Jurors Divided on Carruth Charges

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) â€” Jurors in the Rae Carruth murder trial are divided on all four charges against the former NFL player, they told the judge Thursday. <br><br>``We voted on all four charges, and

Thursday, January 18th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) â€” Jurors in the Rae Carruth murder trial are divided on all four charges against the former NFL player, they told the judge Thursday.

``We voted on all four charges, and we are split on all four charges,'' Judge Charles Lamm said, reading from the jurors' note to him. ``We are at impasse and need instruction on what to do at this point.''

The jurors have been deliberating since Tuesday.

Carruth, 26, is accused of arranging the shooting death of Cherica Adams, his girlfriend who was eight months pregnant. He could face the death sentence if convicted.

Adams, 24, was shot four times Nov. 16, 1999, while driving on a Charlotte street. She died a month later. Her son, fathered by Carruth, was delivered by emergency Caesarean section and is now in the custody of her mother.

Carruth is charged with first-degree murder; conspiracy to commit murder; shooting into an occupied vehicle; and using an instrument to destroy an unborn child.

Lamm read the question to the courtroom after sending the jury to lunch. He said he planned to instruct the jurors to continue deliberating after lunch.

``If we have to do it again, we'll do it again,'' defense attorney David Rudolf said. ``I think there's still a lot of deliberating they can do. I'm sure the judge is not going to allow them to stop deliberating. ... I think we're a long ways from there.''

Jurors had deliberated about 12 hours since getting the case Tuesday afternoon.

On Wednesday, the panel discussed several exhibits in open court while reporters and other courtroom observers watched. Carruth's defense attorney had objected to jurors taking the exhibits into the jury room.