Watch “Downward Spiral: Inside the Case Against Aaron Hernandez” on Tuesday, June 24, at 9 p.m. ET on CNN.
Story highlights
The New England Patriots are being sued along with Aaron Hernandez
The families of two slain men want to prevent payments to Hernandez
Aaron Hernandez has pleaded not guilty to three murder charges
The families of two men who were fatally shot are suing the New England Patriots and its owners to prevent the football team from paying former player Aaron Hernandez, who has been charged in their slayings.
The NFL team and its owner’s company, Kraft Enterprises, have been named as co-defendants in a $6 million civil wrongful death lawsuit along with Hernandez.
The attorney for the families is asking the court to prohibit the Patriots and its owners from paying Hernandez $3.25 million and other funds that may become due to Hernandez, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder charges.
The National Football League Players Association has filed a grievance on behalf of the former tight end after the team failed to pay him the multimillion-dollar sum, which was due in March, the lawsuit says.
The wrongful death lawsuit was originally filed in February on behalf of the families of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado, according to court papers.
The lawsuit alleges that the victims’ families have sustained both fiscal and emotional damages.
Prosecutors say that in July 2012, Hernandez fatally shot de Abreu and Furtado in their car after de Abreu accidentally bumped into Hernandez and spilled his drink at a nightclub earlier in the evening.
“We are seeking to have the families who have been victimized by these deaths have some assets set aside that they may be somehow compensated,” according to a written statement from William Kennedy, the families’ attorney. “The two young men in our case both supported their mothers with their modest earnings. That support and emotional attachment has been lost forever.
“Our information is that Hernandez has received over $11M in compensation in the 3 years as a Patriot,” Kennedy added. “Part of his funds and assets should be set aside for the victims of his crime. The victims should be compensated.”
CNN has reached out to the Patriots and Kraft Enterprises but has not yet received a response.
Hernandez was charged with murder in the deaths of de Abreu and Furtado in May.
He was dropped by the New England Patriots in June 2013 after being charged with first-degree murder in the death of semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd.
He has since been incarcerated and has pleaded not guilty to all three murder charges.
CNN’s Susan Candiotti, Haimy Assefa and Chris Boyette contributed to this report.
