Aaron Hernandez lawyers up in Florida civil lawsuit

Story Originally Appeared in USA TODAY

Aaron Hernandez has hired Shutts and Bowen, Florida's oldest law firm, to represent him in the civil lawsuit brought against him by Alexander Bradley, a Connecticut man who says Hernandez shot him in the eye during an argument in Miami in February.

Stephen Gillman, the attorney who is handling the case for Hernandez, according to documents filed on Thursday, was not immediately available for comment, but David Jaroslawicz, Bradley's New York-based attorney, said Tuesday that Hernandez has been given an extension until Sept. 3 to respond to the lawsuit.

While Hernandez once again has chosen a high-powered firm to represent him, Gillman seems a curious choice, given his biography on the firm's website, which says he specializes in "antitrust and fraud cases for the federal government," focusing on "antitrust, banking and securities litigation."

According to its website, Shutts & Bowen has offices in Miami, West Palm Beach, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Tallahassee. The website also says that 63 of its attorneys were recognized in June as Super Lawyers.

In his lawsuit, which seeks damages of more than $100,000, Alexander says Hernandez shot him as they drove away from Tootise's, a Miami strip club.

According to Bradley's complaint, he lost his right eye and has had multiple surgeries to reconstruct the area of his face around the eye. The complaint also indicates Bradley will have to have future procedures on his face and arm, which he said were hit by the bullet as well.

"We don't know whether (the gun shot) was accidental or deliberate," Jaroslawicz told USA TODAY Sports. "If we get to take Mr. Hernandez's testimony, perhaps he will tell us he accidentally pulled the trigger or maybe he did it on purpose."

When asked Tuesday how his client is, Jaroslawicz said, "He's OK, feeling lucky to be alive."

Bradley was found alone and bleeding from the face and arm in a Riviera Beach, Fla., industrial park, about an hour north of the strip club, police said. But when questioned at a hospital while he was being treated, Bradley was uncooperative and told them he didn't know who shot him, investigators said.

Eventually, Bradley said it was two unknown men, black and Hispanic, then asked for the investigation to be dropped, police said.

Last week, by order of a Superior Court judge, Bradley testified before a Fall River, Mass., grand jury investigating Hernandez on the alleged murder of Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semipro football player and Hernandez's friend. Bradley spent more than seven hours in the courthouse before ducking out a back entrance and leaving without comment.

When reached by USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday, Robert Pickering, a Connecticut-based attorney who represented Bradley in that appearance, said, "What testimony? You know a grand jury is secret, so I have nothing to say."

The court appearance was the second in two days for Bradley, who was in a Quincy, Mass., court to plead not guilty to DUI. Police said Bradley was driving in excess of 100 mph in January when he was stopped. Hernandez, a passenger at the time, tried to name-drop to get Bradley off the hook, police said.

"Trooper, I'm Aaron Hernandez. It's OK," police said Hernandez told them.

It didn't work. Bradley is due back in court Sept. 20.