BOSTON (WHDH) - A man who claims he was with Aaron Hernandez on the night he allegedly killed two men in Boston’s South End testified Monday that he was driving the car in which the former New England Patriots star fired multiple gunshots from.
Alexander Bradley, a key witness in the double-murder case and former drug dealer, explained the encounter between Hernandez and the shooting victims inside the Cure Lounge on the night of July 16, 2012. Prosecutors said Hernandez killed Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado after one of them bumped into him, spilling his drink. Bradley confirmed that accusation in his testimony.
Bradley testified that Hernandez kept saying he was mad that the men disrespected him and that he wanted an apology. Bradley said he and Hernandez had went to another bar and smoked marijuana for about 30 minutes before the killings.
As the two approached the victims’ BMW at a stop light, Hernandez said “watch out” and fired “five shots” out of the window of a silver Toyota SUV at the victims, according to Bradley.
“I rolled the window down, and when we got up to the car, as we were approaching, he put his hand up to my chest and pushed me back,” Bradley told the court. Bradley said Hernandez used a racial epithet and said, “What’s up now?” before firing.
In Suffolk Superior Court, relatives of the men wept as Bradley testified. Judge Jeffrey Locke called a recess for a brief period.
After the shootings, Bradley said Hernandez was in shock about how he struck one man in the head and the other in the chest. Bradley said they fled the scene after the shots were fired. He said Hernandez tossed the spent shell casings out of the window while on the Mass Pike. Bradley said Hernandez wiped down the weapon with a shirt.
According to Bradley, Hernandez urged him to remain silent about the shootings. He said Hernandez grew paranoid about the alleged killings, thinking the police were following him. Bradley said Hernandez used the nickname “Cheeto” before the murders and “Double A” after.
Hernandez pleaded not guilty to a witness intimidation charge for allegedly shooting Bradley in February 2013, in an effort to silence him about the killings. Hernandez is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of Odin Lloyd in 2013.
In exchange for Monday’s testimony, Bradley was given immunity for his part in the crimes. Bradley is currently serving a five-year prison sentence for shooting up a bar in Hartford, Connecticut in 2014. No one was hurt.
Hernandez’s lawyers are arguing that Bradley is the one who is responsible for the killings.
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