Imprisoned former NFL and Husker running back Lawrence Phillips killed himself while he was awaiting a trial that could have brought him the death penalty, a California coroner said Friday.
The Kern County coroner's office released no other details.
Phillips, 40, was found unresponsive at Kern Valley State Prison and died at a hospital early Wednesday.
Meanwhile, an attorney representing Phillips' family told USA Today on Friday that the family has opted to donate the brain of the former Husker to researchers studying traumatic brain injury.
Phillips' brain will be donated to Boston University's Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy.