Hip-hop artist, Snoop Dogg, is standing behind embattled former New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez despite the fact the tight end is facing life without parole if found guilty of the death of Odin Lloyd.
Snoop, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, posted a photo of Hernandez and himself on Instagram, writing "Keep ya head up !! We prayn 4 ya."
Snoop's empathy may stem from his own personal experience, having been acquitted of first degree and second degree murder in 1996, after a jury could not reach a verdict as to whether Snoop and his bodyguard committed the voluntary manslaughter of Philip Woldemariam.
Hernandez's entire world has changed - going from clubbing with the Doggystyle artist to fighting for the right to bail, after being charged with the first-degree murder Lloyd, a Hernandez acquaintance whose body was found in an industrial park about a mile from the former Patriots' home. Hernandez also faces five gun charges and is looking at life without parole, if convicted.
Police are also looking into Hernandez's involvement in a 2012 double homicide in the Boston's South End neighborhood. The Boston Globe reports that authorities believe that Lloyd may have been murdered because he had information about Hernandez's connection to the double homicide.
The New England Patriots released Hernandez, removing all merchandise bearing his name and likeness. The NFL took down his stats from its website as well as offered fans the opportunity to exchange his jersey for another player's for free.