Prosecution Wants New Judge In Aaron Hernandez Case

Former New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez took the stand in Fall River Superior Court today. The pre-trial hearing was initially scheduled to talk about whether or not a formal gag order should be placed on the lawyers in the case talking to the media. That motion was denied by the judge.

The hearing took an interesting turn when, without giving any specific reason, the prosecution requested that the Superior Court judge step down from the case. The Fall River Herald is reporting, however, that back in 2010, the judge

presided over a murder trial in New Bedford where she clashed with Assistant District Attorney William McCauley who is now a lead prosecutor in the Hernandez case. After the trial, McCauley criticized (the judge), telling the Standard-Times of New Bedford that (she) had been "antagonistic" toward the prosecution because of several rulings during the three-week trial that McCauley felt favored defendant.

The judge said that today was not the appropriate forum to talk about the possibility of her stepping down, and set a date of October 21st to hear the recusal motion.