A tattoo artist testified before the jury on Friday about a tattoo he gave former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez that prosecutors say amounts to a confession to the slaying of two men back in 2012.
The defense team had asked that the tattoos be ruled out as evidence, but a judge denied that motion on Thursday. Prosecutors say a tattoo of a revolver with five bullets on Hernandez's arm is a confession to the slaying of two men at a Boston stoplight in 2012 after one of them bumped into him at a club, spilling his drink.
Hernandez’s lawyers deny that the tattoo proves his guilt in the deaths of Daniel de Abreu or Safiro Furtado.
Prosecutors say the tattoo of an empty cartridge is key, commemorating how many shots it took to kill de Abreu and Furtado.
Defense attorneys argue that the statement reflects Hernandez's state of mind years after the killings. They argue the tattoos should have never been admitted as evidence and force the jury to speculate.
The former NFL tight end has pleaded not guilty to charges connected to the double murder case.
The tattoo artist who testified Friday is David Nelson, who operates Make Luck Tattoo shop in Redondo Beach, Calif. Hernandez had Nelson make the tattoo in 2013.
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Hernandez is already serving a life sentence for killing Odin Lloyd in 2014.
