No Aaron Hernandez is not with the general population in jail just yet. He’s spent the last 5 days in jail alone. Investigators have been looking at his tattoos for gang affiliations because they were scared that Hernandez could be hurt.
Report after the jump…
Via TMZ:
Aaron Hernandez is NOT in the general population of jail … because jail officials are concerned for his safety … TMZ has learned.
We’re told Hernandez — who has been charged with first degree murder — has been in the medical ward since his arrival last week. We’re told authorities are concerned because of the former Patriots star’s celebrity status … other inmates might try to harm him.
Sources say at the time of this post, jail officials were meeting to decide what to do with Hernandez — whether to put him in the general population or a more segregated environment.
For now … Hernandez is in the medical wing … allowed out of his cell for 1 hour a day.
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UPDATE:
Aaron Hernandez has been moved into solitary confinement … away from the general population … because officials believe he could be a prize for blood-thirsty, fame-hungry inmates, TMZ has learned.
TMZ spoke with Bristol County Sheriff Tom Hodgson who tells us … Aaron has been moved from the medical ward at Bristol County Jail to a “Class 2 Unit” — where he is isolated from the general population.
Hodgson explains, “The reason for this move is simply to protect him. We wouldn’t want some inmate trying to get any notoriety by attempting to harm Aaron Hernandez.”
In his Class 2 unit, Hernandez is allowed 3 hours outside of his cell per day. Hodgson says, “He can have access to the phone, yard for fresh air, and the common room.”
Hodgson says there are no TVs inside the common room or inside Aaron’s cell.
We’re told Aaron will stay in this unit for at least a week — and then officials reevaluate the situation and decide if they want to move him to a different unit.
As for visitors, officials tell us Aaron can choose five people to put on a visitor list.
Hodgson adds, “Having just met with him earlier again after his evaluation, and for a man who has gone from 7,000-square-feet to a 10×7 cell, he is doing very well and seems to be taking the situation great. He is very respectful and calm. Also to this point he has had no special requests.”
