Court Denies Carruth Appeal

Despite an error by the judge in the murder trial of former Carolina Panther Rae Carruth, a new trial will not be granted. The North Carolina Court of Appeals ruled that the trial judge should not have allowed handwritten notes from the victim to be admitted as evidence, but they felt another trial was not warranted since the notes did not prejudice the jury because of the overwhelming evidence against Carruth.

The former first-round draft pick of the Panthers was found guilty of conspiracy to murder his girlfriend, Cherica Adams. He was also convicted of shooting into an occupied vehicle and using a gun to try to kill the baby Adams was carrying. Carruth is currently serving a prison term of 18 years and 11 months.