LA - Will Smith, 34, retired New Orleans Saints, dies in road rage, New Orleans, 9 April 2016 *new trial 2023*

[jjenny]

I don't understand how the gun was legal either. I guess they let just about anybody to get a gun these days.

 

[CARIIS]

I am not at all convinced that the suspect didn't know the victim.

"Although road rage was initially mentioned by police as a possible motive for the shooting, police also focused their attention on whether Hayes, who had worked security for the Saints at the time Smith was playing for the team, might have borne a grudge against Smith. Hayes’s father was shot to death by police in 2005 and his lawsuit against the department was settled for an undisclosed sum. A photo taken Saturday night showed Smith with former Saints running back Pierre Thomas and one of the officers named in the lawsuit. Fuller, though, says Hayes was not acquainted with Smith."


https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...urder-leaves-drew-brees-new-orleans-in-shock/

I agree with you jj. In the links earlier the settlement was 7 figures. There has got to be some "stuff" here. What are the odds that the people in the Impala are friends also - its just bizaire IMO

Jealosy? Hayes, a 28-year-old man known in the area as a former high school football star

taking bullets to the back and torso, hummmmm.........................

When I read that I thought the lady with him was shot accidently - IIRC there were 9 shots, that sounds like a pretty "pissed" person, OR someone authentically afraid. I am starting to get the "sense" that Smith actually was the one that started it. What I dont get here, is why haen't LE stated that the medcedes was in fact the one that was involved in the hit and run. I would think that would be pretty easy to ascertain, no? Just speculating here but I think Smith was the hit and run "person"
Has anyone heard anything on that angle??

 

[CARIIS]

http://theadvocate.com/news/neworle...ween-will-smith-cardell-hayes-before-shooting


I love the lawyer !

Then I thought , heck if this turns into a "Brussels" video confusion mess (!) may mean nothing-ha!

IMO, pretty clearly tells this story, and it like his lawyer said what happened is not being told correctly!! moo

Celebrity?

He was shot in the back.............

http://abcnews.go.com/Weird/wireStory/police-man-arrested-body-parts-found-seattle-38321000

John Fuller, Hayes' attorney, said Monday that his client felt threatened "by someone other than Mr. Hayes" and plans to plead not guilty. He also said that Hayes did not know the victim does that make sense??

"It would be safe to say that not only did my client feel threatened but citizens that were out there in that block felt threatened as well and I think the unearthing of a second gun will lend itself to the defense of Mr. Hayes," Fuller said.

sounds like they are saying that SMith was scaring a lot of people??? now we have to guns? Pondering if he was running all agitated with a gun in his hand?

IIMo it seems as if the trying to handle it. He called 911 to report it, waited at scene

 

[SpanishInquisition]

Video shows hit-and-run:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...nd-run-fatal-smith-shooting-article-1.2597339

 

[Tbabes]

So Smith's car rear-ends Hayes' car, Hayes pulls over, Smith speeds away and leaves the scene of the accident. Hayes chases after him in his Hummer, and eventually catches up to Smith's SUV, and hits him from behind, causing Smith's SUV to bump into the car in front of it. The vehicles are stopped, words are exchanged, Hayes shoots Smith and his wife, and then waits for the police to arrive.

 

[jadejazzkayla]

Video shows hit-and-run:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...nd-run-fatal-smith-shooting-article-1.2597339

at the tail end of the video clip we see a few seconds of footage from a different angle. a second surveillance camera was videoing the area in front of Hayes vehicle. I would like to see the entire tape to see what caused Hayes to come to a stop before he is hit. just curious.

 

[SpanishInquisition]

This is sounding more like Manslaughter with the immediately preceding provocation being the hit-and-run and I could see him getting off entirely if he could convince a jury he believed he saw a gun:
http://reganlaw.net/murder-cases-louisiana-homicide-law/
Based on how he acted - calling the cops and detaining a witness plus what he's said through his lawyer - it sounds like he believed he was legally justified in what he was doing and so far the video footage confirms part of his story.

