Jury Finds Cardell Hayes Guilty of Manslaughter in 2016 Killing of Former Saints Defensive End Will Smith.

Data News Staff Edited Report

A New Orleans jury deliberated for more than four hours before returning a guilty verdict early Saturday morning in the deadly shooting of former Saints Defensive End Will Smith.

Cardell Hayes was convicted of manslaughter for a second time after Smith was shot following a dispute over a vehicle crash in April 2016. Smith was driving an SUV at the time of the traffic incident. A verbal altercation began over whether Smith’s vehicle had hit Hayes’ Hummer along Magazine Street in New Orleans.

Hayes could now face up to four decades following the jury’s decision in the retrial of the nearly eight-year-old case.

District Attorney Jason Williams insisted during his closing argument that Hayes had fired needlessly.

Hayes Attorneys John Fuller and Sarah Chervinsky, said they plan to file an appeal.

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