Aaron Hernandez gets big win in murder case

England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez won a potentially significant legal victory Tuesday when a judge barred prosecutors from using evidence taken from two cell phones and three tablet computers that had been seized from the player’s home in the early days of a 2013 murder investigation.

It’s not clear what evidence may have been on the devices – or whether prosecutors had planned to use any of it when Hernandez goes on trial in January in the June 17, 2013, killing of Odin Lloyd, who was gunned down in a secluded field less than a mile from the former football star’s home in North Attleboro, Mass.

Two associates of Hernandez’s have also been charged with murder in Lloyd’s death. And though prosecutors have alleged that Hernandez “orchestrated” the killing of Lloyd – they have yet to reveal who they believe fired the fatal shots.

Hernandez, who has been held without bail for 14 months – and faces separate charges in a 2012 double killing in South Boston – is scheduled to go on trial Jan. 9 on murder and weapons charges in the Lloyd case.