 

[jjenny]

This is sounding more like Manslaughter with the immediately preceding provocation being the hit-and-run and I could see him getting off entirely if he could convince a jury he believed he saw a gun:
http://reganlaw.net/murder-cases-louisiana-homicide-law/
Based on how he acted - calling the cops and detaining a witness plus what he's said through his lawyer - it sounds like he believed he was legally justified in what he was doing and so far the video footage confirms part of his story.

I very much doubt you can chase someone in your car (even if they rear ended your car), rear end their car, shoot them in the back, and get off on "self-defense."

 

[SpanishInquisition]

I very much doubt you can chase someone in your car (even if they rear ended your car), rear end their car, shoot them in the back, and get off on "self-defense."

I don't think it's entirely clear on where exactly he was shot and where everyone was, but we know immediately before the shooting Smith and White were shouting and usually with shouting matches you are facing the person you are shouting at. I'm trying to visualize how Smith could have been arguing with Hayes and to have ended up with his feet 'still' on the pavement and him slump over the steering wheel if he was shot in the back rather than someplace else on his body:

The two imposing men exchanged words after Saturday's accident, police said, with one witness describing it more as a brief shouting match, followed by pops of gunfire.

When the shooting stopped, Smith was dead, slumped over the steering wheel -- his feet still on the pavement. Smith's wife, Racquel, the car's lone passenger, was left with two gunshot wounds to her right leg.

http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2016/04/will_smith_shooting_death_sain.html
Knowing that Smith's feet were on the pavement before the shooting that tells me Smith was either outside his car reaching in or he was sitting in the front seat but turned sideways, we don't know where Smith's wife was and we don't know on which side and whether he was in front or behind of the Mercedes nor at what point Hayes drew his weapon. If Smith was shot in the back - rather than the side or someplace else - to get the hits that happened, it sounds like for that to have happened that Smith would have been reaching into his car with Hayes toward the rear driver's side and that the weapon was drawn and fired in response to Smith reaching in. I don't think the weapon would have been drawn beforehand with Smith turning his back to someone pulling a gun on him. If Smith was shot in the back, it seems like Hayes thought he saw Smith going for something that looked like a gun and/or Smith threatened to kill him and Hayes interpreted the words/actions to be Smith in the process of carrying out his threat and going for a gun in the car. If you think someone is turning around and reaching into their glove compartment to get a gun to kill you, you can use deadly force, though the results will vary from jury to jury and that would be how you could shoot someone in the back in self-defense.

 

[SpanishInquisition]

Now it turns out there was a fully loaded 9MM pistol in Smith's car:
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/1...hicle-no-evidence-weapon-was-fired-police-say

 

[CARIIS]

Never heard of the guy before but ,I had a "sense" that he had quite a temper, and some notions of aragance! Sure enough he has had "dealings" with being abusive. police officers observed him ..............hold of his wife's hair, and began pulling her down the street.

He was indicted, charged and arrested for domestic violence. He worked the system and got the charges dropped. (The sentence may be suspended if the defendant performs community service and participates in a domestic abuse prevention program). After some time she claimed it was a "misunderstanding" -- we know that dynamic!

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2010/11/will_smith_arrested_on_domesti.html

The NFL announced Friday that Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Kevin Williams and New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith have been suspended without pay for their teams' first two games of the season for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d821ea898/article/nfl-suspends-vikes-williams-saints-smith-in-starcaps-case

Do we really buy the whole deal. The Impala in front of them had friends of his in the car. Then we go with this: the former defensive end had dined just hours before the Saturday night crash with a police officer who had once been sued by Hayes, whose father was shot and killed by police in 2005..............

IMO , more is coming, the notion that something this bizaire happens is just too much coincidenece going on here mooo there is more to this story!!

What are the odds, now we know he had a gun.

at the tail end of the video clip we see a few seconds of footage from a different angle. a second surveillance camera was videoing the area in front of Hayes vehicle. I would like to see the entire tape to see what caused Hayes to come to a stop before he is hit. just curious.

I was wondering the same thing!!

