May 15--A judge has dismissed a perjury charge against the fiancee of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez.
Citing her testimony during Hernandez's trial, prosecutors in Fall River, Mass., asked a judge to dismiss the charge against Shayanna Jenkins in a filing Thursday. Superior Court Judge Susan Garsh agreed to the request Friday during a hearing that lasted only minutes.
Jenkins pleaded not guilty to perjury in October 2013 after prosecutors claimed she lied dozens of times to a grand jury investigating the death of Odin Lloyd, who was dating her sister.
Hernandez was convicted April 15 of murdering Lloyd and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. His lawyers filed an appeal last week, stating "no reasonable jury" should have found him guilty of first-degree murder.
Jenkins told reporters outside the courtroom Friday she was "happy to start my future with my daughter and move forward." Jenkins didn't say if she was still in a relationship with Hernandez, saying only "Eh" when asked if they were still together.
Greg Miliote, a spokesman for the district attorney's office, said Jenkins' truthful testimony persuaded prosecutors to move to drop the charge.
"As a result of her more truthful testimony at trial, we could not in good faith continue the prosecution in this case," he said.
Jenkins' lawyer, Janice Bassil, said her client made "an honest mistake" as a result of being asked 1,630 questions over two days of testimony to a grand jury. Bassil said Jenkins didn't willfully lie.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
