WJAR Scores Only Local Interview with Hernandez Jurors

After more than two months of testimony and several days of deliberations, former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was convicted of first-degree murder in the shooting death of semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd in 2013. Lloyd was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancée. The jury also found Hernandez guilty on a weapons charge.

 

The jurors held a news conference after the verdict, however, media organizations tried to land an exclusive, extended interview with the jurors. 

 

Every station in Boston, Providence and Hartford, in addition to the major networks, and a number of national outlets covered the trial in Fall River, MA. However, WJAR-TV's Adam Bagni was the only reporter to land the highly sought after interview with the jury. 

 

"People think of NBC 10 as a 'Rhode Island' station, but we cover Southeastern Massachusetts every day.  All the jurors were from Bristol County, which is part of our coverage area, and we're in that Fall River courthouse on a regular basis.  People recognize that, and it's not something the Boston stations, or national outlets, can lay claim to." 

 

While the Boston television stations report big news stories in Southeastern Massachusetts, reporters in Providence cover the area on a day-to-day basis. 

 

Bagni said he was the only reporter in the courtroom every single day, since the first day of jury selection.  "I was the only repeater in the courtroom every single day since the first day of jury selection, so when I reached out to the jurors, they recognized and appreciated that," Bagni added. "I'm also from Bristol County (Taunton), so these people knew me as a respected local reporter, and I even had personal connections with a few of them. They knew I'd be fair - and I think that speaks volumes about the advantage of using reporters that are familiar with the area."

 

The tight knit jury made setting up the interview easy. "Thankfully, I didn't have to track down all 15 jurors individually," Bagni said. "I really only had to communicate with one or two."

 

The interview with NBC10 included 14 of the 15 jurors (three were alternates). One juror declined the interview request. CNN's Anderson Cooper also sat down for an exclusive national interview with the jury.

 

"Initially we were the only station to get the interview, but CNN convinced the group to do a national sit-down too.  That wasn't especially disappointing though, because they were the only national outlet at the trial daily, and with the national interest, I think the jury wanted to tell their story to the rest of the country as well.  I completely understand that.  If anything, it proved what a big get this was for NBC10."

 

Bagni also said he has had people tell him that his interview with the jury was stronger and more revealing than Anderson Cooper's on CNN. He credits his knowledge of the case, having been at the court proceedings since day one.

 

A source at WHDH-TV NBC 7 in Boston told New England One that the station didn't attempt to interview the Hernandez jurors following the news conference. The source also revealed that WHDH aired parts of CNN's interview, but the station didn't want an interview with the jury fearing it would reignite the controversy surrounding a photographer accused of harassing two jurors. In fact, New England One has learned that the jurors would not agree to the interview with WJAR if it would be shared with WHDH (both are NBC affiliates.) 

 

A source also told New England One that WCVB-TV ABC 5 sent a crew to the Holiday Inn in Taunton after the station found out that was the location of both NBC10 & CNN's interviews. The  jurors declined the station's request for an interview.

 

"I'm not going to lie, our crew did usher the jurors out a back door.  But that's the business - it's competitive.  And that's part of the fun.  The jurors also remained true to their word."

 

NBC10 turned the interview into a 30 minute special that aired less than 24 hours after the verdict. CNN aired its interview after NBC10. Bagni said that he is proud his station was able to pull this together, and credits the success and quick turnaround of the interview to the NBC10 crew, including producer Bryan Monaghan and editor Kyle DuBreuil. 

 

As far as how the interview itself went, Bagni said he was "really impressed with the class, dignity, and knowledge the jury showed.  Usually, these people just go their separate ways, but this group clearly became close and they took the process so seriously. I think they really gained the utmost respect of the general public."

 

Bagni also said that he thought NBC10's performance covering the trial shows that the station can "play with the big boys. "It also shows why we've been the dominant station in our market for decades," Bagni added. 

 

You can watch the NBC10 interview special here, and watch highlights of the CNN  interview here.