| | ESPN.com news services
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Pleas of innocent to six charges,
including an alleged beating of a girlfriend, were entered on
Wednesday by Lawrence Phillips, the former Nebraska star whose
personal problems cut short his pro football career.
Superior Court Judge Elden Fox ordered Phillips held in lieu of
$630,000 bond, the amount requested by prosecutors. But Fox also
ordered another bail hearing Thursday and scheduled a preliminary
hearing for June 13.
The 25-year-old running back had a previous domestic violence
arrest involving a girlfriend while in college and was put on
probation. Another probation sentence resulted from his plea of no
contest in Plantation, Fla., to a charge of hitting a woman in a
bar.
In the latest incident, police were called to a Beverly Hills
residence about 4 a.m. Saturday, where officers said they found
Phillips' girlfriend had been attacked. He was arrested when he
arrived at the home about eight hours later.
Phillips pleaded innocent to felony counts of corporal injury on
a cohabitant, making a terrorist threat and conspiring to dissuade
a witness, as well as misdemeanor counts of carrying a concealed
firearm in a vehicle, carrying a loaded firearm and vandalism with
damage of less than $400.
A first-round draft choice of the St. Louis Rams in 1996,
Phillips was later released for insubordination. He was
subsequently released by the Miami Dolphins after the misdemeanor
battery conviction in Florida.
He revived his career with stellar play in NFL Europe in 1999
and was signed by the San Francisco 49ers, only to be cut for
missing practice.
General manager Jim Popp of the Canadian Football League's
Montreal Alouettes said he recently spoke with Phillips about
playing for his team.
"He was ready right then and there to come up to Montreal and
get ready for the season," Popp said. "Then he backed off. He
wanted to wait. We haven't really talked since."
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