Sports

After Conviction, Many Court Cases Left for Aaron Hernandez

Published

12 years ago

April 16, 2015

Former New England Patriots NFL football player Aaron Hernandez, center, stands with his defense attorneys, from left, Charles Rankin, Micheal Fee and James Sultan, as the verdict is read in his murder trial, Wednesday, April 15, 2015, at Bristol County Superior Court in Fall River, Mass. Hernandez was found guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Odin Lloyd in June 2013. (Dominick Reuter/Pool Photo via AP)

MICHELLE R. SMITH, Associated Press

FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) — Even after he was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole, former New England Patriots star tight end Aaron Hernandez is nowhere near done with his legal troubles. He still faces double murder charges in Boston, as well as civil lawsuits over the killings and a lawsuit in Florida from a former friend who said he was shot in the face and left for dead after arguing with Hernandez.

A jury on Wednesday found Hernandez guilty of the June 2013 killing of Odin Lloyd, who was dating the sister of Hernandez’s fiancee. Lloyd was killed — shot six times in a deserted industrial park less than a mile from Hernandez’s home — for reasons that still remain unclear. Hernandez’s lawyer acknowledged his client witnessed the crime but insisted he did not do it.

After the verdict, Hernandez was brought to a state prison less than a 4-mile drive from Gillette Stadium, the place where he once used to catch touchdown passes by Tom Brady in front of tens of thousands of fans. He will eventually be moved to another maximum-security institution.

A first-degree murder conviction in Massachusetts automatically triggers an appeal to the Supreme Judicial Court. A date for the Hernandez appeal wasn’t immediately set.

Hernandez also is charged in a 2012 double killing in Boston. His alleged connection to that slaying emerged as the Lloyd investigation unfolded. Prosecutors in Boston say that Hernandez killed two men, Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado, after one of them accidentally bumped into him and spilled Hernandez’s drink at a nightclub. Hernandez has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder.

Hernandez told a friend he thought the man was “trying” him, and surveillance video outside the club showed Hernandez pacing back and forth while his friend tried to calm him down.

Later, Hernandez drove around until he saw the men get in a car, followed them and shot at them from a silver SUV at a stop light, prosecutors said. A third man in their car also was shot but survived.

The judge in the Lloyd case barred prosecutors from telling jurors about the Boston double killing. Jurors in the Lloyd case on Wednesday said that after the verdict the judge told them about the 2012 case, information they said only affirmed to them that they had made the right decision.

About six weeks after that shooting, Hernandez signed a five-year, $40 million contract with the Patriots, and he went on to play for another season before Lloyd was killed. He was cut from the team soon after being arrested in Lloyd’s killing in June 2013.

Suffolk County prosecutors said Wednesday they don’t have an estimate on when Hernandez could stand trial for the double homicide. The trial had been scheduled to begin May 28, but a judge agreed in November to delay the case indefinitely so Hernandez’s lawyers could focus on the Lloyd case. The first step will be to hold a pre-trial status hearing.

“We expect to go in to court in the coming days with defense counsel to set a new court date and from there set a new trial track,” Jake Wark, a spokesman for Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley, said a few hours after Hernandez was convicted and sentenced.

Hernandez’s legal team, James Sultan, Michael Fee and Charles Rankin, left the courthouse Wednesday without commenting.

Lloyd’s mother, Ursula Ward, has a civil lawsuit against Hernandez seeking an unspecified amount of money. That lawsuit was put on hold during the criminal case. Her lawyer, Doug Sheff, said Wednesday he did not know whether he had to wait for the appeal in the criminal matter to press the lawsuit.

“I hope not, because that could take years, many years,” Sheff said, adding that he hopes to go forward with discovery in the case.

The families of the two men Hernandez is accused of killing in 2012 in Boston also filed wrongful death lawsuits against Hernandez, each seeking $6 million in damages. The families’ attorney, William Kennedy, said he expects the case won’t go to trial until well after the criminal trial.

