Two of Carruth's co-defendants have criminal histories

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Two of the three co-defendants accused with former Carolina Panthers receiver Rae Carruth in his girlfriend's murder have criminal histories, while the third has a spotless

Sunday, February 6th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Two of the three co-defendants accused with former Carolina Panthers receiver Rae Carruth in his girlfriend's murder have criminal histories, while the third has a spotless record.

Van Brett Watkins, 44, accused in records of firing the shots that killed Cherica Adams, spent much of his adult life in trouble with the law. Also convicted of crimes in the past is Michael Eugene Kennedy, 24, of Charlotte, The Charlotte Observer reported Sunday.

Kennedy's friend, Stanley Drew "Boss" Abraham Jr., 19, has never been in trouble with the law before now, according to records. Abraham has been studying his Bible from the Mecklenburg County jail and has written a poem about his faith in God since his arrest. "What he believes is that he is going to be cleared of all charges," said Kevin Long, pastor at Temple Baptist Church in Charlotte.

Carruth and the other suspects are charged with murder and conspiracy in the drive-by shooting of Adams on Nov. 16. Adams was driving in her car in Charlotte when another car pulled up beside her. Shots fired from the rear window struck her four times. Carruth's attorneys have said he will plead innocent to the charges against him. Adams died four weeks later. Adams, pregnant at the time of the shooting, delivered a baby who survived.

All four men face the death penalty if convicted. Carruth has been called the attack's instigator by prosecutors. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police have said Watkins has been arrested repeatedly in New York, Georgia and North Carolina, but they haven't released his complete record.

According to officials with the New York prison system, Watkins served two prison terms in the 1980s related to attempted assault, weapon possession and automobile larceny convictions. He was paroled in 1990. Watkins also has been accused twice of domestic violence. He was charged with terrorizing a woman believed to be his wife, in 1997,in New York City.

Kennedy has a record of arrests but few convictions. In April 1994, he was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, accused of shooting a 20-year-old Charlotte man. The assault chargewas dismissed because the victim was in federal custody in Indiana and unavailable, according to documents.

Kennedy's attorney, James Exum, said his client denies he was the shooter in that case. In March 1997, Kennedy was convicted of carrying a concealed 9mm semiautomatic pistol in his car. Exum says he has also been convicted of a misdemeanor weapons charge in South Carolina. Kennedy was best friends with Abraham, who used to be his next-door neighbor. "They're like brothers," said Kennedy's girlfriend, Tiyanda Sanders, 22. "They were always together."

Abraham's friends and family have described his involvement as a classic "wrong place, wrong time" situation. Abraham graduated from West Mecklenburg High School in January 1999 and had worked several short-term jobs while living at home with his parents. "In 19 years, he hadn't really been a problem," said his father, Stanley Abraham Sr.