Lawyer: Hernandez's brain being held 'illegally'; family plans CTE study

Aaron Hernandez's lawyer is accusing Massachusetts' chief medical examiner of ''illegally'' holding the brain of the ex-NFL star who was found hanged in his prison cell.

Jose Baez told reporters Thursday that Hernandez's family had arranged for Boston University to study the former New England Patriots tight end's brain as part of its concussion research.

The medical examiner released Hernandez's body to a funeral home earlier Thursday. But Baez says the office has not returned the brain.

He says the family will go to court if necessary and that it will be seeking an independent autopsy. The medical examiner's office didn't immediately comment on the brain dispute and hasn't released the results of its autopsy.

Hernandez was found hanging in his cell early Wednesday at a maximum-security prison where he was serving a life sentence for a 2013 murder.