Two Jurors Selected for Carruth Trial

By Paul Nowell

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- The first two jurors were selected Wednesday for the trial of former NFL player Rae Carruth, accused of masterminding the killing of his pregnant girlfriend.

The first of 12 jurors, chosen after three days of questioning, is a woman who told attorneys she had read about the case and watched television news accounts but had not formed an opinion about Carruth's guilt or innocence.

``I understand a lot of what you hear on TV or read in the newspaper might be presumptuous, or presumed,'' she told defense attorney David Rudolf. ``I'm on an even plane, and I'll base my decision on what I hear in the courtroom.''

``Your honor, I think we have our first juror,'' Rudolf told Superior Court Judge Charles Lamm, who began the jury selection process Monday.

Earlier, prosecutor Gentry Caudill said the state would accept the woman to serve on the jury.

Then just before court ended for the day, a man was selected as the second juror to sit on the panel.

If convicted, Carruth, who is charged with masterminding a plot to kill his pregnant girlfriend, could be sentenced to death.

Carruth, 26, a former wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Cherica Adams, 24. She was seven months pregnant with his child when she was shot Nov. 16 as she sat in her car. She died a month later, but the baby boy, named Chancellor, survived.

Prosecutors contend Carruth masterminded the hit because he didn't want to pay child support.

Carruth has maintained his innocence, claiming he was miles away from the shooting and had nothing to do with its planning.

Earlier Wednesday, both sides used the first of their 14 challenges to remove potential jurors.

Caudill removed the first potential juror who was brought in for individual questioning. Rudolf then rejected a second potential juror accepted by prosecutors.

Attorneys have predicted it would take at least two weeks to seat a jury.

In another court, attorneys for Carruth and two co-defendants asked the state Supreme Court to prevent cameras from broadcasting the trial nationwide.

Attorneys for Carruth and co-defendants Michael Eugene Kennedy and Stanley Drew ``Boss'' Abraham on Tuesday asked North Carolina's highest court to overturn Lamm's decision to allow Court TV to televise the capital murder trial when opening arguments start.

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