Plea Entered in Carruth Case

The man accused of shooting the girlfriend of former Carolina Panther receiver Rae Carruth pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and other charges Monday, a prosecutor said.

Van Brett Watkins also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, intent to kill an unborn child and shooting into occupied property, said assistant district attorney Gentry Caudill.

Watkins admitted in court that he fired the gun that killed Cherica Adams, Caudill said.

“We anticipate that he will testify in the other cases,” the prosecutor said.

Watkins, Carruth, Michael Eugene Kennedy and Stanley Drew “Boss” Abraham all were charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy and intent to kill an unborn child. Watkins and Kennedy also were charged with discharging a firearm into occupied property.

Watkins’ lawyer, Claire Rauscher, refused to comment on the plea or on the possibility that Watkins would testify.

Carruth’s criminal lawyer, David Rudolf, said he “always assumed [Watkins] would be testifying.”

“He’s going to say what he’s going to say, and we’ll deal with it through cross-examination,” Rudolf said.

He said Watkins’ testimony can’t hurt his client “if he tells the truth, which is that Mr. Carruth had nothing to do with this.”

Carruth was released by the Panthers after he was charged with the murder.

Watkins’ plea came two weeks after reports that prosecutors had called off any plea bargains that would have allowed the defendants to plead guilty to second-degree murder.

It also came the same day that a judge held a hearing to determine how much child support Carruth should pay for 8-month-old Chancellor Adams and whether Carruth should be allowed visitation.

Judge Yvonne Mims Evans said she would rule on the visitation request today.