Aaron Hernandez's fiancee files lawsuit to preserve evidence in prison suicide

NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. — Aaron Hernandez’s fiancée has filed an injunction to have any and all evidence from his death preserved on behalf of her daughter.

The suit was filed in Bristol County, where Shayana Jenkins lives with the daughter she and Hernandez had together.

Recordings and logs of the cell block, writings by Hernandez, physical evidence from the night of his death and any photos taken from the scene are among the specific evidence Jenkins has asked to be preserved.

The court filing was signed the same day as Hernandez was found hanged in his prison cell at Souza-Baranowski Correction Center in Shirley, Mass. The medical examiner has officially ruled the death a suicide, but Hernandez’s attorneys have promised a full investigation.

FOX 25 NEWS AARON HERNANDEZ COVERAGE...
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Attorney Jose Baez was at the Watertown funeral home for several hours Thursday while renowned forensic pathologist Michael Baden performed a second autopsy on the body.

The Medical Examiner officially ruled Hernandez's death a suicide and died by asphyxia.

Officials noted there were no signs of a struggle and Hernandez was alone in his cell at the time. They said they found three handwritten notes in his call, along with a reference to the Bible verse John 3:16, which was something Baez would not comment on during his news conference Thursday afternoon when challenged by FOX25's Bob Ward.

"So there was no John 3:16 on his forehead?" Ward asked.

"If you have no questions specifically dealing...," Baez said.

"But was there 3:16 written on his forehead?" Ward asked.

"Do you understand what I'm saying?" Baez replied.

"I am asking you. You know," Ward replied.

"How do I know? Was I there?" Baez asked.

"You were at the autopsy," Ward said.

One thing Baez was vocal about was his criticism of the Medical Examiner saying Hernandez's family wanted to donate his brain to Boston University so it could be studied for evidence of brain injuries, but the Medical Examiner would not release it.

"It's our position that they are holding Aaron Hernandez's brain illegally," Baez said. "They have released the body and withheld Aaron's brain."

>>READ: Family, medical examiner's office fighting over Hernandez's brain

The Medical Examiner's Office released a statement in response saying, "The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is conducing an investigation into the circumstances of Aaron Hernandez's death, which may require further analysis of his body. Once that is complete the brain will be released to Boston University. No one is going to stand in the way of the family's wishes for Boston University to have Aaron Hernandez's brain.

Early Friday morning a source told FOX25 News that the Medical Examiner's Office had in fact turned Hernandez's brain over to the university at some point overnight.

Baez is vowing to leave no stone unturned in his investigation.

Cox Media Group