NEW ORLEANS—Nearly eight years after retired New Orleans Saints star Will Smith was shot to death in a confrontation following a traffic crash, a long-awaited retrial got underway Tuesday for the man who pulled the trigger.
Cardell Hayes, 36, was convicted of manslaughter in December 2016 for killing Smith, and attempted manslaughter for wounding Smith’s wife, whose legs were struck by bullets. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. But the 10–2 jury conviction was tossed after the Supreme Court ruled against non-unanimous verdicts. Mr. Hayes was freed on bond in March 2021, having served about four years.
