A cousin of jailed former NFL star Aaron Hernandez is seeking to have the two cases she faces in connection with the murder charges he faces in the killing of Odin Lloyd converted to just one trial.
Tanya Singleton's attorney, E. Peter Parker, is seeking to have the switch made in the "best interest of the court and his defendant."
IBTimes.com reports he later wrote in papers filed in Bristol County Superior Court "the empanelment of two separate juries, two separate trials, and two separate sentencing proceedings in the event of convictions would be unnecessarily burdensome and resource-intensive, both for the court and for Ms. Singleton.''
According to the website, the defense also alleges having two trials would be unfair to Singleton based on the publicity the first one might generate. She faces one charge of criminal contempt and another charge of conspiracy to commit being an accessory to murder after the fact. Singleton has plead innocent to both.
IBTimes adds the accessory charge stems from Singleton's dealings with Hernandez's alleged accomplices. Ernest Wallace was reportedly with the former New England Patriot on the night of Lloyd's death and after the crime was committed Singleton allegedly helped Wallace escape to Florida, in addition to getting rid of her cell phone, which Wallace used to talk to Hernandez.
Investigators also contend Singleton spoke with co-conspirator Carlos Ortiz about fleeing to Puerto Rico. Singleton's criminal contempt charge resulted from her refusal to speak to a grand jury about Hernandez. She previously spent five months in jail and is now free on $15,000 bail and suffering from breast cancer.
The 24-year -old Hernandez remains jailed on first-degree murder charges. He has pleaded not guilty, though since being in prison has been hit with other charges, including an assault charge stemming from a recent jailhouse brawl.
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