster identified only as “Katy” reportedly told Hernandez's defense attorney that a juror might have been “untruthful” during jury selection of the Lloyd case and questioned their credibility because of it. But prosecutors want the judge in the case to deny a motion to question the tipster under oath.

The defense attorney admits that Hernandez had “extensive personal contact” with his client, and prosecutors are countering that Katy made “implausible claims” about the unknown juror. The nature of the Katy-Hernandez relationship is grounds for credibility issues, according to the prosecution.

“The commonwealth has also learned that ‘Katy’ hasn’t simply been in personal contact with the defendant,” lead prosecutor William McCauley wrote. “She had an ongoing sexually explicit relationship with the defendant prior to and during the trial ....

"This relationship includes letters ‘Katy’ sent to the defendant that were subsequently destroyed by the defendant. In addition to the ongoing relationship between ‘Katy’ and the defendant, the defendant had a relationship with ‘Katy’s’ father while they were inmates together at the Dartmouth House of Corrections.”

Hodgson said it wasn't possible for Hernandez to have had any real physical sexual contact with anyone else, inside or outside prison, because they closely monitored his whereabouts and interactions and that Hernandez didn't have ample opportunities to mingle with other inmates.

Hernandez also is expected to stand trial on murder charges in a separate incident — a double homicide in Boston in 2012.

Interestingly, the Providence Journal is reporting that Shayanna Jenkins, Hernandez’s fiancee, is petitioning to have her last name changed to Jenkins-Hernandez.

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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!