Prosecutors in the Aaron Hernandez case are set to soon appear before Suffolk County's highest court, requesting that justices order him to surrender a cellphone believed to contain key evidence in his upcoming double murder trial.

The 26-year-old former NFL star faces two counts of murder and various weapons charges in connection with the July 2012 drive-by slayings of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado outside a downtown Boston nightclub.

Authorities have openly speculated the onetime New England Patriots star shot the two men after one of them accidentally spilled a drug on him inside the club earlier that night and failed to apologize.

Hernandez has also since been charged with witness intimidation for allegedly shooting Alexander Bradley in Florida in February 2013, because he feared he might implicate him in the crime.

Prosecutors Believe Phone has Pertinent Information

As for the phone, prosecutors are convinced it contains evidence related to the Bradley shooting. The phone formerly belonged to Hernandez and is currently in the possession of Rankin and Sultan, the Boston law firm now representing him.

That team of attorneys has countered prosecutor's overtures by arguing that the phone is privileged and prosecutors are barred from obtaining it "due to the combined effect of Hernandez's right against self-incrimination."

Court records indicate Hernandez and Bradley communicated via phone on several occasions after the shooting, during which time Hernandez acknowledged "rocking" Bradley.

Rankin and Sultan gained custody of the phone weeks ago from another firm that previously represented Hernandez.

Hernandez Already Serving Life Sentence

Hernandez is already serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the June 2013 slaying of Odin L. Lloyd, 27, whom authorities also speculated may have been killed because of his knowledge of other crimes Hernandez is suspected of having been involved in.

He is appealing his conviction in that case, and separate arguments will be heard before the SJC at a later date. Currently, Hernandez is being held at the Souza-Baranowski maximum security prison.

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