Aaron Hernandez Tortured in Prison? ACLU Expresses Concern
Held in solitary confinement since his arrest, the American Civil Liberties Union has expressed concern that Aaron Hernandez's prison facilities could be holding the former New England Patriot tight end under conditions that some have deemed a "form of torture."
The American Civil Liberties Union has raised concern that Aaron Hernandez remains in solitary confinement nearly two weeks after his arrest. Despite being described as a "model inmate" the former NFL player has remained isolated for the sake of his protection, according to officials. But in a recent blog the ACLU has warned that the effects of keeping Hernandez in solitary confinement could be far more detrimental.
Holed up in a space the "size of a parking lot" the ACLU claims that Hernandez has been isolated from human contact for more the 20 hours a days since he first arrived at the prison. His conditions have improved very little despite good behavior.
"So far, since he first came, from the day when I met with him, he's been pretty much a model inmate," Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson told "NFL AM." "He's not been showing any signs of nervousness, he's been very polite and he's been very respectful."
Hernandez was first placed in a single cell medical unit where he received little to no contact. Last week he was moved to a single cell in a different area of the prison, where he is now given four hours of reprieve.
"He'll be allowed out three hours a day, one hour for recreation in the yard, one hour for recreation in the common area of the unit, and he'll get another hour for showers and phone calls," Hodgson said last week.
The ACLU has warned that some experts deem solitary confinement as a form of torture.
"Extreme isolation can have debilitating psychological effects. Prisoners locked alone in solitary confinement may become depressed or begin hallucinating," the organization reported in a recent blog. "Psychologists have said that the effects of prolonged solitary confinement can be irreversible, and an emerging international community has begun to recognize solitary confinement as a form of torture."
