Prosecutors in Boston claim Shayanna Jenkins, the fiancee of jailed former New England Patriot tight end Aaron Hernandez, lied to a grand jury about her role in discarding evidence in Hernandez’s murder case.
Hernandez is in jail on a murder charge in the slaying of Odin Lloyd. Jenkins, who is not incarcerated, pleaded not guilty to perjury charges. The district attorney’s office claims she lied in more than a dozen instances – -and says it has evidence contradicting her testimony to the grand jury investigating the 2013 shooting death of Lloyd.
Defense attorney Janice Bassil has moved to dismiss the charge. A judge had ordered additional information turned over following defense complaints.
Hernandez, 24, has pleaded not guilty in the shooting death of Lloyd, a semi-professional football player from Boston, who was dating Jenkins’ sister.
Prosecutors have said that most of Jenkins’ testimony wasn’t credible, including about getting rid of a box from the basement of the North Attleborough, Mass., home she shared with Hernandez. Jenkins told grand jurors she couldn’t remember where she threw out the box, which she put in a trash bag, covered with baby clothes, they have said.
Prosecutors haven’t disclosed what they think the box contained. Jenkins was granted immunity before she testified.
In Tuesday’s filing, prosecutors claim they have direct evidence that contradicts Jenkins’ testimony “concerning how, why and the manner in which she removed the items from the home.” It says the same of her claim that she didn’t attempt to hide the box when taking it from the house and that she hadn’t spoken to Ernest Wallace after Lloyd’s killing.
Wallace, described by prosecutors as Hernandez’s right-hand man, has also been charged with murder. He has pleaded not guilty.
Jenkins is free on personal recognizance.
