Aaron Hernandez |Gets New Legal Team

BOSTON (CN) - Former Patriots Tight End Aaron Hernandez has a new legal team in his fight against double homicide charges following his 2015 conviction for a previous murder.

Hernandez was found guilty, April 15, 2015, of the first-degree murder of Odin Lloyd. Hernandez was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Now, the former NFL star is facing additional charges for the murder of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado in Boston's South End neighborhood.

Although the Suffolk District Attorney's office is prosecuting the case, the most recent hearing took place in Plymouth County Court where the case's assigned trial judge, Jeffrey Locke, is currently seated.

The hearing, held Thursday, July 21, featured the first appearance of Hernandez's new legal team, led by Casey Anthony's former attorney, Jose Baez.

"I can now confirm that my firm has been retained to represent Mr. Aaron Hernandez in his upcoming trial," wrote Baez in a released statement. "Mr. Hernandez strongly maintains his innocence, and I plan to establish that before a jury of his peers."

Baez famously defended Casey Anthony when she was accused of being responsible for the death of her two-year old daughter. Anthony was eventually found not-guilty for aggravated manslaughter.

In his statement Baez revealed that he will be joined by Harvard Law Professor and criminal law expert Ronald Sullivan Jr., criminal defense attorney and trial expert Alex Spiro and forensic science expert Linda Kenny Baden.

"I have fully committed myself to ensuring a fair and just trial for Mr. Hernandez," wrote Baez. "We understand that numerous reports of our client's alleged activity have been published, but we ask the public to afford Mr. Hernandez the presumption of innocence and let the facts unfold in a court of law."

Hernandez is scheduled to return to Suffolk Superior Court on August 16.

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