The law IS the law, even if it sometimes makes little sense to you. In Massachusetts, convictions are vacated if someone dies before their appeal is heard. So Aaron Hernandez' suicide returns his status to a person ACCUSED of a crime because he died before his appeal of his murder conviction of Odin Lloyd was heard. Under a legal principal called abatement by death, first degree murder convictions have been voided when the defendant dies before their appeal can be heard by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Prosecutors argued Hernandez hanged himself because he understood his family could financially benefit from the rest of his NFL contract if his conviction was vacated. A note found in his cell to his fiance had the words "you're rich" underlined. Apparently Hernandez didn't bone up on his legal literature while in prison. Remember a guy named OJ Simpson? He was found innocent in the killings of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and waiter Ron Goldman but the families sued him in civil court and THAT jury found him liable for the murders to the tune of $33 million. Odin Lloyd's family has field a civil suit against Hernandez' estate and that lawsuit will continue. Hernandez' murder conviction may have been wiped out by this antiquated law, but something tells me he's still guilty in the eyes of a higher court...the one where St. Peter is judge and jury.