NEW ORLEANS (AP) – The man who shot retired New Orleans Saints star Will Smith to death nearly eight years ago will go on trial again on Monday.
Cardell Hayes, 36, has maintained for a long time that he shot Smith in April 2016 following a car accident out of self-
defense. Smith passed away, and gunshots injured his wife Racquel Smith.
A few months after the incident, Hayes was found guilty of manslaughter and attempted manslaughter. The U.S.
Supreme Court subsequently ruled that such convictions must be unanimous, despite the jury’s 10-2 verdict. After the
conviction was overturned, he was released on bond after serving more than four years of a 25-year sentence.
Hayes claimed during his trial in December 2016 that he only shot Smith—firing at him seven times in the back and
once in the side—because he thought the aggressive and inebriated Smith had taken a gun from his SUV. On the
witness stand, he maintained that he did not shoot at Smith’s wife, who was struck in the legs, and that he heard a
“pop” before pulling the trigger.
According to the evidence, Smith was drunk when the altercation occurred. However, Hayes’s allegation that Smith
had discharged or handled a weapon was not supported by any forensic evidence or eyewitness accounts.
The COVID-19 epidemic is one of the many reasons why Hayes’ retrial has been postponed numerous times.
The 34-year-old father of three, Smith led the Saints’ defence and helped to restore hope to New Orleans following
Hurricane Katrina’s devastation to the city in 2005. In 2006, he contributed to the team’s winning season, and in
2010, he helped the squad win the Super Bowl.
Hayes is a father of a small boy and a former semi-pro football player. He operated a tow truck company.
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