Gunman Describes Cherica Adams' Killing

C H A R L O T T E, N.C., Dec. 21 -- In a calm, low voice, Van Brett Watkinsgave jurors a graphic account of how he pointed a handgun at RaeCarruth’s pregnant girlfriend and pulled the trigger five times.

Watkins wiped away tears after describing his emotions when herealized what he had done. He then swore at Carruth, stood up inthe witness box and shouted: “Are you happy now?”

During his second day of testimony at the former NFLplayer’s murder trial, Watkins today demonstrated once again that he can be composed for long stretches of testimony but prone to loudoutbursts.

Watkins said he was in the back seat of a car that pulledalongside Cherica Adams’ BMW last year. Carruth, he said, blockedher path with his vehicle and watched the attack in the rearviewmirror.

“I fired one shot, then four more shots: bam, bam, bam, bam,”Watkins said in a monotone. “She was screaming. She was drowningin her own blood. You could hear a gurgling sound.”

Carruth, 26, could get the death penalty if convicted ofplotting Adams’ shooting Nov. 16, 1999. She died a month later,after delivering Carruth’s son. The baby now lives with Adams’ mother. (See timeline below.)

‘I Couldn’t Bring Myself to Kill the Baby’

Watkins pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, avoiding apossible death sentence. He had agreed to testify for theprosecution, but was instead called to the stand by Carruth’sdefense, trying shore up its contention that Watkins shot Adams onhis own.

Instead, Watkins reiterated the prosecution’s argument thatCarruth paid him to kill Adams.

“He hired me as a hit man,” he testified Wednesday. “He hired me to kill Cherica Adams and the baby. … I couldn’t bring myself to kill the baby. I shot at the top [of the car], not through the door.”

Watkins told jurors he was “petrified” of Carruth.

“If he would kill his own girl and their baby, what would he doto me?” he said.