“The families now don’t have a son, they don’t have a brother, they don’t have a friend. What price do you put on that? That would be for a jury to determine,” Kennedy said.

Hernandez also was sued by Alexander Bradley, a former friend, who says that in February 2013, he and Hernandez argued following a trip to a Miami strip club. He says he was shot between the eyes and dumped by Hernandez in an industrial park. Bradley testified against Hernandez in the Lloyd trial, but prosecutors were not allowed to ask him about the Florida shooting.

___

AP Legal Affairs Writer Denise Lavoie contributed to this story from Boston.

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Golden State Valkyries Become Bay Area Legends Winning WNBA Championship on Halloween Night

In only their second year as a franchise, the Golden State Valkyries captured the 2026 WNBA Championship with a 68-63 victory over the Atlanta Dream. Playing before a sold-out crowd at Chase Center on Halloween night, Gabby Williams delivered a historic 30-point performance to earn Finals MVP honors. The victory marks a rapid rise for the expansion team, which has already set league attendance records and surpassed a $1 billion valuation. Fans gathered by the hundreds of thousands this week to celebrate the new Bay Area legends, read more.

Published

5 days ago

November 6, 2026

Post News Group

“We’re so proud,” said Mayor Barbara Lee who donned a violet wig on Wednesday at a rally honoring the Golden State Valkyries as the team celebrated its historic 2026 WNBA Championship in Oakland. Photo courtesy of NBC.

By Dr. Y’Anad Burrell Special to The Post

In only their second year as a franchise, the Golden State Valkyries became the WBNA 2026 Champions, with Gabby Williams named WNBA Finals MVP. A Halloween night movie of magic and there was no surprise that the game was sold out, with more than 18,000 fans inside Chase Center while thousands more packed the open space at Thrive Center from hours preceding the game through the final buzzer.

In the decisive Game 7, Williams delivered a legendary performance, scoring 30 points to lead the Golden State Valkyries to a 68-63 championship victory over the Atlanta Dream. Remarkably, 28 of her 30 points came in the second half, setting a WNBA postseason record for points in a half and earning her Finals MVP honors.

The team celebrated its victory on Wednesday with a rally in Oakland followed by a ferry ride to San Francisco’s Embarcadero and then a two-mile parade that drew about 400,000 fans.

Williams has become a symbol of the Bay Area’s impact on the team. Although born in Nevada, Williams has deep family roots in Oakland and has often said the city’s culture, community, and basketball traditions shaped her identity and playing style.

After signing with the Valkyries, she began calling the city home and noting that “there’s no Golden State without Oakland.”

The Valkyries have several ballers who made an impact on winning this series, including Veronica Burton, Tiffany ‘Tip’ Hayes, Kayla Thornton, Kaila Charles, and Cecilia Zandalasini.

Veteran center Kiah Stokes brought championship experience and defensive leadership when she signed a multi-year free-agent contract with the franchise on April 13. A former first-round draft pick out of UConn and a three-time WNBA champion with the Las Vegas Aces before joining Golden State, Stokes was recruited by head coach Natalie Nakae, with whom she had previously worked in Las Vegas.

Known as one of the league’s premier rim protectors and rebounders, Stokes quickly became a defensive anchor for the expansion franchise and played a major role in leading the Valkyries to their historic championship run.

The Valkyries have accomplished something extraordinary, proving that a new franchise can make an immediate impact both on and off the court. In their first year, the Valkyries became the first WNBA expansion team to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season and set all-time league attendance records. The franchise sold out all home games, reporting 18,064 attendees per game in both seasons — the highest attendance figures in WNBA history. The Valkyries’ success has also translated into extraordinary franchise value. After entering the league by paying a $50 million expansion fee, the organization generated record revenues and rapidly became one of the most valuable franchises in women’s sports, valued at over $! billion.

