One of Aaron Hernandez’s tattoos is a confession to murder, prosecutors say.
In a pre-trial hearing Tuesday, prosecutors laid out evidence they say means Hernandez confessed to the killings he is about to be tried for.
Hernandez is charged with killing 29-year-old Daniel de Abreu and 28-year-old Safiro Furtado in a 2012 drive-by shooting. Prosecutors say the former football star killed the men after one of them bumped into him at a nightclub earlier. Hernandez has pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors say after the killings, Hernandez went to a tattoo parlor in California and asked to get an image of revolver and the words “God Forgives.”
"[It] is in fact an admission by Mr. Hernandez, in fact somewhat of a confession; particularly where he puts the words 'God Forgives' underneath," said Assistant District Attorney Patrick Haggan.
Prosecutors also say Hernandez got a semi-automatic gun with one spent shell casing to memorialize the shooting of Alexander Bradley.
Hernandez’s trial for the shootings of de Abreu and Furtado won’t start until Feb. 13, but the pre-trial hearings allow both sides to introduce evidence. Judge Jeffrey Locke says the prosecution will presumably call on the tattoo artist to testify once the trial begins.
The defense argued the tattoos are irrelevant and have asked to have them thrown out -- calling them wild speculation, rather than evidence.
Hernandez is already is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the 2013 shooting death of Odin Lloyd, his fiancee's sister's boyfriend.
At a hearing earlier this month, Judge Locke ruled ballistics evidence and testimony by firearms experts may be presented at trial over the objections of the defense.
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