Former star Nebraska running back Lawrence Phillips is under investigation as a suspect for murder after his cellmate was found dead at Kern Valley State Prison. Phillips is currently serving a 31-year sentence in prison for driving a car into three teenagers and for domestic violence charges that arose in 2005.
Former Nebraska star RB Lawrence Phillips suspected of murdering prison cellmate
Phillips is currently serving a 31-year sentence.
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According to prison officials, Phillips’ cellmate was found unresponsive in his cell around 1 a.m. on April 11.
Phillips was a star on Nebraska’s powerhouse teams of the mid-1990s, and he rushed for 1,722 yards as a sophomore in 1994. He was a frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy in 1995, but dealt with NCAA eligibility issues and was suspended at one point for assaulting his ex-girlfriend. He was originally dismissed for that incident, but was allowed back on the team by coach Tom Osborne.
Phillips left Nebraska early for the NFL and became the No. 6 overall pick in the 1996 NFL Draft. However, he never really caught on in the NFL and bounced around between the St. Louis Rams, Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers, before moving to the CFL.
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