The WNBA Finals’ deciding game averaged 3.3 million viewers, making it the most-watched WNBA playoff game in league history and the most-watched finals game since 1999.

The record audience reflects the league’s growing popularity and has major implications for its future, including higher media rights value, increased advertising revenue, stronger sponsorship opportunities, rising merchandise sales, and greater ticket demand.

The Finals also featured sold-out arenas and record postseason viewership, demonstrating that the WNBA is expanding its commercial reach, attracting new fans, and strengthening its position as a major professional sports league.

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Black History

Oakland Strong: Building Champions and Healthier Generations

Entrepreneur Mike Jenkins is revitalizing youth wellness in Oakland through Oakland Strong, a world-class strength-training facility in Jack London Square. After providing a decade of free training in Fruitvale, the program moved and rebranded while continuing to produce national and international weightlifting champions. Jenkins aims to counter community health challenges by teaching Olympic-style lifting and nutrition to children ages 8 to 18. As the program seeks new ways to sustain its free services, local partnerships are forming to support these elite young athletes. Read more.

Published

1 week ago

November 3, 2026

Post News Group

By Tanya Dennis

Mike Jenkins is a serial entrepreneur with a vision to make a lasting impact in Oakland.

Raised in a military family in the Pinole area, Jenkins played basketball at Merritt College before continuing his athletic career at Sacramento State.

His lifelong interest in health and wellness led him to consider a troubling reality: as members of the Black community age, health challenges often increase. Jenkins believes investing in health is an investment in wealth, and he has made it his mission to give Oakland’s youth a stronger foundation for life.

Years ago, Jenkins invested in young people by building Speed Power Strength, a world-class strength-training facility in the Fruitvale neighborhood. For 10 years, the facility served hundreds of children, providing training entirely free of charge. Displaced by gentrification, the program eventually found a new home in Jack London Square.

That move inspired a new name: Oakland Strong, reflecting both the program’s mission and its pride in the city it represents.

“When we found the new home, I needed to put a spotlight on what we were doing– producing the strongest kids in Oakland – so I named our new location Oakland Strong,” Jenkins explained. “We are known nationally and internationally, so when we compete, our city’s name is on our chest.”

Through Olympic weightlifting, governed nationally by USA Weightlifting, the program has developed an extraordinary record. Its athletes have earned 10 national championships, a team national championship, and international titles. Today, two Oakland Strong athletes are Olympic hopefuls.

This past summer, Oakland had three athletes at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs at the same time. One was Olympic figure skating champion Alysa Liu. The other two were Oakland Strong’s Robert Whitlock and Rucker Johnson, there for a weightlifting camp for Olympic hopefuls.

Whitlock, an Oakland Technical High School student, began training at age 10. Now a three-time consecutive national champion, two-time Pan American champion, and Team USA representative, Whitlock also holds an American record while maintaining straight A’s in school.

“If Oakland can’t support these kinds of kids, then what are we doing?” Jenkins asks.

Oakland Strong continues offering free training in Jack London Square to young people ages 8-18. The program welcomes girls as well as boys, with approximately 12 kids currently participating with room for 20.

With limited city support for free youth programs, Jenkins must find other ways to sustain the work.

When Carlyle Chicken Wings opened nearby, he approached the owner with an idea connecting nutrition and community investment. Because Oakland Strong teaches healthy eating alongside athletic training, they developed the Oakland Strong Bowl, a protein-focused meal. Carlyle will contribute $2 from each bowl sold to support the program.

For Jenkins, the mission extends far beyond medals and records. He wants to create generational health by teaching young people habits they can carry into adulthood and share with their families.

The strongest legacy, he believes, is not simply producing champions, but building healthier generations who understand their worth, their potential, and the importance of investing in themselves.

