Deidra Lane Held Without Bail

By
Paul Nowell
January 7, 2006, 5:12 AM ET
3 min read

C H A R L O T T E, N.C., Sept. 18, 2000 -- The widow of slain NFL running back FredLane was held without bail today on bank robbery charges aftercourt documents suggested she might have killed her husband to stophim from reporting the theft.

Dressed in an orange jail jumpsuit and leg shackles, Deidra Laneappeared before a federal magistrate at the first of two hearingstoday, this one concerning bank larceny charges.

She also was to appear in state court on a murder charge. She isaccused of fatally shooting her husband July 6 in the couple’sCharlotte home.

At the federal hearing, court documents were unsealed containingstatements from an FBI investigator suggesting a possible motive:Deidra Lane killed her husband to keep him from telling policeabout her role in the 1998 theft of $41,200 from a Wachovia Bankbranch.

Allegedly Told Husband of Theft

Agent David Drew said Kisha Tennille Hudson, a friend of FredLane’s, told homicide investigators that Fred Lane “told her thatDeidra Lane, his wife, had stolen money from a bank in Charlotte,North Carolina.

“Fred Lane told Hudson that Deidra was afraid the police wereafter her because she went into a bank, where her friend was ateller, and came out with a bag of money,” he wrote. U.S. Magistrate Judge Carl Horn referred to the FBI agent’saffidavit before he told a sobbing Deidra Lane that she would notget bail any time soon.

“Her greed appears to be at the center of both the federal andstate charges,” Horn said. “I find that she must be held withoutbond.”

Deidra Lane’s attorney, Henderson Hill, said after the hearing“there is absolutely nothing to this allegation.”

“There is a circle of Fred Lane’s friends and supporters whowant to lash out at Deidra,” he said.

Horn did release Deidra Lane’s co-defendant, Natosha Watson, on$50,000 unsecured bond.

A Bogus Bank Heist

According to the court documents, Deidra Lane and Watsonconspired to steal $41,200 from the Wachovia Bank branch whereWatson worked as a teller. The theft occurred on July 1, 1998.

According to statements Watson gave to the FBI, the two hatcheda plan to make it appear to be a bank robbery, right down to abogus note which said: “Give me all you money in the seconddrawer, don’t say anything, hurry.”

In arguing against bond for Deidra Lane, Assistant U.S. AttorneyBrian Whisler told the judge that several witnesses identified herfrom bank surveillance tapes. Combined with her police record, hesaid, Deidra Lane was a danger to the community and a risk offlight.

Whisler told Horn that Deidra Lane has a criminal record thatdates back to 1995. She was charged with attempting to rob a SouthCarolina credit union five years ago, he said. She wasarrested but allowed to complete a diversionary program and she wasnot convicted.