(NECN: Kathryn Sotnik, Attleboro, Mass.) - It's been several weeks since we last saw former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez, but that won't be the situation Wednesday when Hernandez is back in Attleboro district court for a probable cause hearing at 2 p.m.
He's charged with murder in his friend, 27-year-old Odin Lloyd's death. Lloyd's body was found in June in an industrial park less than a mile from Hernandez's North Attleboro home.
Sheriff Thomas Hodgson of the Bristol County House of Corrections says Hernandez, who lives in a cell all by himself, has been very cooperative, even inquiring about entering the prisons general population.
Sheriff Hodgson tells us, "He's talked about it, that it would certainly be preferable, and if in time he might have the opportunity to be more engaged."
But for now Sheriff Hodgson says Hernandez will stay by himself, even eat by himself.
NECN went into a cell similar to Hernandez's. He has a bunk bed all to himself, a small sink/toilet combination, mirror, small desk, and a window with bars to the outside world.
Hodgson says Hernandez spends all of his time in his cell except for three hours a day. We're told for one hour Hernandez can exercise in a supervised outdoor cage.
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The other two hours he can have screened visits with people on his visitor list, make phone calls, take a shower and buy items from the commissary.
Hodgson says Hernandez recently bought breakfast bars and a small fan from the commissary.
There's no air conditioning in prison and it has been stifling hot.
Hernandez has also been reading and writing in his hours alone in his cell.
We're told he's been eating the basic prison meals but when we asked what we could expect when we see Hernandez in court Wednesday, Sheriff Hodgson said, "He may look a little thinner than normal but that's hard to know, he's trying to work out when he's in the yard."
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is expected to address the media Wednesday ahead of Patriots training camp. This will be his first time speaking to the media following Hernandez's arrest, but there's no word if he will answer questions about Hernandez.
