Five things learned on Monday's first day of the Cardell Hayes murder trial for the fatal shooting of former Saints defensive end Will Smith:
1. Exposure to case not disqualifying
Judge Camille Buras told prospective jurors early on that familiarity with the high-profile case through exposure to media reports, social media posts or conversations with friends and family over the past eight months was not by itself enough to disqualify anyone from service. The question, Buras told jurors to ask themselves, was whether they could put aside any preconceived notions of the case or purported evidence to give an impartial look at the evidence presented from the witness stand.