quote:
The man who gunned down New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith after a traffic accident in Louisiana has again been convicted of manslaughter, nearly eight years after the footballer’s death and three years after his previous conviction was thrown out.

Jurors deliberated for about five hours before they returned with a verdict just after midnight on Saturday, finding Cardell Hayes guilty of spraying Smith with bullets after a collision in New Orleans’ Lower Garden District. Hayes is facing 40 years behind bars and is slated to be sentenced in March.

During the days-long trial, which included testimony from nearly a dozen witnesses, the defense argued Hayes shot Smith in self-defense and that he feared for his life during their confrontation on April 9, 2016. John Fuller, an attorney representing Hayes, specifically pointed to a 911 call made soon after the shooting in which his client can be heard claiming Smith stated he intended to get a gun from his car.
Prosecutors meanwhile contended that Hayes intentionally rammed Smith’s Mercedes with his Hummer that night, sparking an argument between the two that would end in deadly violence. They acknowledged that Smith was intoxicated at the time of the crash as well as the fact he had a gun in his car — but prosecutors also emphasized there was no evidence to suggest Smith was armed or fired the weapon at any point during the incident.
“One gun was fired by one man,” District Attorney Jason Williams said during closing arguments on Friday, waving the evidence-tagged handgun Hayes fired. Smith was struck eight time — seven in the back — and his wife, Racquel Smith, who was in the car at the time, was also hit in her legs.

So, please explain, with evidence, his innocence for self-defense. If Smith indeed pulled a weapon from his vehicle/person and was attempting to point it, with aggression at the suspect, then I'd agree. But I don't think that was the case. I believe Hayes was premature as well as excessive in this one. Sorry

This post was edited on 1/27/24 at 5:23 pm