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Bill Belichick called Hernandez case ‘tragic’ a week before suicide

Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez stands at the defense table when court is adjourned without a verdict on day five of jury deliberations in his double murder trial at Suffolk Superior Court on Thursday, April 13, 2017. Hernandez is standing trial for the July 2012 killings of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado who he encountered in a Boston nightclub. The former NFL player is already serving a life sentence in the 2013 killing of semi-professional football player Odin Lloyd.

Credit: Nancy Lane

Credit: Nancy Lane

Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez stands at the defense table when court is adjourned without a verdict on day five of jury deliberations in his double murder trial at Suffolk Superior Court on Thursday, April 13, 2017. Hernandez is standing trial for the July 2012 killings of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado who he encountered in a Boston nightclub. The former NFL player is already serving a life sentence in the 2013 killing of semi-professional football player Odin Lloyd.
By Juliakate E Culpepper
April 19, 2017

Nearly a week before former New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez was found dead in his prison cell, Patriots' coach Bill Belichick called his former player's situation a tragedy.

Belichick was interviewed on last Thursday’s CNBC’s “Power Lunch” with Suzy Welch.

In the interview, Welch asked Belichick to play a word association game. When Welch brought up Hernandez's name, Belichick responded with, "Tragic."

“Heartbreaking,” Welch responded.

"Yes,” Belichick said. “That would be another word.”

Massachusetts Department of Corrections officials found Hernandez hanged in his cell early on Wednesday morning after an apparent suicide.

Hernandez had been found not guilty of a 2012 double murder of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado on Friday, but was already serving a life sentence for the 2013 murder Odin Lloyd.

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Juliakate E Culpepper
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