Wallace Waives Extradition In Aaron Hernandez Case
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – Ernest Wallace, the third person alleged to be involved in the murder case surrounding former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, waived his right to an extradition hearing Monday and should be on his way to Massachusetts in the next few days.
"He decided to expeditiously get up to Massachusetts to face arraignment," said Wallace's attorney Jeffrey Neiman.
"Is he going to plead not guilty?" asked reporters outside the hearing.
"No comment," Neiman replied.
Wallace, 41, was denied bond during a hearing Saturday morning in Broward County. He faces a charge in Massachusetts of accessory after the fact to murder and allowing an unauthorized person to drive.
Wallace was the third person arrested in the murder case of semi-professional football player Odin Lloyd in North Attleborough, Massachusetts earlier this month. Carlos Ortiz was arrested in the case and later transferred to Massachusetts to face a gun charge.
All three men have ties to Bristol, Conn.: Hernandez grew up there, Ortiz had been living there and authorities had conflicting addresses for Wallace there and in Miramar. Hernandez pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and was denied bail Thursday. Ortiz also was being held without bail pending a court hearing on July 9.
Wallace lived in South Florida before 2003 and most of his family still lives in the area today.
Hernandez remains in a Massachusetts jail being denied bail twice since being arrested. It's possible he will remain in jail until his trial which could take more than a year to finally get into court.
The current case started back on June 16, when prosecutors said Hernandez texted two friends asking them to come from Massachusetts to Connecticut in a hurry. Prosecutors said Hernandez then texted Lloyd telling him he wanted to get together.
Prosecutors said the three men picked up Lloyd around 2:30 a.m. June 17 and drove him to an industrial park near Hernandez's home and shot him five times. The state has not said who fired the shots.
Since Hernandez's arrest, an investigation has also heated up looking at Hernandez and a double-murder from 2012. The drive-by shooting last year may have had something to do with Lloyd's murder this year, according to the Boston Globe. The Globe reported that Lloyd may have had information about Hernandez's involvement in the 2012 double-murder and that he was possibly ready to implicate Hernandez.
Hernandez also has had a civil suit filed against him in South Florida. The civil suit alleges Hernandez shot a man through the eye after an argument at a Tootsie's strip club. No criminal charges were filed in the alleged strip club shooting.
Hernandez could face life in prison if convicted.