Hi JJ

I very much doubt you can chase someone in your car (even if they rear ended your car), rear end their car, shoot them in the back, and get off on "self-defense."

I think we are gona IMO find out that he was very threatening and it might end up being "justified" if you will. There were a lot of witnesses, and when it broke it was like he was sitting in his car. He was shot in the back, which to me indicates he did indeed get out of the car IMO. I wonder if he has history of being explosive?

The guy might have really been afraid The more we here, his story rings true. He called 911, he stayed at scene etc. I think he slammed on the brakes as well to try to get the guy to leave him alone. Just speculating here, but we have to remember Smith committed a crime, hit and run is againist the law.

I think we are going to find alcohol here, which as we all know can increase rage. Just the notion , as evidenced by behavior on video, hitting him and thinking it was ok to just move on does indicate some things IMO.

Geeezz Daily Mail three days ago, take it offline! Your a news outlet:New Orleans Saints' Will Smith and his wife shot dead ...


Re turning around and reaching into their glove compartment to get a gun to kill you, you can use deadly force,

I just looked him up --he is huge, I can understand being afraid if he is enraged!

WOW just read about the gun. He is getting IMO,getting closer to a valid self defense defence.

Here we go , a bunch of gun control stuff happening . Too much money in guns, they will never make sane gun laws - $$$ IMO!

 

[ms_x_to_the_m]

Wow. 2 man with guns ends up with one dead and one in jail. So sad.

 

[ATasteOfHoney]

Momma, don't let your babies grow up to play football!

Seriously......way too many brain injuries from repetitive concussions starting as young as the Pop Warner leagues.

Moo

 

[pinkinablueworld]

More information....three guns...the one used by the "shooter", a fully loaded one in Smiths car and a fully loaded gun in Hayes car. Also disclosed that another couple were riding in Smith's car during shooting, and the car in front of them also included friends. Many witnesses. Dangerous city. I am expecting much more on this story. I can't even imagine being in NOLA Friday as the city mourns and remembers their local hero. RIP Will Smith


http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/1...hicle-no-evidence-weapon-was-fired-police-say

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Fox News just reported that Will Smith threatened to get his gun. Autopsy will be released today.

 

[SpanishInquisition]

This explains Louisiana's Stand Your Ground and Castle laws:
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/07/louisiana_stand_your_ground_zi.html

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Per Fox News:

Smith: "Get outta here! I have a gun!" (Turning away with his back to Hayes.)

Hayes: "F U! I have one too!" (Gunshots....)

 

[SpanishInquisition]

Per Fox News:

Smith: "Get outta here! I have a gun!" (Turning away with his back to Hayes.)

Hayes: "F U! I have one too!" (Gunshots....)

So far everything that could be verified that Hayes has said has been verified and that would also explain why the crime scene was the way it was. The only thing that hasn't been verified yet was if Hayes was in a position to see Smiths' pistol, but so far it's been verified that Hayes was rear-ended by Smith and Smith had a weapon, so it's looking increasingly likely that Hayes told the truth about the events leading up to the shooting.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

So far everything that could be verified that Hayes has said has been verified and that would also explain why the crime scene was the way it was. The only thing that hasn't been verified yet was if Hayes was in a position to see Smiths' pistol, but so far it's been verified that Hayes was rear-ended by Smith and Smith had a weapon, so it's looking increasingly likely that Hayes told the truth about the events leading up to the shooting.

And I have to say that when I first heard about this incident I was totally surprised that Hayes called LE and waited at the scene for them to show up.

 

[SpanishInquisition]

This adds a new wrinkle onto it with Smith being shot a total of 8 times:
http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2016/04/will_smith_shot_coroner_autops.html
Seeing where Smith and his wife were struck, I personally get the impression that Hayes instantly started firing in a panic where he was firing as he pulled his gun out of where he got it from on his person, which was why Smith's wife got shot in the leg and why it sounds like the shots were going up in a line. I think it will really help to know where Smith's gun was found in relation to where he was to know if Hayes saw a gun being drawn on him and if any non-involved third parties heard the alleged threat by Smith to get his gun.