Exploiting Hernandez

The short, wasted and ultimately tragic life of Aaron Hernandez is over, but not apparently his value to those who would shamelessly use his death to promote themselves or their own causes.

That the former football player was found hanged in his prison cell on the day his former teammates were to visit the White House perhaps gives us one small insight into his troubled mind.

But while the medical examiner and State Police investigators do their jobs, let the exploitation and the political pandering proceed apace.

Hernandez’ most recent trial lawyer, who won the former tight end an acquittal of two murder charges last week, says he will conduct his own investigation. They don’t call Jose Baez a “highprofile” attorney for nothing.

Then there’s state Sen. Jamie Eldridge, whose district includes Shirley, home to the Souza-Baranowski prison, who actually went to the prison gates to hold a news conference yesterday to demand a legislative oversight hearing into Hernandez’ death.

“I have no idea whether it’s suicide or murder, I can only just say that there certainly have been other suicides in this prison, like every other prison,” Eldridge told reporters. “I think we’ve reached a crisis. It needs to be addressed.”

State Rep. Russell Holmes (D-Boston) used the opportunity to rail against solitary confinement. And while Hernandez was in a single cell at the time of his death (he was found around 3 a.m.), he was in the prison’s general population unit — not an isolation unit.

“There need to be regular checks, not just for Aaron Hernandez but for everyone in solitary,” Holmes insisted.

There are, in fact, hourly checks, but never let the facts get in the way of a good rant, hey, Rep. Holmes?

The death of Aaron Hernandez is sad, but its exploitation is utterly shameful.