Fred Lane
Encyclopedia
Fred Brown Lane, Jr. was an American football
running back
in the NFL
for the Carolina Panthers
.
. His father, Fred Lane, Sr., was a star at the old Natchez High School (which later desegregated with Franklin High). Attending Franklin Junior High School, it was noticed that Lane possessed uncommon speed and agility for such a young player.
Lane attended Franklin High School
, amassing over 1,000 yards his senior year, while averaging 7.5 yards per carry. His number, 28, is retired by the school.
in Jackson, Tennessee
. He finished his career with 3,612 rushing yards, just ten yards behind Tre Rowland.
. He set a then-team record that year with a 147 rushing yard performance. During his three years with the Panthers, he accumulated 2,001 rushing yards (the most in franchise history at the time) and 13 touchdowns.
In 1998, Lane was late for the team's charter plane to Dallas
, and was benched as punishment. Later that season, he celebrated a touchdown by grabbing his crotch. The gesture was not seen on national television, but was captured by WBTV
in Charlotte. When the Panthers saw it, they benched Lane for the next week's game. Lane also embarrassed himself and the Panthers by putting on another elaborate celebration of a touchdown—in a game where the New York Jets
defeated Carolina 52-24.
In April 2000, his wife Deidra Lane filed a complaint against him for domestic violence
. Shortly thereafter, he was traded to the Indianapolis Colts
, where he was set to back up Edgerrin James
.
Deidra pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter
. She claimed that Fred emotionally and physically abused her; however, the judge ruled that the shooting was premeditated and that she deliberately shot Fred twice, even though the first shot rendered him helpless. The judge determined that those factors outweighed the alleged abuse and gave her eight years in prison, the maximum sentence allowed. She served her sentence at Raleigh Correctional Center for Women. She was released on March 3, 2009.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
.
Early life
Lane was born and raised in Franklin, TennesseeFranklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
. His father, Fred Lane, Sr., was a star at the old Natchez High School (which later desegregated with Franklin High). Attending Franklin Junior High School, it was noticed that Lane possessed uncommon speed and agility for such a young player.
Lane attended Franklin High School
Franklin High School (Tennessee)
Franklin High School is a Public High School located in Franklin, Tennessee, in Williamson County.-History:Franklin High School was established in 1910, with 2 teachers and 20 students in an upstairs room in the Franklin Institute, an old Elementary School, located in the center of Franklin,...
, amassing over 1,000 yards his senior year, while averaging 7.5 yards per carry. His number, 28, is retired by the school.
College career
Lane attended Lane CollegeLane College
-Namesake:SS Lane Victory, a World War II Victory Ship, and one of the few such ships surviving, was named for Lane College. It is now docked in San Pedro, California . It is now open as a museum.-External links:*...
in Jackson, Tennessee
Jackson, Tennessee
Jackson is a city in Madison County, Tennessee, United States. The total population was 65,211 at the 2010 census. Jackson is the primary city of the Jackson, Tennessee metropolitan area, which is included in the Jackson-Humboldt, Tennessee Combined Statistical Area...
. He finished his career with 3,612 rushing yards, just ten yards behind Tre Rowland.
Pro career
Lane was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Panthers before the 1997 NFL season1997 NFL season
The 1997 NFL season was the 78th regular season of the National Football League. The Oilers relocated from Houston, Texas to Nashville, Tennessee...
. He set a then-team record that year with a 147 rushing yard performance. During his three years with the Panthers, he accumulated 2,001 rushing yards (the most in franchise history at the time) and 13 touchdowns.
In 1998, Lane was late for the team's charter plane to Dallas
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, and was benched as punishment. Later that season, he celebrated a touchdown by grabbing his crotch. The gesture was not seen on national television, but was captured by WBTV
WBTV
WBTV, channel 3 , is the CBS affiliate in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is one of two flagship stations of Raycom Media. WBTV's studios are located off Morehead Street just west of Uptown Charlotte, and its transmitter is located in north-central Gaston County, North Carolina...
in Charlotte. When the Panthers saw it, they benched Lane for the next week's game. Lane also embarrassed himself and the Panthers by putting on another elaborate celebration of a touchdown—in a game where the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
defeated Carolina 52-24.
In April 2000, his wife Deidra Lane filed a complaint against him for domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
. Shortly thereafter, he was traded to the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, where he was set to back up Edgerrin James
Edgerrin James
Edgerrin Tyree James is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts fourth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami....
.
Death
On July 5, 2000, Lane made a phone call to his father telling him that he wanted to sell his motorcycle because he needed the cash. On July 6, 2000, he was shot and killed by his wife Deidra during an alleged domestic dispute. Law enforcement investigators believe Deidra Lane shot her husband moments after he arrived at their Mecklenburg home for the $5 million in life insurance he carried.Deidra pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter
Voluntary Manslaughter
Voluntary manslaughter is the killing of a human being in which the offender had no prior intent to kill and acted during "the heat of passion," under circumstances that would cause a reasonable person to become emotionally or mentally disturbed. In the Uniform Crime Reports prepared by the...
. She claimed that Fred emotionally and physically abused her; however, the judge ruled that the shooting was premeditated and that she deliberately shot Fred twice, even though the first shot rendered him helpless. The judge determined that those factors outweighed the alleged abuse and gave her eight years in prison, the maximum sentence allowed. She served her sentence at Raleigh Correctional Center for Women. She was released on March 3, 2009.