Attorney Larry Army Jr. met with reporters Wednesday to address reports regarding the relationship that his client, 22-year-old Kyle Kennedy, allegedly had with late ex-New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez while both were inmates at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center.
Hernandez was found dead in his cell in the early hours of April 19, with officials ruling his death a suicide.
Here are the highlights from Army’s news conference:
— Army said Kennedy and Hernandez were “great friends” who spent a great deal of time together in prison. But, per Kennedy’s request, the attorney would not confirm nor deny whether Kennedy and Hernandez shared an intimate relationship, as has been reported by multiple outlets. Army said Kennedy intends to explain the details of the relationship himself at some point in the near future.
— Kennedy believes Hernandez’s third and final suicide note was intended for him, per Army. The other two notes reportedly were addressed to Hernandez’s fiancée and 4-year-old daughter.
— Hernandez and Kennedy requested to be cellmates in August 2016, Army said. After the request initially was granted, it then was denied because of the “size difference” between the two inmates. According to Army, Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center prefers cellmates to be of the same race and similar height and weight.
During his playing days, Hernandez was listed at 6-foot-2, 245 pounds.
— Kennedy believes he was the last person to see Hernandez alive, per Army.
— Army said Kennedy and Hernandez “knew of each other” before Kennedy arrived at Souza-Baranowski. Army wouldn’t divulge details of how Kennedy and Hernandez met, saying only that it was “through correspondence.”
— Army said Kennedy was stunned to hear news of Hernandez’s death, initially believing it was a joke. Army did say, however, that Hernandez had referenced suicide in a letter to Kennedy three weeks earlier.
— It previously had been reported that Hernandez gave Kennedy a watch worth nearly $50,000 before his death. According to Army, Hernandez gifted the custom watch — worth $47,000 — to Kennedy months ago as a 22nd birthday present, though neither Kennedy nor his family has received it yet.
— Per Army, Hernandez wrote letters to Kennedy and multiple members of Kennedy’s family.
— Watch the full news conference below.
Thumbnail photo via The Sun Chronicle/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports Images
