Shayanna Jenkins, Aaron Hernandez Fiancee, Pleads Not Guilty to Perjury Charge & Admits Disposing of Evidence
The fiancee of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a perjury charge for allegedly lying to a Massachusetts grand jury about disposing of evidence in the murder case against her lover, ESPN reported.
Shayanna Jenkins was released on personal recognizance during her arraignment in Fall River Superior Court.
In August, Jenkins lied to the grand jury hearing evidence in the case, Bristol County Assistant District Attorney Patrick Bomberg said. She gave false details about where she threw out a box Hernandez asked her to "get rid of" in the aftermath of Odin Lloyd's killing. On Tuesday, she admitted to disposing of the box, which prosecutors believe contained the murder weapon.
She declined repeatedly to tell grand jurors exactly where she took it when questioned about the location of the dumpster.
Hernandez, 23, pleaded not guilty to the June murder of Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player from Boston who was dating Jenkins' sister. He is being held without bail.
Shayanna Jenkins is Accomplice to Murder if She Hid Murder Weapon, Expert Said [VIDEO]
Bomberg said in court Tuesday that the day after Lloyd was killed, Jenkins took the box from the basement of the home she shared with Hernandez in North Attleborough, Mass., put it in a trash bag, covered it with baby clothes and drove away with it. Jenkins repeatedly told grand jurors she threw the box in a dumpster but forgot where, according to Bomberg.
Defense attorney Janice Bassil said prosecutors were going too far with the perjury charge. She said there is no evidence Jenkins lied and that prosecutors sought the indictment only because they did not believe her. She called lead prosecutor William McCauley's questioning of Jenkins "extremely aggressive."
Though Bomberg argued that Jenkins should be jailed and forced to post a $5,000 bail, Superior Court Judge Thomas F. McGuire Jr. denied the prosecution's request and allowed Jenkins to remain free. He ordered her to appear at her next hearing Nov. 6, according to Fox Sports.
Jenkins and Hernandez have a young child together. The perjury charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years.
Three others face charges in the murder case. Ernest Wallace and Ortiz, who prosecutors say were with Hernandez and Lloyd in a car on the night that the latter was killed, have been charged with being accessories to murder. Wallace pleaded not guilty and is being held on $500,000 bail. Ortiz is scheduled to be arraigned Friday.
Hernandez's cousin, Tanya Singleton, pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit accessory and criminal contempt.