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Business

100 Black Wings’ Team Oakland Youth Athletes Heading to Taiwan for 2026 International Children’s Games

By Post Staff The Bay Area Chapter of 100 Black Men is sending nine youth athletes from its 100 Black Wings’ Team Oakland Delegation to Taiwan on Thursday, July 30, to represent the City of Oakland at the 58th International Children’s

Published

3 months ago

August 9, 2026

Post News Group

The delegation going to the International Children’s Games in Taiwan includes (from left) Dewayne Littlepage, Gia Goodlow, Abisewolu Redmond, Mahari Moore, Marvin Thomas, Najae Ellison, Royal Moore, Sir.Kamryn Lloyd, and Jasani Highsmith. The delegation’s coaching leadership includes Head Coach Dr. Tommie Smith, Senior Coach Margaret Dixon, Girls Coach Evangela Dixon, Strength and Conditioning Coach Nola Turnage, and Boys Coach Michael Flood, Jr. Photo courtesy of 100 Black Men of the Bay Area.

By Post Staff

The Bay Area Chapter of 100 Black Men is sending nine youth athletes from its 100 Black Wings’ Team Oakland Delegation to Taiwan on Thursday, July 30, to represent the City of Oakland at the 58th International Children’s Games (IGC) in Hualien County, Taiwan.

The Games will bring together young athletes ages 12 to 15 from 76 city delegations around the world. The opening ceremony is scheduled for Aug. 2, and athletic competitions take place Aug. 3-5.

While many international competitions center around national teams, the ICG brings young people together as representatives of their respective cities. This year’s theme – “Shining Hualien, Shining Together!” – reflects the host city’s vision of using sports, education, culture, and tourism to promote friendship, peace, inclusion, and sustainable development.

“Team Oakland’s participation demonstrates what can happen when young people are given opportunity, preparation, and a community that believes in them,” said Danny L. Williams, chairman of 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, Inc.

“These athletes will carry Oakland’s talent, strength, and spirit onto an international stage while building relationships that can extend far beyond the competition,” he said.

Team Oakland will compete in track and field events including the 100-meter and 400-meter races, hurdles, long jump, shot put, javelin, and traditional and mixed 4×100-meter relays.

The athletes representing Oakland are: DeWayne Littlepage, Gia Goodlow, Abisewolu Redmond, Mahari Moore, Marvin Thomas, Najae Ellison, Royal Moore, Sir Kamryn Lloyd, and Jasani Highsmith.

The delegation’s coaching leadership includes Head Coach Dr. Tommie Smith, the

1968 Olympic gold medalist in the 200-meter sprint; Senior Coach Margaret Dixon;

Girls Coach Evangela Dixon; Strength and Conditioning Coach Nola Turnage;

and Boys Coach Michael Flood, Jr.

Delegation leadership also includes Williams, Head of Delegation Juanita Metters-Upshur, and city representative Dr. Mark Alexander.

“Our athletes have trained with tremendous discipline, but this journey represents much more than competition,” said Metters-Upshur, head of delegation. “They will have the opportunity to travel internationally, proudly represent Oakland, experience another culture, and form friendships with young people from communities across the world. We are incredibly proud of them and grateful to the families, coaches, partners, and supporters who have helped make this experience possible.”

In addition to track and field, the games will feature swimming, tennis, table tennis, Taekwondo, archery, football, and 3×3 basketball. Hualien County is located between Taiwan’s Central Mountain Range and the Pacific Ocean and hosts the International Children’s Games for the first time this year.

The International Children’s Games were founded in 1968 by Slovenian coach Metod Klemenc, based on the belief that sports can bridge differences in culture, religion, and race.

The ICG is approved by the International Olympic Committee and emphasizes friendship, fair play, teamwork, perseverance, and cultural understanding among young people.

The Oakland delegation’s participation reflects the 100 Black Wings’ programmatic commitment to developing young people through athletic achievement, discipline, leadership, cultural exposure, and global citizenship.

Team Oakland is supported by a network of families, coaches, community partners, and advocates who believe that international experiences can expand how young people view themselves and their possibilities.