National Football League

Prosecutors can search ex-NFL star Aaron Hernandez's phone

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 4:47 p.m. ET

foxsports

BOSTON (AP) Massachusetts' highest court has ruled that prosecutors can examine a cellphone owned by former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez for possible evidence in his upcoming double murder trial.

Hernandez gave the phone to his former attorney when he was being investigated in the 2013 killing of Odin Lloyd. Hernandez was convicted and is serving life in prison.

He is awaiting trial in the 2012 killings of two men he encountered at a Boston nightclub. He is also accused of shooting a friend to keep him from talking about the killings.

Prosecutors say the friend will testify against Hernandez.

The court found that the continued holding of the phone by Hernandez's lawyers ''can only be understood as having the effect of concealing or removing it from the observation'' of prosecutors.