News of Aaron Hernandez’s suicide while serving a life sentence in prison sparked much interest in the medical world. After his death, the former Patriots player’s brain was studied at Boston University’s own Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy center, where it was discovered the 27-year-old suffered from severe CTE as a result of his years on the football field. Researchers and scientists speculated that the brain trauma football players suffered led them to make impulsive and harmful decisions, several of whom died by suicide after retiring from the sport.
Hernandez’s football career came to an end after he was found guilty of killing his friend and football player, Odin Lloyd. However, Hernandez’s first-degree murder charges were vacated after he was found dead in a prison as a result of his suicide last April. Due to the state’s abatement ab initio precedent, the case was reverted to its initial status in the beginning of the trial.
However, Lloyd’s mother, Ursula Ward, testified in court Tuesday in support of a bill that would overturn this outdated legal doctrine. Many state representatives have declared their support for this act. The bill entitled “An Act Relative to Odin Lloyd,” effectively provides grieving victims and their families with a symbolic form of closure while still delivering justice, should the defendant commit suicide during court proceedings.
In the world of legality and justice, this is a win for the rights of crime victims. While the wording in the bill restricts the usage of abatement strictly for suicide cases, this could be beneficial for many suffering victims and their grieving families. Suicide rates in prison are prevalent. Even though the case of Odin Lloyd will not be overruled and Hernandez’s charges will remain cleared, this does not mean the bill will fail to be useful for others. Ward is using the platform of her son’s highly popularized case in testifying to prevent the same thing from happening to other families. It often takes one devastating case for things to change, and this is that case. And at the very least, Lloyd’s legacy can be honored through the passage of the bill.
Moreover, as cases get more complex, it is critical that we deliver justice for the victims whose voices have been underrepresented by the justice system. The rights of crime victims has been a topic of conversation lately, and there have been increasing efforts to listen to their side of the story in determining punishments for assailants. Even though both Lloyd and Hernandez are dead, this bill still holds significant meaning. This bill is for the other side of the story — the side that is often not heard or represented. We have take into the account the value this bill holds for victims and their families.
Logically speaking, the abatement procedure did not make much sense. Even if the criminal did kill himself, this does not change what’s owed to the victim. In this case, it doesn’t change the fact that Hernandez killed his friend, raising the question of why the murder charges were declared void to begin with. While death is traumatic and affects both sides, it does not pardon or make null the crime committed by Hernandez. In addition, the current decree may have almost incentivized suicide as a way for criminals to have their charges dismissed, even if it only happens after their death. That’s not to say this legal loophole caused Hernandez’ death. Suice is complex, and was probably influenced by many, many factors.
The symbolic nature of this bill could be a reason for why many don’t find it a necessary measure. However, the symbolism behind the gesture goes beyond just emotional support and relief. The act — if signed into law — can provide validation to the fact that the murder happened, and that isn’t symbolic. While the current system erases the crime of the murder and the event itself, the reality is that it nothing has changed. It’s time for the legal system to uphold the facts and represent the side of the victim.
