A judge in the double murder trial of former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez has ruled that a California tattoo artist can testify before the jury on Friday after defense attorneys fought it, arguing he had changed his story several times to authorities.
Prosecutors say a tattoo of a revolver with five bullets on Hernandez's arm is a confession to the slaying of two men at a Boston stoplight in 2012 after one of them bumped into him at a club, spilling his drink.
Hernandez's lawyers previously said the tattoo doesn't prove his guilt in the deaths of Daniel de Abreu or Safiro Furtado.
Judge Jeffrey Locke did not rule on another motion that was filed Wednesday, in which prosecutors alleged Hernandez told a woman who wrote to him in jail in 2015 that he was "very angry all the time," arguing his statement should be allowed to show his state of mind of why he was so angry "over a spilled drink."
Defense attorneys argued the statement reflects Hernandez's state of mind years after the killings.
[NECN-NATL]Aaron Hernandez Double Murder Trial: Key Players
Thursday morning's testimony revolved around phone records and evidence found at the murder scene.
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Defense attorneys argued investigators were unable to find DNA on gun or gunshot residue inside the suspect's car, and never tested blonde hair found in the 4Runner or reconstructed broken glass from the crime scene.
While on the stand, criminalist Amy Reynolds described it as a "daunting task" that's "not typically like a puzzle piece."
However, prosecutors said the pieces providing Hernandez's guilt are there, including the weapon found in Marilyn Ramos' daughter's car a year later. Prosecutors also pointed to phone records showing that Hernandez called his fiancee Shayanna Jenkins moments after the deadly shooting and then apparently shut off his phone for hours, including the next day when someone attempted to contact him.
The former NFL tight end has plead not guilty to charges connected to the Boston double murder case.
Hernandez is currently serving a life sentence after he was convicted two years ago of murdering semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd in June 2013.
