wide receiver was released from prison Monday after serving more than 18 years for conspiring to murder the mother of his unborn child.The Carolina Panthers' 1997 first-round draft pick was released from Sampson Correctional Institution in Clinton
Youth Donte Jackson Jersey , North Carolina, after completing his sentence of 18 to 24 years.Carruth did not speak to reporters as he left prison wearing a knit cap
and an unzipped jacket on a chilly morning with temperatures in the high 30s. There was a smattering of applause when he got into a white SUV and was whisked away. He was taken to an undisclosed location.The 44-year-old Carruth will be on a nine-month post-release program, according to North Carolina Department of Public Safety spokesman Jerry Higgins. He would need special permission from a case officer to leave the state or the country during that span but is free to go wherever he pleases after nine months.Carruth was found guilty of orchestrating a plot to kill Cherica Adams on Nov. 16, 1999, in Charlotte, North Carolina, to avoid paying child support. Adams was shot four times while driving her car but managed to make a 911 call that helped implicate Carruth.Adams went into a coma and died less than a month later after the shooting.The child she was carrying, Chancellor Lee Adams, was delivered by emergency cesarean section but suffers from permanent brain damage and cerebral palsy.Carruth has never admitted guilt in Adams' murder, but in a complex 15-page letter to WBTV-TV in Charlotte in February he wrote that "I feel responsible for everything that happened. And I just want (Saundra Adams) to know that truly I am sorry for everything."Carruth's former attorney, David Rudolf, did not immediately return phone calls Monday seeking comment about Carruth's release and plans.Last week, Carruth told WSOC-TV in Charlotte in a telephone interview, "I just truly want to be forgiven."He went on to say he was "somewhat frightened" about his release, adding that "I'm nervous just about how I'll be received by the public. I still have to work. I still have to live. I have to exist out there and it just seems like there is so much hate and negativity toward me."Carruth has repeatedly said he wants to have a relationship with his son
Color Rush David Mayo Jersey , who remains in the custody of his grandmother, Saundra Adams, who has raised him since birth. Adams had previously said she would be there when Carruth got out of prison, but she was not present Monday.Carruth's arrest on charges of conspiracy and attempted murder nine days after the shooting sent shockwaves throughout the Panthers organization.The team released Carruth and the NFL suspended him indefinitely after he fled the Charlotte area after posting $3 million bail and was found by federal authorities hiding in the trunk of a car in Tennessee, about 500 miles from Charlotte.Panthers center Frank Garcia played with Carruth for more than two seasons. He said players were stunned when they heard the news of Carruth's possible involvement in the murder, about 20 miles from the team's downtown stadium in the affluent section of South Charlotte."It would be like finding out the guy sitting in the cubicle next to you at work was arrested for murder," Garcia said. "You just don't always know people as well as you think you do."Garcia said Carruth was a little shy, and mostly kept to himself. But he said Carruth had a passion for helping kids, including reading books to elementary school students.It was a difficult time in Panthers history.Some players were called out of football practice to testify at the trial. Those not involved would spend time huddling in the players' lounge watching the trial on Court TV."That is one time where you were actually hiding from the cameras," Garcia said. "You just wanted to stay low and not be involved. All along you're asking yourself, 'Did I miss any signs? How is somebody capable of this?'"While in jail Carruth worked as a barber, making about $1 per hour, the Department of Public Safety said.That's a far cry from the four-year, $3.7 million contract Carruth signed with the Panthers after being drafted — although he never collected all of that money since he was released in the third year of his deal.Panthers 24 Falcons 31: 5 winners, 3 losers in Carolina’s loss to Atlanta The Panthers defense played like garbage today. There’s no nice way to say it. That’s the bottom line of how today’s 31-24 loss to the Falcons went. If the Panthers’ defense played a semi-competent game
Youth Trai Turner Jersey , the Panthers would be 2-0 right now. It’s unfortunate that it ended up this way, because the offense played well enough to win. It just wasn’t meant to be, it seems.Let’s dive into the winners and losers from today’s action.WinnersCam Newton: Newton had a great game today if you account for the fact that his receivers let him down multiple times by dropping perfectly thrown passes. He finished the day 32-of-45 passing for 335 yards with three touchdowns and one interception (that totally wasn’t his fault, but we’ll get to that later). Considering 14 of those receptions and 102 of those yards came from Christian McCaffrey, you can see that Newton would have probably left Atlanta with a win if his receivers would have been able to produce for him.Christian McCaffrey: As I mentioned previously, McCaffrey hauled in 14 receptions for 102 yards today and was a key factor in the Panthers moving the ball on offense. He lined up all over the field and made quality plays to keep the chains moving throughout the afternoon. It’s unfortunate that hardly anyone else stepped up, but if the Panthers can keep using McCaffrey like they did against the Falcons the offense has the potential to be dangerous this season.Jarius Wright: Wright grabbed five catches for 62 yards and a touchdown this afternoon, and he also picked up several key first downs for the Panthers to keep the chains moving. He is a key asset on third down and is one of the best free agent pickups the Panthers have made in a long time. The Panthers finally have their “go-to guy” on third down, and that will benefit the offense as the season progresses.D.J. Moore: Moore took his first career reception and turned it into an electrifying 51-yard touchdown reception that pulled the Panthers to within one score late in the fourth quarter. He almost hauled in the game-tying touchdown as time expired as well, but it just wasn’t meant to be. At any rate, we saw good things from Moore today and should continue to see them as he gets familiar with the speed of the NFL.Graham Gano: He buried a 54-yard field goal to give the Panthers a 3-0 lead in the first quarter. Yeah, that’s good enough to make the winner’s column today. Let that marinate for a few minutes.
