After Baez spoke out, the district attorney announced in a statement that it would release Hernandez's brain to the CTE Center now that his death has officially been ruled a suicide. Additionally, "there were no signs of a struggle, and investigators determined that Mr. Hernandez was alone at the time of the hanging".
Former NFL star Aaron Hernandez, who was serving life in prison for murdering Odin Lloyd in 2013, was found dead after hanging himself inside his cell.
Cardboard had been jammed into the door tracks of his single-inmate cell to impede entry, according to the statement. He was brought to UMass-Memorial Health Alliance Hospital in Leominster where he was pronounced dead about an hour later.
Local media, citing unnamed law enforcement sources, reported on Thursday that Hernandez's body was found with a reference to a Bible verse written on his forehead, perhaps in blood.
By donating Hernandez's brain, his family could be seeking to find if he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head trauma that has been found in about 100 former National Football League players.
Baez earlier on Thursday accused the state of reneging on a deal to hand Hernandez's brain over along with his body.
Hernandez's top lawyer, Jose Baez, says he has retained prominent medical examiner Dr. Michael Baden to conduct an independent autopsy. Last week, he was acquitted of the 2012 killings of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado.
Prosecutors say Dortmund bus bomber had profit, not terror, in mind
A right-wing extremist letter claiming responsibility for the attacks was sent to the press after the bombing, prosecutors say. Shares in BVB (BVB.DE) rose 1.8 percent on April 12, the day after the attack, and are up about 2 percent so far this year.
Baez said his team did not know for certain if Hernandez suffered from CTE or if it contributed to his death.
Aaron Hernandez's fiancée has filed an injunction to have any and all evidence from his death preserved on behalf of her daughter.
Also, three different notes were found in Hernandez's cell.
Furthermore, Boston's WHDH is reporting that at least one DOC officer could be facing discipline for Hernandez's suicide.
"The family and legal team is shocked and surprised at the news of Aaron's death", Baez said in a statement. "Aaron was looking forward to an opportunity for a second chance to prove his innocence", he added. Now that asphyxiation by hanging has been confirmed, the brain is being turned over to the family.
When asked if he believes CTE played a role in Hernandez's death, Baez demurred.
Comments