Court Says State Must Preserve Evidence from Aaron Hernandez Death Investigation

A New Bedford Superior Court judge has granted a request from the family of Aaron Hernandez to preserve evidence from the former football player's death investigation.

Judge Thomas F. McGuire Jr ordered that preservation, stating that it's fair that the Hernandez family, government, and family knows how he dies. The order prevents the state from destroying documents, videos, audio recordings, writings and any other evidence linked to Hernandez's death.

Attorney George Leontire argued that the family was concerned about losing evidence and has received updates on the investigation though media reports.

"We have not received one single communication from any public agency or official except for the medical examiner. With respect to what has transpired, we read in the press release it was suicide," Leontire said. "We have to read it on Twitter and we have to read it in the news and there have been significant leaks by the public agencies involved."

Giving an example, Leontire said the Hernandez family read about the suicide notes reportedly found next to Hernandez and has no idea what they say or the status of them.

Mary Murray, an attorney fir the Department of Corrections, said the agency's investigation is open and ongoing, noting that there is no basis for an order to preserve evidence.

"There’s no basis here that an injunction or bill of discovery has been issued under circumstances such as this," Murray said.

Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez, the fiancée of Aaron Hernandez, also filed documents for a lawsuit over the supervision of the former football player while in state custody.

Hernandez died last Wednesday by suicide. He was found with three handwritten notes and a Bible.

Photo by Josh Reynolds/The Boston Globe via AP