Earlier this year he wrote two letters, publicly releasing them to the media. Rae Carruth’s release from prison can’t be erased from record, but it warrants as little attention as possible - and yet, he’s done his best to push it to the forefront. Carruth is free as of today - and he can no longer be intentionally forgotten. He is the antithesis of how the Panthers present themselves to the community, and how Panthers fans believe their team is. In many ways the Panthers represented the duality of Charlotte, a large metropolitan city coming to terms with its small-town roots, and the friction that comes with it.Ĭarruth’s existence flies in the face of that narrative. A sporting monolith, existing in one of the South’s largest cities, operating like a family-run joint in Mayberry because previous owner Jerry Richardson liked it that way. The Panthers always modeled themselves as a family-first organization. But for everyone else, Carruth’s crimes are taboo. Sure, you’ll see some edgelord 19-year-old wear an old Carruth jersey to a game at Bank of America Stadium, relishing the negative attention they receive - because that’s the world we live in. You will not see any self-respecting rival with a shred of decency ever mention his name. Something shameful in the team’s or city’s past that even the most die-hard hater doesn’t mention. Now old wounds are being torn open as Carruth’s release plays out in front of the world.Įvery team in the NFL has the unspoken jab. Carruth’s chapter is one of selfishness and death his son’s is one of perseverance and life. Easy to push to the recesses of your mind. Always with the kicker to end the story: Carruth is scheduled for release in October of 2018.įor years, 2018 felt so far off. Every few years there’s a local news check-in, documenting how he’s is doing and speaking with Saundra Adams, who raised her grandson after the death of her daughter. Living in the Carolinas means you know Chancellor’s story intimately. Some of her last words were to 911, as she explained that Carruth pulled his car in front of hers, while a second stopped next to her with a gun.Ĭhancellor Lee Adams survived, an 18-year-old who has cerebral palsy and brain damage as a result of being without oxygen for 70 minutes in the womb when his mother died. What complicates his tale is that this is a family story, but it’s also become ours.Ĭherica Adams did not survive when she was boxed in while driving and shot from a car that pulled up alongside her. Carruth’s existence hangs over the city of Charlotte like a cloud. He was a largely ineffective receiver on a relatively new franchise team who had a woman murdered because she was carrying his child. Rae Carruth’s story is a horrifying chapter in NFL history.
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