Will Smith died in a car accident almost eight years ago
Cardell Hayes was found guilty of murder early Saturday morning
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The man who shot and killed former New Orleans Saints star Will Smith was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter on Saturday, nearly eight years after the incident.
Cardell Hayes faces up to 40 years in prison following the guilty verdict in a retrial of a case dating back to April 2016, when Smith was shot following a traffic accident.
Hayes was acquitted of attempted manslaughter for shooting Smith’s wife, Racquel, who was wounded in the same incident.
Defense attorneys had insisted that There is He rightly feared for his life when he shot Smith, but the city’s top prosecutor argued that Hayes fired unnecessarily.
“A man fired a gun,” said District Attorney Jason Williams, holding in the air the gun marked with evidence that Hayes fired, striking Smith eight times – seven in the back – and also striking Smith’s wife in the arms. legs.
Former New Orleans Saints star Will Smith died in a car accident nearly eight years ago.
Cardell Hayes could face up to 40 years in prison after being convicted of murder
Hayes was convicted in December 2016 of involuntary manslaughter for Smith’s death and attempted manslaughter for the gunshot wound to Racquel Smith.
But the jury vote was 10-2 and the conviction was overturned after the Supreme Court banned non-unanimous verdicts. Hayes was released on bail after serving more than four years of a 25-year sentence.
His retrial was delayed for a variety of reasons, including court closures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prosecutors dropped their case against Hayes on Friday and the defense decided not to call witnesses after that, setting the stage for closing arguments and jury deliberations.
Smith was a leader on the Saints team that lifted spirits in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
Deputy Prosecutor Matt Derbes, during closing arguments, readily admitted that Smith was drunk at the time Hayes crashed into the back of his car before the shooting, and that a heated argument ensued.
Hayes, 36, insisted at his 2016 trial that he shot Smith in self-defense during the April 2016 confrontation. Hayes said he shot Smith only because he believed a drunk and belligerent Smith had recovered a gun from his truck.
Smith, a 34-year-old father of three, was a defensive leader on the Saints team that lifted spirits in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city in 2005. He helped lead the team to a winning season in 2006 already a Super Bowl. victory in 2010.
Hayes, who owns a towing business, once played semi-professional football. He has a son.