There are many questions surrounding the unexpected death of Aaron Hernandez, and most of them will likely go unanswered. One of those questions involves whether or not Hernandez was affiliated with a gang while in prison, and it’s one that has come up many times since he was taken into custody for the murder of Odin Lloyd.
While it’s unclear if Hernandez belonged to a gang at the maximum security prison he was being held at in Shirley, Mass., one source told the Boston Globe that the former New England Patriot was “insecure” and stayed close to gang members.
A person with direct knowledge who spoke on condition of anonymity said that while many observers of Hernandez’s recent trial remarked on his stoic demeanor, within prison walls he was insecure and clung to gang members for approval.
He was not aloof with other inmates, this person said. Instead, he appeared eager to be “one of the boys.” He often sat and laughed or played basketball with gang members.
The same source told the Globe that Hernandez was placed on suicide watch after he was convicted in 2015 of killing Lloyd, but he must have been taken off at some point. Prison officials said Wednesday that Hernandez had given no indication he intended to harm himself.
Jail officials inspected Hernandez for tattoos that would indicate he was affiliated with gangs as soon as he was sentenced, but they didn’t find anything. However, the 27-year-old later got a tattoo that seemed to indicate he was associated with the Bloods.
Hernandez’s attorney insists his client would not take his own life, and he is launching an investigation to look into the death further.
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