Aaron Hernandez’s shocking death has sparked a wave of reports and rumors about the former New England Patriots tight end. And his attorneys want them to stop.
Hernandez’s legal team of George Leontire, Jose Baez, Ronald Sullivan and Linda Kenney Baden wrote a stern letter to the Worcester County (Mass.) District Attorney and the Department of Corrections on Thursday calling for an end to the leaks that have emerged since Hernandez’s death was ruled a suicide last Wednesday.
The six-page letter raised concerns about potential violations of the attorney-client privilege.
“Not withstanding our repeated requests for your agencies to cease and desist, the dissemination of Mr. Hernandez’s personal information and writings continues to cause the family severe emotional distress during an already difficult period,” Leontire wrote in the letter, which was obtained by CBS Boston.
“We ask your respective agencies, agents, and employees to cease providing Mr. Hernandez’s confidential information to the press and from leaking erroneous and harmful information. To the extent that you continue sharing such information with members of the press, we will pursue any and all remedies to protect our clients from further harm.”
The most notable leak involves Hernandez’s final suicide note, which some reports claim he wrote to a prison boyfriend. The ex-NFL star allegedly left suicide notes for his fiancée and 4-year-old daughter, but it’s been rumored he left a third note to 22-year-old inmate Kyle Kennedy, whom Hernandez reportedly requested to be his cellmate, according to Kennedy’s lawyer. Hernandez’s lawyers strongly refuted the report, calling it “malicious,” and TMZ Sports reported Wednesday that Hernandez’s third letter actually was intended for Baez, not Kennedy.
Hernandez’s lawyers mentioned nearly two dozen examples of Hernandez stories in their letter, most of which address rumors about their client’s sexuality. They also asked the District Attorney and Department of Corrections to turn over any of Hernandez’s writings to his lawyers dated before his death.
Thumbnail image via The Sun Chronicle/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports
