Aaron Hernandez Murder Trial Continues
COSTELLO: As I told you before, the confirmation hearings have begun for Ashton Carter, who may or may not become the next Secretary of Defense for the United States. And you can see, this is Senator Joe Lieberman. And you might be asking, hmm, did he not retire from public service? Well, he's back at these confirmation hearings to introduce Ashton Carter because the two are besties. He's a family friend. And of course he's doing a little more than introducing Mr. Carter, but we'll keep you posted from the important things that are being said at this hearing. In other news this morning, we're expecting another tense day at the Aaron Hernandez murder trial. Day four picking up where Tuesday left off, testimony from the victim's girlfriend. The defense's cross- examination of Shaneah Jenkins begin just moments ago. Shaneah Jenkins broke down on Tuesday, later describing the moment Hernandez consoles her.</s>SHANEAH JENKINS, ODIN LLOYD'S GIRLFRIEND: Came into the dining room, asked me if I was OK. Put his hand on my shoulder, kind of rubbed my shoulder and told me he had been through this death thing before. It will get better with time.</s>COSTELLO: That testimony starting late after high drama, Hernandez losing a possible ally when one juror got the boot. It was very strange. Let's talk about that. Criminal defense attorney and HLN legal analyst Joey Jackson is here. Good morning.</s>JOEY JACKSON, HLN LEGAL ANALYST: Good morning, Carol.</s>COSTELLO: So I'm wondering how this juror got admitted to the jury in the first place.</s>JACKSON: It's a wonderful question. And what's interesting is -- high profile case, major resources by Aaron Hernandez, a defense team of multiple lawyers, very skilled, very thoughtful, very good at what they do, and it goes to show how difficult the voir dire, that is, the jury selection process really is. Because the jurors just tell you what you want to hear or do they tell you like it is? And apparently in this case it was a telling of the juror what they wanted to hear.</s>COSTELLO: So to me, this juror sounds like a big fan of Aaron Hernandez and she was eager to serve on the jury and she was all for him.</s>JACKSON: That's right. And we call these the stealth jurors, OK? And apparently she had been speaking about the case very early on when it happened and really knew things a juror shouldn't know or the judge admonishes them and says don't pay attention to evidence that's excluded like the two double homicides, or the double homicide that he's accused of, like the murder weapon that wasn't found, and a number of things this juror had access to and information on. In addition to, on the questionnaire, she says I don't really go to Patriots games that often. Comes to find out she's a real big Patriots fan and certainly does go. And so the end result, though --</s>COSTELLO: And she was wearing a Hernandez jersey under -- no, I'm just kidding.</s>JACKSON: And pretty much this juror was saying how difficult it would be to convict in the absence of the weapon. But the end result is they did find out who the juror was. They had a 90-minute hearing, Carol, to determine exactly what she did know. And the fact is they excluded her. That's why you have alternate jurors. This he had six. Now there are five alternates left.</s>COSTELLO: So if you don't answer truthfully on the questionnaire, do you get in any sort of trouble?</s>JACKSON: Of course it's at the option of the prosecution to go after you for perjury. It could send a deterrent effect to other jurors to be forthcoming and honest, but generally it does not happen. You want to encourage people to participate in the process. You don't want to chill their participation. So usually they will not go after a juror for perjurying themselves.</s>COSTELLO: So let's dive into a little bit of the testimony, right? So the victim's girlfriend is on the stand, very emotional. She says Aaron Hernandez, the suspect in this case, came to comfort her after Odin Lloyd's death. That's chilling.</s>JACKSON: Well, this is a big witness. If you remember, the defense is playing up the issue of no motive. This guy, Aaron Hernandez, has everything -- $40 million, a new baby. Why would he do this to his friend, to his friend, to his friend? Well, guess what, Carol? This witness, Shaneah, is saying they weren't so friendly after all. So that's something the defense is going to have to rebut on cross examination, this playing up of why would he do it to a friend when the fiancee is saying, or Odin Lloyd's girlfriend is saying they're not so friendly. In addition to that, what's missing here? A murder weapon is missing. But guess what Shaneah says? She says that my sister, Aaron Hernandez's fiancee, received all of these phone calls and text messages, was acting suspicious. Leaves the house, asks to borrow my car, and takes something in a bag out of the house. What's the inference? It's the gun. Compelling testimony.</s>COSTELLO: Compelling testimony. And it will continue probably throughout the afternoon. Joey Jackson, thanks so much. Appreciate it.</s>JACKSON: Pleasure, Carol, always.</s>COSTELLO: Still to come in the NEWSROOM, how is this for pain at the pump? Oil at 200 bucks a barrel? Oh come on, Christine Romans.</s>CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I can tell you, Carol, that overnight you're paying five cents more a gallon for gas. I'll tell you if all of those good days of low gas prices are over right after the break.