Pubdate: Mon, 27 Mar 2006 Source: Herald Bulletin, The (IN) Copyright: 2006 The Herald Bulletin Contact: http://www.theheraldbulletin.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3877 Author: Ken de la Bastide Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) FULLER RELEASED FROM PRISON Former Basketball Standout Credits Jesus For Early Release During his years as an Anderson Indian, Maurice "Kojak" Fuller became an icon in this basketball-crazed community. Today he realizes that there is life after basketball. After spending almost eight years in prison, the former Indiana Mr. Basketball will serve the remaining 28 months of his sentence on work release in Madison County. Fuller, 31, was sentenced to 20 years following his 1999 conviction for dealing crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of Anderson High School. In a brief hearing Monday Judge Thomas Newman Jr. ordered that Fuller's sentence be completed at the work-release center until his release date in June 2008. "I'm excited," Fuller said during an interview Monday at the Madison County jail. "Words can't express how I feel. I have been blessed." While in prison, Fuller dedicated his life to Jesus and believes that as religion transformed his life, it can transform the life of others. "When I went to prison I knew that I could play basketball," he said. "I needed to learn how to be a man, father and son. I'm thankful for the time I spent in prison because it gave me a new appreciation for my family and life. I became more aware of what you have as an individual." Fuller wants to be an example to others on what it means to be a man and father. "My babies are my life," Fuller said of his five children. "One of the things that hurt me the most was that time didn't stop. Two of my children were born while I was in prison, they are now 7 years old." Being able to hug his children and to show them his love is important to Fuller. "I want to give them a father," he said. "I missed a lot." He wants to ask young people that, after basketball, who will they be? "Talent without wisdom can be destructive," Fuller said. "You have to be able to apply the information you have. My message is that everyone needs to have a relationship with Jesus." Fuller said when he was first arrested it was easy to blame others for his problems. "When I got a new insight into who I was, I realized I was most of the problem. My faith allowed me to admit that I was to blame." He hopes his community service will include talking with children in Madison County. "I want to give children something on how to deal with the pressures of life," Fuller said. It was a lesson Fuller learned the hard way. He was named Mr. Basketball in 1993 after Jeffersonville's Sherron Wilkerson was stripped of the title. Fuller is still Madison County's all-time scoring leader with 2,060 points. He played one year of basketball at Vincennes University and was declared academically ineligible. He then enrolled at Southern University in Louisiana. He dropped out after the 1995-1996 season. From there Fuller had several encounters with law enforcement. He was sentenced to one year in prison in 1997 for pointing a sawed-off shotgun at two men. Fuller was then arrested for delivering crack cocaine to a Madison County Drug Task Force officer in October and November 1996. He was sentenced to 30 years with 20 years to be served in prison. Fuller's father-in-law, Bishop Robert Rivers, said the family knew that eventually Fuller would own up to his mistakes. "This is like a mist or fog that was burned off," Rivers said. "He finally stood up and admitted that he was guilty." Rivers said that Fuller has found God and is working through a ministry with other inmates and young people. "He is going to be a positive role model on young men in Anderson," Rivers said. "He has turned his life around. This is for real." A key factor in putting Fuller on work release was a letter from Prosecutor Rodney Cummings to the Indiana Parole Board last September. Cummings wrote that he had never before written the parole board. "The city of Anderson has a rich basketball tradition," wrote Cummings. "Maurice Fuller is one of our five IHSAA Mr. Basketball award winners. Our basketball heroes are icons. Far too often it seems misbehaviors by our basketball stars have been overlooked." Fuller thought no Anderson jury would convict a Mr. Basketball, Cummings wrote. Fuller was wrong. "Over the past several years, I have received many reports both from community leaders and inmates who served time with Fuller," wrote Cummings. "They tell me of a truly changed man. I have come to the conclusion that Fuller is worthy of a sentence modification." - --- MAP posted-by: Tom