Lawrence Phillips
Lawrence Phillips, a former University of Nebraska standout who went on to play in the NFL for the St. Louis Rams, Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers, died at age 40 on January 13, 2016. He was found unresponsive in his cell in the administrative segregation unit at Kern Valley State Prison in Delano, California, and was pronounced dead at an outside hospital. Prison officials described the death as a suspected suicide, and the Kern County coroner's office later ruled it a suicide. His defense attorney and his mother did not believe it was a suicide and were waiting for an autopsy, and his family later donated his brain for chronic traumatic encephalopathy research.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (neglect alleged). The coroner ruled the death a suicide by strangulation with a bed sheet, and prison officials suspected suicide; his defense attorney and mother did not believe it was a suicide and were waiting for an autopsy, and the segregation unit was checked only twice an hour.
Reported by: Kern County coroner's office (medical examiner or coroner); Kern Valley State Prison officials (the agency that held him); his defense attorney and mother.
News reports (7)
- Lawrence Phillips, 40, found dead in California jail cell
- Former San Francisco 49ers running back Lawrence Phillips accused of murder found dead in prison
- Former NFL player Lawrence Phillips dead after being found unresponsive in prison cell
- Ex-Rams running back Lawrence Phillips dead after likely prison suicide
- Former Nebraska and Miami Dolphins running back Lawrence Phillips found dead
- Lawrence Phillips' family to donate brain to CTE research, attorney says - ABC News
- Report shows Lawrence Phillips hung himself