I was shocked to read this. Right after acquittal in his second trial, with appeals of the first trial pending, I wouldn’t have guessed he would do this.
I didn’t follow his trials closely, but from what I’ve read, he really blew all of the great potential he had in life. Sociopath? NPD?
I’m sure his family is devastated and convinced he was wrongly accused. Have to feel sorry for his mom regardless.
He was a sociopath or psychopath for sure. http://www.newyorker.com/news/sporting-scene/the-arrogance-of-aaron-hernandez
I think he knew he wasn’t going to be acquitted and life without parole was too much to handle.
I won’t attempt to diagnose him.
I’m actually surprised there aren’t more suicides in our horrific and inhumane prison system.
I do feel bad for his mom. Regardless of what he did, he was her baby.
Tragic and sad situation all the way around. Hope he has found peace somehow. I also pray for and think of those whom he impacted. I’m not justifying his actions or lack thereof. 
I’m sure the family of the person murdered by him were even more traumatized. I’ll save my sympathy for the victims.
His family were also victims of what he did. I can’t imagine being in that position.
" I do feel bad for his mom. Regardless of what he did, he was her baby. "
I agree. He was also an exceptionally talented football player, and a very troubled person.
We will probably never know how much of his trouble was caused by hanging around with the wrong people, arrogance, the mental impact of performance enhancing drugs (which I believe are ubiquitous in professional sports, and which do take a toll), versus mental health issues.
Not that it matters much, but I heard his conviction for the murder that put him in prison for life will be vacated according to MA law. If the prisoner dies before an appeal can be heard then the conviction is vacated. I wonder how his victim’s family feels about this or if it makes any difference.
I find this heartbreakingly sad. I know, I know. He was a murderer. But I’m a mother, too, and I believe in the sanctity and value of every human life.
Such a waste of so much talent and opportunity.
I think the only word to describe this whole situation is just tragic.
It surprised me because I would have thought that the prison official’s would have taken steps re: suicide watch. Isn’t that standard operating procedure for things like this?
A violent individual who was in trouble in high school, in college and once he turned pro. A lot of people turned a blind eye to it because of his talent. He continued to surround himself with his thuggish hometown cohort even as an adult. The end result was virtually inevitable.
For which “things like this”? Was there a specific reason for them to believe a suicide attempt was imminent?
People found guilty of murder? It’s not unusual in my understanding. Reports are saying he was placed on suicide watch back in 2015.
The NE Patriots drafted both Ron Gronkowski and Hernandez in the same year. What a tight-end nightmare they caused opponents. Imagine how good they might have been had he never committed his crimes. When Hernandez starred at the Univ. of Florida, 41 players on the 2008 Florida football roster were arrested or later arrested.
Aaron Hernandez’s father died when he was only 16. Reportedly it led to his rebellion and troubles with the law.
Everyone in prison who has committed murder is not a candidate for suicide precautions.
They should confiscate linens from every murderer? There are probably a lot of prisoners convicted of murder who would like to be able to have sheets and blankets at night. Suicide precautions require extra staff and limitations on privacy. That’s not appropriate for every prisoner. Resources are finite. The article said that prisoners who are deemed a suicide risk are placed in mental health wings or facilities of some kind, where I imagine the staff to prisoner ratios is very reduced, welfare checks are scheduled very often, etc.
In the hospital, when I had a patient who was on suicide precautions, they basically required 1:1 ratios. That kind of oversight is simply not possible for everyone.
The fact that he was recently acquitted of one charge and the other conviction on appeal might have led them to believe he actually had something to live for. Having been on suicide precautions two years ago doesn’t mean that he is put on suicide precautions indefinitely.
There aren’t enough resources for every person convicted of murder to be put on suicide watch.
Suicide watch has a very specific protocol that makes people uncomfortable (no sheets, uncomfortable clothes, etc). So no, people aren’t put on it until there is a reason to put them on it.
And even then, the suicide watch only lasts until the mental health person decides s/he’s not suicidal.
some places automatically put people convicted of murder on suicide precautions, but Hernandez was acquitted of his case the other day, so that wouldn’t apply.
Interesting information on what suicide watch can entail:
http://www.ncianet.org/suicide-prevention-in-correctional-facilities-reflections-and-next-steps/
These are costly interventions that require extra staffing that many states/facilities cannot provide and that the general public is unwilling to fund.
Controversies about suicide watch:
The suicide watch where my roommate works (a juvey center) involves putting the individuals in bright colored, untearable jumpsuits. They’re otherwise able to wear clothes relatively similar to street clothes (as he works on the “treatment” side). So not only are they put into a room where they are watched 24/7, but then they have to go through the day (they are often allowed out to go do certain daily things) in the very obvious jumpsuit that marks her as suicidal.