Carruth Trial Delayed Until 2001

Wednesday, July 5th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) â€” Former NFL player Rae Carruth will have to wait until 2001 for his trial in which he is charged with plotting the fatal shooting of his pregnant girlfriend.

His lawyer had requested a Nov. 15 trial date during a hearing Wednesday.

``He would like his day in court and be vindicated and go on with his life,'' David Rudolf said.

Carruth and three other men are charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Cherica Adams on Nov. 16. She gave birth to Carruth's son, Chancellor, during an emergency Caesarean section, and then died Dec. 14. Adams' mother has been granted temporary custody of the boy.

Prosecutors said no trial would be held for any of the defendants until after the new year. They didn't say which of the four would be tried first.

Carruth appeared in court Wednesday with a full head of hair â€” he previously shaved his head. His mother, Theodry Carruth, said he grew back his hair because he thought it looked good.

Rudolf has said the pretrial publicity has harmed Carruth's right to a fair trial.

Judge Charles Lamm denied Rudolf's request that prosecutors reveal more evidence to defense attorneys after prosecutors said they already had turned over all pertinent information.

The judge delayed ruling on another Rudolf motion, to suppress evidence he claims police coerced from Carruth's co-defendants. Lamm said the motion was premature.

Police said Carruth was in one car and Michael Eugene Kennedy, Van Brett Watkins and Stanley Drew Abraham in another when Adams was shot four times while driving Nov. 16.

Rudolf previously sought to disqualify Kennedy's attorney, James Exum. Exum told reporters in December that Kennedy had said Carruth didn't want the baby Adams was carrying. Lamm rejected the motion.