Rae Carruth Trial Resumes

C H A R L O T T E, N.C., Jan. 2 -- Rae Carruth’s defense attorneys mustdecide whether to put their client on the stand to refute testimonythat pin his pregnant girlfriend’s death on him.

The murder trial of the former NFL player will resume todayfollowing last week’s holiday recess.

So far, the jury mostly has the word of Carruth’s lead attorney,David Rudolf, who says Carruth’s didn’t have anything to do withthe November 1999 attack on Cherica Adams.

But prosecutors have put two co-defendants on the stand whotestified that Carruth hatched the plan to kill Adams, who waspregnant with Carruth’s child. Adams died a month after she wasshot. Her son survived and is now in the custody of Adams’ mother.

In five previous weeks of trial testimony, the prosecution alsoused Adams’ 911 call and notes placing suspicions about Carruth’sinvolvement in the shooting.

Will He Take Stand?

Carruth’s attorneys say they won’t decide whether to put him onthe stand until the last minute. The lawyer of a third co-defendantwho has not testified says making Carruth a witness might be a goodmove.

“I think the state has done a good enough job that it behoovesDavid [Rudolf] to put Carruth on to counter that,” said JamesGronquist, the attorney for co-defendant Stanley Drew Abraham.

“My personal view is that if the state proves that Rae was atthe scene, then they’re likely to get a conviction,” Gronquistsaid. “I think Rae has to get up and say he wasn’t there and bebelieved.”

Carruth, 26, could face the death penalty if convicted offirst-degree murder in Adams’ death. Prosecutors claim Carruthhired men to kill Adams because he did not want to pay additionalchild support.

Charlotte defense attorney James Wyatt, who is not involved inthe case, agreed Carruth would probably be helped by speaking, butwarned: “The disadvantage is, it’ll open him up to questioningabout virtually any subject by the prosecution.”Admitted Gunman Fingered Carruth