Aaron Hernandez: Massachusetts: Bulletin; "Ex-Patriots star kills self in prison, officials say," CNN reports..."Hernandez was found not guilty Friday of two counts of murder in that case, though he was convicted of illegal possession of a firearm. Hernandez was visibly emotional when Friday's verdicts were read, embracing his attorneys with tears in his eyes. "You could tell that he was relieved as well," Ronald Sullivan Jr., his defense attorney, said after the verdict. "He was charged for something somebody else did, and that is a weighty burden for anyone to shoulder." With the acquittal, Hernandez's attorneys had turned their attention toward appealing for a new trial in the Lloyd case. As recently as Tuesday, attorney Jose Baez said he was optimistic about getting that case overturned. "Knowing what I know about Aaron, and knowing Aaron, there's a good chance that perhaps we can get that reversed," Baez told CNN." Jason Hanna, Tony Marco and Eric Levenson; April 19, 2017; (I was following the double murder case on which Hernandez was acquitted last week because of the ballistics issues raised by the defence. HL)

"Convicted murderer and former NFL star Aaron Hernandez was found hanged in his Massachusetts prison cell Wednesday morning, officials said, just days after his acquittal in a double murder case........ Hernandez, who was alone in his cell in a general population wing, hanged himself and had "attempted to block his door from the inside by jamming the door with various items," the statement reads. The Massachusetts State Police are investigating his death.........Hernandez was serving a life sentence after being convicted of first-degree murder in the 2013 killing of Odin Lloyd, a semipro football player who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancée.........He was found guilty in April 2015 and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.........In May 2014, prosecutors charged Hernandez with two murder counts in the July 2012 deaths of Safiro Furtado and Daniel de Abreu, two men who were killed in a drive-by shooting outside a Boston nightclub. Hernandez was found not guilty Friday of two counts of murder in that case, though he was convicted of illegal possession of a firearm. Hernandez was visibly emotional when Friday's verdicts were read, embracing his attorneys with tears in his eyes. "You could tell that he was relieved as well," Ronald Sullivan Jr., his defense attorney, said after the verdict. "He was charged for something somebody else did, and that is a weighty burden for anyone to shoulder." With the acquittal, Hernandez's attorneys had turned their attention toward appealing for a new trial in the Lloyd case. As recently as Tuesday, attorney Jose Baez said he was optimistic about getting that case overturned. "Knowing what I know about Aaron, and knowing Aaron, there's a good chance that perhaps we can get that reversed," Baez told CNN."

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith. Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com. Harold Levy; Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog;