"Rae indicates his innocence and will be pleading not guilty," said Carruth's new lawyer, Kenneth Spaulding. "We feel like the residents of Mecklenburg County are going to give him a chance to be heard."

	Carruth's mother Theodry, center, said her son is "ready to fight."

Spaulding is part of a new team of lawyers hired after Carruth fired George Laughrun and Harold Bender. David Rudolf also is joining in Carruth's defense.

In the court hearing Wednesday, the infant boy who lost his mother in the slaying was placed in the temporary custody of the child's maternal grandmother by a family court judge.

Carruth is being held without bond on first-degree murder and related charges for his alleged role in Adams' death. Police say the killing was directed by Carruth.

Neither Carruth nor his mother, Theodry Carruth, sought custody of the child, Chancellor Lee Adams.

"We feel it's a very supportive family, a good family," Spaulding said in court. "Mr. Carruth, based on his current status and location, could not maintain custody of Chancellor."

Judge Yvonne Evans put off a decision on awarding permanent custody to Saundra Adams pending the results of a paternity test that Carruth has agreed to take. The judge scheduled another hearing on the matter for Dec. 30.

Authorities said Carruth, a former Carolina Panthers wide receiver, is the father of Chancellor Adams. Carruth and three other men have been charged with a Nov. 16 drive-by shooting that wounded Cherica Adams and prompted the emergency delivery of her son, who was 10 weeks short of full term.

Chancellor Adams remains hospitalized, but has been upgraded to fair condition; his mother died Dec. 14. Saundra Adams was granted emergency custody of her grandson on the day her daughter died.

"We are ready to move forward and start building a life for Chancellor when he is ready to come out of the hospital," Saundra Adams' attorney, Jay Ferguson, said after the hearing.

Prosecutors have said they plan to seek the death penalty against Carruth. Carruth is the first active NFL player to be charged with murder.

As the custody hearing ended Wednesday and deputies led Carruth out of the courtroom, his mother sobbed and wiped away tears, but she said her son is not giving up.

"Rae is up," she said. "He's ready to fight."