Monday, January 6, 1997

Thirteen years later, 'Hollywood' Henderson apologizes

By the Associated Press (Jan. 6, 1997)

DALLAS (AP) - Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson has apologized in an open letter in which the former Dallas Cowboys linebacker says he wanted to commit suicide after being charged with drug-related crimes.

Henderson, who played with Dallas from 1975-79, said it has taken since 1983 to find the courage to apologize and publicly acknowledge the crack cocaine addiction that led to a 28-month California prison stay.

"A little more than 13 years ago, I was hopelessly addicted to crack cocaine and the lifestyle," Henderson wrote in the letter published Sunday in The Dallas Morning News. "I had arrived in Dallas eight years before as a 21-year-old, wide-eyed big mouth rookie from Langston University as the Cowboys' No. 1 draft choice. "I had a covert life in the fast lane of stardom, cocaine and sex."

Henderson moved to Long Beach, Calif., to pursue an acting career but said his "starring role as a crack addict would not allow me to audition for other parts."

He was arrested and charged on Nov. 2, 1983, with one count of sexual assault and two counts of false imprisonment after he said he had smoked crack with two teen-age women in his apartment.

"I received a sexual favor from one for letting them smoke crack with me," he wrote. "Sex for crack. That is the way it was."

But he denied having sex with the second woman, who had been in an automobile accident and was recovering in a wheelchair from a back injury.

"Looking back now, I realize I was always on my way to prison," Henderson wrote. "Before coach (Tom) Landry fired me the Monday before Thanksgiving 1979, John Wooten of the Cowboys told me the team knew of my cocaine use and underworld friends.

"I knew there was nothing I could possibly do about my cocaine use. I was addicted. I couldn't live without it."

Henderson, 43, now lives in Austin and works as a drug and alcohol counselor.

"I want to apologize to Dallas, the Cowboys, fans of football, fans of Thomas Henderson and the kids then and now for what I did 13 years ago, I take full responsibility and have paid the dues."

The recovering addict has been drug-free for the 13 years following the offense.

"I wanted to commit suicide on many, many occasions," Henderson wrote. "What you thought of me haunted me.

"Luckily, I found the answer to my troubles ... stay sober and see what happens."