Mocobizscene- A jury has found the man responsible for shooting former New Orleans Saints star Will Smith after a traffic accident nearly eight years ago guilty of manslaughter.
After more than four hours of deliberation, the jury reached a verdict in the retrial of Cardell Hayes. News outlets reported that the verdict was delivered just after midnight on Saturday. Hayes now faces the possibility of up to 40 years in prison.
Hayes was acquitted by the jury on charges of attempted manslaughter in the case of shooting and injuring Smith’s wife during the confrontation that took place in April 2016.
In December 2016, Hayes, 36, was convicted of manslaughter for the death of Smith and attempted manslaughter for shooting Racquel Smith. However, the conviction was overturned when the U.S. Supreme Court banned nonunanimous verdicts, as the jury vote was 10-2. After serving over four years of a 25-year sentence, Hayes was released on bond.
The retrial faced several delays due to various reasons, including the closure of courts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The prosecution concluded its case against Hayes on Friday, and the defense made the decision not to call any witnesses thereafter.
The prosecutor emphasized in his closing argument that Hayes had fired without any reason.
During the trial, defense attorney John Fuller vehemently argued that the prosecution failed to establish that Hayes did not act in self-defense. To support his argument, Fuller referred to a crucial piece of evidence – a recording of a 911 call made shortly after the incident. In the background of the call, Hayes can be heard claiming that Smith had expressed his intention to retrieve a firearm from his car. This recording provided a strong indication of Hayes’ belief that he was in imminent danger, further bolstering the self-defense argument.
Fuller aimed to disprove the prosecutors’ assertions that Racquel Smith had managed to calm her husband down before Hayes unleashed his gunfire.
Referring to the prosecution testimony about Racquel’s attempts to defuse the argument, he emphasized the significance of not having to say “Calm down it’s not worth it” if it was not necessary.
There is evidence to suggest that Will Smith was intoxicated during the confrontation. However, there are no witnesses or forensic evidence to support Hayes’ claim that Smith had a weapon and fired it.
Smith, a 34-year-old father of three, played a crucial role as a defensive leader on the Saints team, bringing hope and resilience to the people of New Orleans following the devastating Hurricane Katrina in 2005. His exceptional skills and determination propelled the team to a successful season in 2006 and ultimately led them to a victorious Super Bowl win in 2010.
Hayes, the owner of a tow truck business, used to be involved in semi-professional football before. Additionally, he is a father to a son.
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