Who Killed Lawrence Phillips?
Lawrence Phillips was a phenomenal football talent, a back-to-back National Champion at the University of Nebraska and a top NFL draft pick in 1996. But a childhood marred by trauma and violence undercut Phillips’ promise of a fruitful life. Despite his obvious athletic gifts, a pattern of disturbing off-field behavior pushed Phillips out of the league and into legal trouble. In 2008, Lawrence Phillips entered Kern Valley State Prison. He would never get to see the outside again. In January of 2015, while awaiting trial for the alleged murder of his cell-mate, Phillips was found dead in his cell - a suspected suicide. Today, Dave Zirin seeks clarity and lessons from the tragic life of Lawrence Phillips. Our guests are Damon Benning, a Cornhusker teammate of Phillips and a current radio host in Lincoln, Howard University Professor Christian-Dotson Pierson, and Neil Irvin, Executive Director of ‘Men Can Stop Rape.’