FALL RIVER, Mass. — A defense lawyer in the trial of former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez says police and prosecutors targeted his client in the murder case from the beginning.
His lawyer Michael Fee told jurors Thursday in his opening statements that Hernandez is an innocent man and did not kill semiprofessional football player Odin Lloyd in 2013.
Lloyd was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancee, Shayanna Jenkins.
He says Hernandez "never had a chance" because authorities locked in on him right away.
Fee says the investigation into Lloyd's death was "sloppy and unprofessional."
He says evidence will show that Hernandez did not kill Lloyd and did not ask anyone to do so.
Prosecutors said in their opening statement that Hernandez orchestrated the killing of Lloyd and then orchestrated the cover-up.