A Man Who Spent Two Decades In Prison For His Role In Plot To Kill Pregnant Girlfriend Of Former Carolina Panthers Player Rae Carruth Dies
It is a tragic story that lasted for over two decades but has finally come to an end. After spending more than twenty years behind bars, a man by the name of Michael Eugene Kennedy has died in prison, having been sentenced to two life sentences for his role in a plot to kill the pregnant girlfriend of former Carolina Panthers player Rae Carruth.
It was back in 1999 when Kennedy, a close friend of Carruth, had agreed to help with the plot to kill the pregnant woman. Kennedy was hired by Carruth to fire the shots that would eventually take the woman’s life. Although Carruth was not at the scene of the shooting, he was convicted of conspiring to murder and was sentenced to 18-24 years in prison.
Kennedy, however, was left with a much harsher sentence. He was found guilty of second-degree murder and two counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and sentenced to two consecutive life sentences.
As the years went by, Kennedy repeatedly appealed his conviction but was continuously denied. In 2017, the Supreme Court of North Carolina rejected his appeal, stating that Kennedy had failed to provide sufficient evidence of his innocence.
Kennedy’s legal team had argued that he had been pressured into taking part in the deadly plot and that his role had been primarily that of an accessory to the crime. However, the court concluded that Kennedy had acted with intent and agreed to be part of the plot to murder the pregnant woman.
Over the years, Kennedy had shown signs of remorse for his actions. During a 2020 court hearing where he had been seeking early release on parole, Kennedy had admitted that he was “ashamed and embarrassed” for his role in the plot to kill the pregnant woman, and expressed remorse for his actions.
Despite Kennedy’s confession and apparent remorse, the court chose to deny his request, leaving him to serve out his two life sentences. However, less than a year later, news has emerged that Kennedy has passed away in prison due to natural causes.
His death has brought to an end a complex and tragic story that lasted for over two decades. While Kennedy had shown signs of remorse, his actions resulted in the death of an innocent woman. But however one may view the case, the outcome is ultimately the same – a life was taken and Kennedy had to pay the consequences.
Regardless of one’s opinion of the case, it is worth noting that Kennedy’s passage from this world marks the conclusion of one of the longest criminal cases in North Carolina history. While the case is now closed, it serves as a reminder of the tragedy of violence and the need to find better ways to address it in our society.
