Current:Home > NewsSuspect in fatal shooting of ex-Saints player Will Smith sentenced to 25 years in prison-InfoLens
Suspect in fatal shooting of ex-Saints player Will Smith sentenced to 25 years in prison
View Date:2024-12-23 14:51:12
The man who shot and killed former New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Will Smith following a traffic altercation in 2016 has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.
The sentence was handed down Thursday in New Orleans after a jury in January found Cardell Hayes, 36, guilty of manslaughter in a retrial of the case from more than seven years ago.
A previous jury voted 10-2 to convict Hayes, but the decision was overturned when the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed nonunanimous verdicts. He was released on bond after serving more than four years of his original 25-year sentence.
Hayes was taken back into custody on January 27 following his unanimous conviction and held in jail while awaiting sentencing.
Smith was shot eight times, seven times in the back, after an altercation following an accident in which Hayes' SUV hit the rear of Smith's vehicle. A bullet also hit Smith's wife, Racquel, in the leg, but Hayes was acquitted of a related charge of attempted manslaughter in his second trial.
NFL DRAFT HUB: Latest NFL Draft mock drafts, news, live picks, grades and analysis.
Evidence showed Smith was intoxicated at the time of the incident, and Hayes maintained that he acted in self-defense.
Smith played nine seasons with the Saints from 2004-2012. He made the Pro Bowl in 2006 and was a member of the Saints' Super Bowl championship team in 2009.
veryGood! (8161)
Related
- When do new 'Yellowstone' episodes come out? Here's the Season 5, Part 2 episode schedule
- Instagram begins blurring nudity in messages to protect teens and fight sexual extortion
- Mississippi bill would limit where transgender people can use bathrooms in public buildings
- Total solar eclipses are becoming more rare. Here's why 'it's all downhill from here.'
- Old Navy's Early Black Friday Deals Start at $1.97 -- Get Holiday-Ready Sweaters, Skirts, Puffers & More
- North Dakota woman who ran unlicensed day care gets nearly 19 years in prison after baby's death ruled a homicide
- Inflation has caused summer camp costs to soar. Here are tips for parents on how to save
- Boston Celtics, Jrue Holiday agree to four-year contract extension, per report
- FBI raids New York City apartment of Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan, reports say
- Masters Par 3 Contest coverage: Leaderboard, highlights from Rickie Fowler’s win
Ranking
- Forget the bathroom. When renovating a home, a good roof is a no-brainer, experts say.
- Assistant principal ignored warnings that 6-year-old boy had gun before he shot teacher, report says
- Consumers would be notified of AI-generated content under Pennsylvania bill
- Inflation is sticking around. Here's what that means for interest rate cuts — and your money.
- Mike Tyson-Jake Paul: How to watch the fight, time, odds
- Are Zyn pouches bad for you? What experts want you to know
- Delta is changing how it boards passengers starting May 1
- Nashville school shooting families accuse senator of using bill to get his way in records lawsuit
Recommendation
-
Arkansas governor unveils $102 million plan to update state employee pay plan
-
RHOSLC's Monica Garcia Shares She's Pregnant With Mystery Boyfriend's Baby on Viall Files
-
Mom who threw 2 kids onto LA freeway, killing her infant, appeared agitated by impending eclipse
-
Henry Smith: Outlook for the Australian Stock Market in 2024
-
Lee Zeldin, Trump’s EPA Pick, Brings a Moderate Face to a Radical Game Plan
-
Save up to 54% on Samsonite’s Chic & Durable Carry-Ons, Luggage Sets, Duffels, Toiletry Bags & More
-
Horoscopes Today, April 10, 2024
-
Former NFL linebacker Terrell Suggs faces charges from Starbucks drive-thru incident