Sports: Defendant maintains innocence

Defendant maintains innocence

By Compiled from Times wires

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A co-defendant in Rae Carruth's murder trial said Monday he rejected plea agreements twice because he was innocent in the killing of the former Carolina Panther's pregnant girlfriend.

Michael Eugene Kennedy, one of three co-defendants, said he thought Carruth and the confessed triggerman, Van Brett Watkins, should be held accountable in the killing last year of Cherica Adams. Kennedy testified for prosecutors and was due back on the stand this morning.

"I have no motive and neither does Stanley," Kennedy said, referring to another co-defendant, Stanley Drew "Boss" Abraham.

Kennedy has testified he was driving a car carrying Abraham and Watkins, who shot Adams as she sat in her own car where it was stopped behind Carruth's vehicle.

Kennedy said he felt Carruth had threatened his life. After the slaying, he said, Carruth told him not to talk to police.

Adams was eight months pregnant with Carruth's child when she was shot Nov.16, 1999, in what prosecutors said was a trap laid by Carruth to avoid having to pay child support.

BAD BLOOD: During its 44-7 romp over Cleveland, Baltimore continued to blitz rookie quarterback Spergon Wynn late in the fourth quarter, even when leading by 30 points.

Coach Chris Palmer implied that he took offense to Ravens coach Brian Billick's defensive tactics. However, several Browns were much more outspoken, saying the Ravens had tried to embarrass them.

"They tried to rub our noses in the ground," Wali Rainer said.

"The fact that they blitzed us all the way through the fourth quarter was very valuable for (Wynn)," Palmer said with more than a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "It gave him an opportunity to grow and remember a lot of things. "I wasn't upset with anything. I'll coach on my sideline and he'll coach on his sideline and just remember how the game was played, that's all."

Billick didn't back off on his decision to keep attacking.

"We're going to play our game," he said. "I don't ask quarter for anybody and I don't expect any. We have a great deal of respect for them."

AND NOW, THE NEWS: CBS cut away from the final minutes of San Diego's 17-16 win over Kansas City on Sunday for a special report on the presidential vote certification in Florida.

Affiliates in both cities said their switchboards were flooded by callers complaining of the switch.

The switch was particularly annoying to San Diego fans, who suffered through a season-opening, 11-game losing streak, only to miss the final plays of the Chargers' first win.

BILLS: Free safety Keion Carpenter will miss the rest of the regular season after sustaining high ankle sprains Sunday against the Bucs. Also, linebacker Sam Rogers will miss 3-4 weeks with a pulled groin muscle.

BRONCOS: Linebacker John Mobley was scheduled to have surgery on his broken right thumb Monday and could miss Sunday's game against New Orleans. ... Guard Mark Schlereth will wait until his surgically repaired knee heals before making a decision about retiring.

CARDINALS: Arizona lost its third in a row Sunday to fall to 1-4 under interim coach Dave McGinnis, who says he isn't about to allow his injury-depleted team go through the motions.

"I'm going to tighten up," McGinnis said. "I'm not letting go of this thing. I'm going to pull the rope tighter."

COWBOYS: Emmitt Smith, knocked unconscious for the first time in his career on Thanksgiving Day, didn't practice but ran some sprints and expects to go through a full practice Wednesday. He said he will be in the lineup Sunday at Tampa Bay.

LIONS: Quarterback Charlie Batch, who led the victory over the Patriots on Thanksgiving despite bruised ribs, will start Thursday against Minnesota, coach Gary Moeller said.

RAMS: Defensive end Kevin Carter had blood drained from his swollen knee but expects to play Sunday. Also, defensive end Leonard Little dislocated his right ring finger and could not use that hand Monday. Kicker Jeff Wilkins, who has missed four games and most of a fifth with a quadriceps injury, is expected to return Sunday.

REDSKINS: Washington will have quarterback Brad Johnson back Sunday against the Giants. He missed the past three games with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. The Redskins have gone 1-2 under backup Jeff George.

Coach Norv Turner had said Johnson would start again when 100 percent healthy.

"We can come up with a lot of reasons," Turner said. "The No. 1 is, he's our starting quarterback. We waited a while to make sure. He moved around well throughout the week last week. He had no reactions."

SAINTS: New Orleans lost three defensive players -- cornerback Fred Weary and linebackers Phil Clarke and Corey Terry -- with injuries in the first quarter of its win Sunday at St. Louis. Weary sprained his right knee, Terry ruptured a tendon in his right knee and Clarke came out with a pulled right thigh muscle.

Also, tackle Norman Hand sprained his left foot in the second quarter.

SEAHAWKS: Quarterback Brock Huard is expected to miss at least one game with a bruised kidney.

Huard was hurt on a first-quarter sack by Denver linebacker John Mobley. Huard had tests Monday, but the results were not immediately available.

TITANS: Defensive end Kenny Holmes, who has been playing with sore shoulders the past month, had a precautionary MRI to check out a sore knee.

XFL

Joseph Lombardi, the grandson of the late Green Bay Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi, was hired as running backs coach by New York/New Jersey. He was defensive line coach and strength and conditioning coach at Bucknell this year.