Aaron Hernandez and rumored 'prison lover' knew each other before prison, says lawyer

The lawyer for Kyle Kennedy, an inmate for whom Aaron Hernandez reportedly left a note before his suicide last week, revealed new details about his client's relationship with Hernandez on Wednesday, claiming the two knew each other before prison.

According to lawyer Lawrence F. Army Jr., Hernandez -- who hanged himself in his prison cell last week -- reportedly joked about suicide to Kennedy, just three weeks before his death, saying "I think I'm going to hang it up."

Kennedy, who has been identified by the Daily Mail as Hernandez's "prison lover," and the former New England Patriots player were inmates together at the Souza-Baranowski Correction Center in Shirley up to the time of Hernandez's death. Kennedy, 22, had a strong emotional reaction to the loss of his friend, his lawyer says, and was put on suicide watch following the event.

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In discussing the relationship between Hernandez and Kennedy, Army said on Wednesday that the pair were "close friends" and "spent a great deal of time together in prison." Army also stated that Hernandez corresponded with Kennedy, using his prison nickname of "Pure."

Army also asserted that Kennedy plans to address the allegedly intimate nature of his relationship with Hernandez at a later date.

Kennedy's lawyer claims Hernandez left his client a $47,000 watch, along with a suicide note before his death. The whereabouts of the watch is unknown, but the note allegedly addressed to Kennedy is one of three left behind by Hernandez. Copies of those three notes are not in custody of the Hernandez family.