Shock death of former Patriots star
Fall from grace ends after body of athlete convicted of murder found in prison cell
FORMER New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez hanged himself yesterday in a prison cell where he was serving a life sentence for murder. His death ended a spectacular fall from grace for a man who signed a $40-million (R520-million) contract in 2012 with this year’s reigning Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots, after a troubled upbringing in Connecticut.
Hernandez died almost exactly two years after he was sentenced to life without parole for murdering a semi-pro football player in 2013 and five days after he was acquitted of double murder in a separate Boston killing in 2012.
The athlete’s family expressed shock and called for an immediate investigation into the circumstances.
The 27-year-old’s body was found hanging from a bed sheet at the Souza Baranowski Correctional Centre in Shirley, Massachusetts.
State police were investigating the circumstances of the death of the former National Football League star.
“There were no conversations or correspondence from Aaron to his family or legal team that would have indicated anything like this was possible,” lawyer Jose Baez, who defended Hernandez in the double-murder trial, said.
“Aaron was looking forward to an opportunity for a second chance to prove his innocence.”
Baez called on authorities to conduct a transparent and thorough investigation and promised his own examination of the death.
A prison spokesman said Hernandez had not been on a suicide watch and had not indicated that he intended to harm himself.
“Mr Hernandez hanged himself utilising a bed sheet that he attached to his cell window,” the state corrections commission said.
“Mr Hernandez also attempted to block his door from the inside by jamming the door with various items.”
Hernandez’s former agent, Brian Murphy, said on Twitter that he did not believe the athlete had killed himself.
“Absolutely no chance he took his own life,” Murphy said.
“Chico was not a saint, but my family and I loved him, and he would never take his own life.”
Hernandez’s two murder trials revealed a troubled man who often used illegal narcotics and at times believed strangers were challenging or disrespecting him.
At the trial Baez challenged the credibility of the prosecution’s star witness, suggesting that he had killed the men and pinned it on Hernandez in exchange for immunity.
Hernandez was expected to appeal against his sentence of life in prison without possibility of parole for the 2013 murder.
On Twitter, some people said the timing of his death was strange because he had just been cleared of the two killings.
Others said that he was a convicted murderer who deserved no pity.
“He was such a good NFL player. Imagine what Aaron Hernandez could have been. RIP,” one fan tweeted.
There was no immediate comment from the Patriots, who were to meet President Donald Trump at the White House late yesterday as the reigning champions of the premier American football championship.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who has enraged some fans for apparently being friends with Trump, has said he would not attend.
He attributed his absence to family matters.