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As with any tragic story, the true ending is something we're all not ready for, and hope never happens. For a former Nebraska Cornhusker that has been troubled since his time in Lincoln, that happened last night.
Former NFL player Lawrence Phillips committed suicide last night according to Kern Valley State Prison officials.
— KGET News (@KGETnews) January 13, 2016
Former Huskers & NFL Running Back Lawrence Phillips was found dead in his cell this morning according to the California Department of Corrections.
Phillips, who was a star in Lincoln in the mid-1990's, where he was on two of the Huskers National Championshp teams in 1994 + 1995. In the '95 campaign, he was suspended for a majority of the season after he assaulted former girlfriend & Nebraska Women's Basketball player Kate McEwen in her apartment the day after the Huskers defeated Michigan State on the road.
Phillips eventually came back to the team, joining them at the end of the season and playing a big role in the Fiesta Bowl defeat of Florida. That was the last game that Phillips played for Nebraska & Tom Osborne, going to the NFL after that game.
Phillips was serving time in the Kern Valley State Prison for two assaults, serving a 32-year term starting in 2006. Phillips was facing the death penalty for murdering his cellmate at Kern Valley, which would have given him the death penalty if convicted.
Just yesterday, a judge found there was enough evidence to hold Lawrence Phillips for trial on a murder charge. https://t.co/E8d3aaeEc9
— Scooby Axson (@ScoobAxson) January 13, 2016
Phillips was 40 years old.
RIP LP! #FinallyFree #GBR
— LANCE JETER (@SWEETJETE34) January 13, 2016
T Osborne, to AP, on Phillips:"All his correspondence with me in spite of circumstances have been fairly upbeat... didn't see that coming."
— Eric Olson (@ericolson64) January 13, 2016
Osborne to AP: "Things weren't going in a good direction for him. All I can say is I feel very bad..."
— Eric Olson (@ericolson64) January 13, 2016
My love for lawerence and the rest of my team mates is UNCONDITIONAL. SAD DAY RIP LP
— Troy Dumas (@troydumas4) January 13, 2016
Phillips tells mother in recent letter "I feel my anger will soon result in my death or someone elses." #Huskers #LawrencePhillips
— Jim Rose (@Jimrosehuskers) January 13, 2016