Report on how Lawrence Phillips died (Photos)

Former NFL running back Lawrence Phillips was once one of the biggest stars in football. But on Wednesday he hit rock bottom . .
. and ended up killing himself while he was awaiting a trial that likely would have landed him in jail FOREVER..

Prison guards for Lawrence, 40, unresponsive at Kern Valley State Prison - he was taken to the hospital immediately, where he was pronounced dead. Reports are that he HANGED himself.

He had been housed alone since April after he was suspected of killing his cellmate, Damion Soward, 37, the cousin of former University of Southern California and NFL wide receiver R. Jay Soward.

Phillips was originally sentenced to more than 31 years in prison in 2008 after he was convicted of domestic violence in 2005 in San Diego and of driving his car into three teens later that year after a pickup football game in Los Angele

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Lawrence Phillips was for a time, one of the most sought after running backs in the NFL. In fact, he was so good that despite being arrested forbeating his girlfriend, he was STILL drafted No. 6 overall by the St. Louis Rams in 1996. One year later the team released Lawrence for insubordination. He also played for the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers but was out of the NFL by 2000.