Potential Aaron Hernandez Jurors Asked If They Are Patriots Fans
FALL RIVER (CBS) -- Potential jurors in the murder trial of Aaron Hernandez are being asked if they root for the New England Patriots.
The former Patriots star is charged in the 2013 killing of Odin Lloyd, and about 1,100 potential jurors have been summoned to court. A 15-page juror questionnaire released on Tuesday shows just how much the court wants to know about the possible jurors' football-viewing habits.
"Are you a fan of the New England Patriots?" one question states. "If Yes, for how long have you been a fan?"
Jurors also need to write on the survey if they've ever been to a Patriots game, and if yes, how many times.
The questionnaire then asks if Hernandez's past as a Patriots player will impair their ability to be fair and impartial.
"Does the Fact that Mr. Hernandez was a professional football player make you feel that he is more likely to be guilty of the charges in this case than an individual who did not play football professionally would be?" the questionnaire states.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick and team owner Robert Kraft are on a list of more than 300 potential witnesses in the case, and jurors are asked if they know any of them.
Prosecutors have expressed concerns about a jury possibly being impressed by Hernandez's athletic accomplishments.
Last week, a judge rejected a request by the prosecution to cover up a trophy case when the jury visits Heranandez's North Attleboro home.
Judge Susan Garsh has also banned all Patriots gear from the courtroom during Hernandez's trial. On Monday, one prospective juror in the case who realized she was wearing a Patriots jacket turned it inside out, WBZ-TV's Christina Hager reported.
Jurors are also being asked if they have any tattoos, and if Hernandez "is more likely to be guilty of the charges in this case because he has tattoos than an individual without tattoos would be."
Another question asks the jurors if they've had any "personal experience with marijuana," and says there could be evidence presented in this case regarding possession or use of marijuana.
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