RIVER FALLS, Mass. _ A judge Tuesday vacated Aaron Hernandez's conviction for the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd because the former New England Patriots star from died while his appeal was pending.
It is unclear if the decision will have implications for the pending civil lawsuit against Hernandez's estate filed by Lloyd's mother. Her lawyer has said he did not believe a vacated murder conviction would affect the civil case.
The legal principle that reversed Hernandez's conviction posthumously is known as "abatement ab initio" _ a Latin phrase meaning "from the beginning" _ and dates to when Massachusetts was a British colony.
The abatement doctrine states that it is discriminatory to a defendant or survivors to allow a conviction to stand before they have a chance to fully appeal it. Hernandez hanged himself in a Massachusetts prison last month.
The prosecutor said Massachusetts would appeal the ruling.
"Aaron Hernandez did consciously and voluntarily take his own life. He died a guilty man and a convicted murderer," said Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn. "You can't just snap your fingers and say he wasn't convicted, and an antiquated, medieval doctrine shouldn't change that."
Lloyd's mother, Ursula Ward, attended the hearing.
"I know you are looking for me to be angry but I am not. In our book he is guilty and will always be guilty," Ward said as she fought back tears during a brief news conference outside the courthouse. "No one wins today. One day I will get to see my son and that is the victory I am going to take with me."
Judge E. Susan Garsh ruled abatement doctrine is well established in Massachusetts and other states. She said it has been practiced for more than a century.
She said the Commonwealth of Massachusetts was incorrect that the U.S. Supreme Court had rejected the doctrine.
Garsh mentioned that the Commonwealth argued Hernandez's intention when he killed himself was to abandon his right to appeal. But she rejected that position, saying the cases the Commonwealth used to argue the point were not relevant to this case.
She said it is unclear why Hernandez killed himself and that a recently released corrections department report provides no clear evidence of his motive. The Commonwealth had pointed to part of a correction department report that said inmates had heard Hernandez talk about the abatement doctrine.
Garsh said that there were inmates who also told investigators Hernandez had become spiritual and a religious motive can't be dismissed. She also brought up rumors that he was gay as possible motive for suicide.
Earlier, lawyer John Thompson told Garsh the prosecution had presented no evidence that would require the conviction to stand.
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