Updated

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick broke his silence for the first time since Aaron Hernandez's arrest last month.

Belichick made a lengthy statement during Wednesday's press conference about the situation involving Hernandez. The former Patriots tight end has pleaded not guilty to a first-degree murder charge in the death of Odin Lloyd.

"I'm personally disappointed and hurt in a situation like this," said Belichick, who offered sympathy to the family of the victim, and called it "a sad day on so many levels."

The veteran coach described the process of selecting players is "far from perfect" and vowed that the organization will "learn from this terrible experience."

Belichick said that it's time for the club to move on. "Moving forward consists of what it's always been here: to build a winning football team, to be a strong pillar in the community, be a team that our fans can be proud of. That's what we're here for," he declared.

Once through the statement, Belichick stonewalled any questions related to Hernandez.