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."