Aaron Hernandez Trial Delayed By Bomb Threat At Fall River Courthouse
FALL RIVER (CBS) – The Fall River Justice Center was evacuated on Thursday due to a bomb threat.
It came during testimony in the murder trial of Aaron Hernandez just after noon.
When informed of the threat at the courthouse, Judge Susan Garsh interrupted testimony and brought the trial to a halt.
"We're going to suspend at this time for a short period. Please go with the court officers," she said.
Judge Susan Garsh goes into a nearby building with jury as officers deal w/courthouse bomb threat #HernandezTrial pic.twitter.com/PJrKBLxjtJ
— Christina Hager (@HagerWBZ) March 26, 2015
Just before 1 p.m. court employees were allowed back into the building, according to WBZ-TV's Christina Hager.
A spokesman for the Bristol County District Attorney told Hager threats were called in to Fall River and Taunton District Court around the same time.
The spokesman does not believe the threats were related to the Hernandez trial.
Testimony resumed just after 2 p.m. with the bomb threat investigation concluded.
When court was back in session, Garsh assured jurors that the incident had no impact on the case.
"There is absolutely no reason to believe that the interruption was in any way related to this case," Garsh said as the jury returned to the courtroom.
"Absolutely nothing about this interruption should be anything that you can consider when you deliberate about this case, because it had nothing whatsoever anything to do with this case."
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Doug Cope reports