Aaron Hernandez’s attorney is questioning whether or not the former NFL star committed suicide or was murdered after prison officials said he was found hanging in his cell earlier this morning.
Attorney Jose Baez said Hernandez not only showed no signs of being suicidal, but was optimistic about winning an upcoming appeal for the 2015 murder conviction of Odin Lloyd in Bristol County, Massachusetts
Baez also defended Hernandez on double murder charges last week for the 2012 killings of Danel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado outside of a Boston nightclub, which largely relied on testimony from Alexander Bradley, a witness who received immunity with a seedy past.
Hernandez was found not guilty in that trial, but was forced to return to his cell at Shirley Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, Massachusetts where he was serving a life sentence for the previous conviction, which he was appealing.
“If those appeals are exhausted, he will spend the rest of his natural life behind bars, so that does give the families, and frankly our office, some consolation,” Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley said Friday after Hernandez’s not guilty verdict.
Jose Baez In Court With Former Client Casey Anthony.
But Baez says Hernandez was looking forward to his day in court for another chance to prove his innocence.
“Aaron was looking forward to an opportunity for a second chance to prove his innocence,” Baez said today. “There were no conversations or correspondence from Aaron to his family or legal team that would have indicated anything like this was possible.”
Beaz publicly pressured authorities to “conduct and transparent and thorough investigation and promised to investigate Hernandez’s death himself.
Baez isn’t the only one who believes something went afoul.
Brian Murphy, Hernandez’s former agent Tweeted he didn’t believe his former client killed himself.
“Chico was no saint, but my family and I love him, and he would never take his own life,” Murphy said.
“Absolutely no chance he took his own life.”
Aaron Hernandez, Former NFL Player (TE) For The New England Patriots
While slim, attorneys concede Hernandez did at least have a chance, although “not very high,” to appeal his case to a higher court.
“He’s going to be hanging onto the hope and prayer that someday his other case will be overturned,” Boston attorney Phillip A Tracy Jr. said Friday after Hernandez’s not guilty verdict.
But Jose Baez, who stated just last week in an interview with TMZ sports Herandez was in a good place and optimistic his murder conviction would be overturned, remains doubtful.
“We request that authorities conduct a transparent and thorough investigation. The Baez law firm will participate in its own examination into the tragic events and will update the media and public on its finding when it becomes available.”
Hernandez was serving a life sentence for murder.
He did not leave a suicide note.
Baez believes Hernandez’s death could actually be a murder and vows to launch a thorough investigation.
You can see his video with TMZ sports talking about Hernandez’s appeal below.
