Aaron Hernandez Suicide Notes: Judge Orders Release to Family

FOXBOROUGH, MA — As friends and family gather to mourn the suicide of Aaron Hernandez, a judge has ordered the state to give the former NFL star's family three suicide notes he had written before his death.

A Bristol Superior Court judge ruled that the Worcester District Attorney's Office must produce copies of the notes written by the former New England Patriots tight end. Some redaction may be made to protect information which may impair an ongoing investigation, according to the order.

The notes must be ready in time for Hernandez's funeral, which is scheduled for Monday afternoon in Bristol, Connecticut.

Hernandez family attorney George Leontire said in court Friday that the Hernandez family does not know the contents of the letters and learned about them through news reports.

Officials have not said who the letters are addressed to.

Hernandez was found hanging in his cell last Wednesday. Police say Hernandez was locked inside his cell at 8 p.m. Tuesday and was found hanging at about 3 a.m. Wednesday morning. He was pronounced dead about an hour late. The three notes and a bible were found inside his cell.

Photo by Josh Reynolds/The Boston Globe via AP