Lawrence Phillips found dead in California prison cell

Phillips was found in his cell at Kern Valley State Prison in Delano, California.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed Taylor's death was a suspected suicide in a press release.

Phillips was found unresponsive in his cell at 00:05 (local time) on Wednesday as the prison staff were conducting security checks. He was transported to an outside hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:27.

The 40-year-old was facing a possible death penalty in the alleged murder of his former cell mate at Kern Valley.

A first-round pick in the 1996 NFL Draft by the Rams, Phillips played three seasons in the league before off-field incidents and legal problems ended his NFL career. He also played in NFL Europe and the Canadian Football League.

He was serving a 31-year sentence at Kern Valley for assaulting a former girlfriend and driving his car into three teenagers.

Phillips pleaded not guilty to two first-degree murder charges following the death of then-cell mate Damion Soward.