Convicted Killer Aaron Hernandez’s Lawyer Calls For Investigation After Former Patriots Star And Bristol Native Dies In Prison

April 19--Aaron Hernandez' lawyer is calling for an investigation after the former Bristol resident and New England Patriots star who was convicted of murder in 2015 died in prison. Hernandez apparently hanged himself in his jail cell early Wednesday, according to prison officials.

Hernandez, who was serving a life sentence for a 2013 murder, was acquitted Friday in a 2012 double slaying prosecutors said was fueled by his anger over a drink spilled at a nightclub.

"The family and legal team is shocked and surprised at the news of Aaron's death," Attorney Jose Baez said in a statement. "There were no conversations or correspondences from Aaron to his family or legal team that would have indicated anything like this was possible."

"Those who love and care about him are heartbroken and determined to find the truth surrounding his untimely death. We request that authorities conduct a transparent and thorough investigation," Baez said.

Baez said his law firm will conduct its own examination of Hernandez' death.

Sports agent Brian Murphy, who represented Hernandez, tweeted Wednesday morning: "Absolutely no chance he took his own life. Chico was not a saint, but my family and I loved him and he would never take his own life."

Bristol Mayor Ken Cockayne called the whole Hernandez story a tragedy.

"My heart goes out to all the victims," Cockayne said.

"This is somebody who could have changed so many kids' lives. Instead he shows them what not to do if you make it," Cockayne said. "It's too bad that somebody who made it where so many people dream to go took the turn to this."

At the Lake Avenue home owned by Hernandez's uncle, several people stood talking with each other in the backyard Wednesday morning. None would talk with the press.

"It's too soon ... respect their privacy," said one burly man who'd just been consoling a woman in the yard. He drove away moments later.

"We don't have anything to say now," the woman said.

The Super Bowl champion Patriots are scheduled to visit the White House Wednesday. Quarterback Tom Brady announced Wednesday morning he would not be attending the White House event, citing "some personal family matters."

"We are aware of the reports, but I don't anticipate that we will be commenting today," said Stacey James, a Patriots spokesman, of Hernandez's death.

The 27-year-old was found by corrections officers at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, Mass., shortly after 3 a.m. Wednesday, the state Department of Corrections said. The guards attempted lifesaving techniques, and sent him to UMass Memorial -- HealthAlliance Hospital in Leominster, Mass. He was pronounced dead at 4:07 a.m.

Hernandez had been in a single cell in a general population housing unit, the corrections department said. He used a bedsheet that he attached to his cell window.

He also tried to block the entrance to the cell by jamming the door with various items, a corrections statement said.

A prison spokesman said he was not aware of any suicide note. Christopher Fallon, assistant deputy commissioner of communications, also said officials had no indications that Hernandez was planning on taking his own life. Had there been concern about his well-being, he would have been transferred to a mental health unit, he said.

The Massachusetts State Police are on the scene and are investigating.

Hernandez's next of kin have been notified. Bristol police said early Wednesday that they had not been asked to assist with death notifications.

Hernandez had been serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for his conviction in the 2013 shooting of Odin Lloyd, a semi-professional football player who was dating his fiancee's sister. He was found guilty of first-degree murder in April 2015.

His death could result in that conviction being vacated. Under Massachusetts law, a conviction can be vacated if the defendant dies while the conviction is under appeal. Hernandez's attorneys would have to file a motion to have it vacated with the Massachusetts Appeals Court. His lawyers were appealing his conviction in the Lloyd murder.

The law has been used previously in high profile cases.

In 2003, former priest John Geoghan was murdered in prison and the court vacated his conviction for indecent assault and battery. They also ordered the original indictment in the case dismissed. Geoghan was accused of molesting as many as 150 boys while he was a priest. He was serving a sentence for groping a 10-year-old boy when he was killed in his cell.

John Salvi, convicted of murdering two abortion clinic workers in a 1994 shooting rampage, killed himself in 1996 and his conviction was vacated in early 1997.

After the Salvi case, Massachusetts legislators tried to change the law but the bill wasn't passed.

Hernandez was acquitted on Friday of the 2012 fatal shootings of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado in Boston, whom prosecutors contended were gunned down after one of the men accidentally spilled a drink on Hernandez in a Boston nightclub.

Hernandez wept quietly after the not guilty verdict was announced in a Boston courtroom. He looked back at his fiancee and nodded somberly as relatives of the victims sobbed loudly.

Aaron Hernandez grew up in Bristol and graduated from Bristol Central High School in 2007. In December 2005, he was named The Courant's high school defensive player of the year after playing his junior year as both a defensive end and tight end. He was The Courant's offensive player of the year in 2006.

Paul Philippon, Bristol Eastern's coach 2004-08 and in 2015, coached against rival Bristol Central, featuring Hernandez, in the city's traditional Thanksgiving Day game at Muzzy Field. Philippon said Hernandez was an exceptional player. Hernandez owns Connecticut high school records for receiving yards in a season (376 in 2005), game (376 against Newington in '05) and career (3,677).

"When you see a superior athlete, they just move differently," Philippon said. "Aaron had a way of running that was effortless. He would just separate from you. He also seemed to feel when the hits were coming from."

In the summer of 2005, with two years left in his high school football career, he gave an oral commitment to UConn football coach Randy Edsall. But he decided to go instead to play football at the University of Florida, where he was a first-team All American. He played football for Florida during the 2007-2009 seasons.

Hernandez' father, Dennis -- who played football at UConn in the 1970s -- died at age 49 in 2005 from complications of hernia surgery, a shocking and sad development in the lives of both Aaron and his brother D.J., who played at UConn and is now football coach at Ledyard High.

As a freshman in 2007, Hernandez appeared in 13 games for Florida and had nine receptions for 151 yards and two touchdowns. As a sophomore, he started 11 of 13 games and had 34 receptions for 381 yards and five TDs. In the BCS championship game against Oklahoma, Hernandez led Florida with 57 yards on five receptions as the Gators won.

As a junior, Hernandez won the John Mackey Award as the nation's best tight end after leading the Gators in receptions with 68 for 850 yards and five TDs. He was first-team All-Southeastern Conference and was recognized as a first-team All-American by the Associated Press, College Football News and The Sporting News. Hernandez finished his college career with 111 receptions for 1,382 yards and 12 TDs.

Miami Dolphins center Mike Pouncey, a teammate at Florida, posted a picture of Hernandez on Instagram with a message: "To my friend my brother! Through thick and thin right or wrong we never left each other's side. Today my heart hurts as I got the worse news I could have imagined. It was just a day ago we shared our last convo. I will forever miss you and love you bro. we will meet again rest easy!"

Hernandez gave up his senior season to enter the NFL draft, where he was taken by the Patriots in the fourth round in 2010. He was projected to be a first or second round draft pick, but his stock dropped because of failed drug tests for marijuana while at Florida.

He played with the Patriots for three seasons, including the Super Bowl after the 2011 season. In the three seasons, Hernandez caught 175 passes for 1,956 yards and 18 touchdowns.

He was released by the Patriots in June 2013 -- immediately after his arrest for Lloyd's murder.

"I think it's sad and tragic," Philippon said. "I remember a high school kid who played really hard. That's what I remember. Again I think when you spend your life teaching high school kids, and then they go on and god knows why someone goes down a certain path or what happens in someone's life that redirects them or sends them in a wrong direction. I don't know any of that. I don't think any of us do."

An Associated Press report was included in this report. Courant staff writers Don Stacom, Desmond Conner, Tom Yantz, Jeff Otterbein and Dave Altimari also contributed.

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