The death of former Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was ruled a suicide only one day after it happened. A major international publication now claims that Hernandez had intended to take his own life for an extended period of time.
According to the Daily Mail, “Hernandez was planning his suicide for weeks.” Per the report, Hernandez had given “most of his personal belongings to fellow inmates and covered the floor of his cell in soap,” so that he wouldn’t be able to save himself if he decided to abort the hanging.
Also, three different notes were found in Hernandez’s cell. (It had previously been reported that there was no note.)
These facts make it even more reasonable to ask questions regarding whether the authorities at the prison knew or should have known that Hernandez was suicidal. As mentioned Wednesday, the suicide rate for prisoners in Massachusetts was nearly double the national average for the period of 2001 through 2012. The situation prompted the Massachusetts Legislature to commission a study earlier this year aimed at better preventing inmate suicides.
