Former Bears Cornerback Richardson Charged With Murder: Police

CHICAGO — Former Chicago Bears cornerback Michael Richardson, who started for the Super Bowl XX championship team and introduced himself as “L.A. Mike” in the iconic Super Bowl Shuffle video, has been charged with second-degree murder in Arizona, according to booking information on the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department’s website.

Richardson, 59, faces a count of second-degree murder, one count of drug possession and possession of a weapon by a prohibited person. Police told a Phoenix television station on Wednesday that Richardson was booked into the Maricopa County Jail in connection with the shooting death of a 47-year-old Arizona man Tuesday morning.

According to reports, Ronald Lake was found with a gunshot wound by Phoenix police Tuesday morning and was in critical condition before he later died.

ABC-15 reported that this is the third time this year that Richardson has been arrested by the department with the two previous arrests coming on drug possession charges. Richardson was also jailed twice in 2018 in Maricopa County after being accused of theft and possession of methamphetamine, crack cocaine and heroin, the report stated.

Richardson was a starter for the 1985 Bears and was an All-Pro during his NFL career, which ended in 1989. In the Super Bowl Shuffle video, Richardson has a solo in which he says, “I’m LA Mike and I play it cool. They don’t sneak by me because I’m no fool.”

But since his playing career ended, Richardson has dealt with his share of trouble. According to the Chicago Tribune, Richardson faced a 13-year prison sentence in 2008 for possession of methamphetamine and crack cocaine. The report stated that Richardson, who was an All-American at Arizona State, had been convicted 21 times at the time of that arrest, but that pleas from former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former teammate Richard Dent got the sentence reduced to one year plus probation.

In 2011, Richardson told the Tribune he was a changed man.

"Some of the negative things I did were almost five years ago," Richardson told the Tribune. "I am a different person today and I would hope fans or the public would move forward because I am a good example of transforming one's life."

He added: "That's the initial process of healing and change, just admitting a problem — whether it's selling or using," he said. "The person needs to change, and that has to come from within ... But the bottom line is: How do you get out of it? That is more important. It's how you think, feel and act. The biggest issue is committing to change. And that's a daily process that has to come from the individual."