NEW ORLEANS -- A court is rejecting an appeal by the man convicted of killing former Saints football star Will Smith during a traffic altercation.
The 4th Circuit Court of Appeal in a ruling Wednesday affirmed the conviction of Cardell Hayes in the April 2016 killing.
Hayes is serving a 25-year sentence for manslaughter in Smith's death and attempted manslaughter in the wounding of Smith's wife.
Hayes insisted at trial that he fired after a drunk, angry Smith retrieved a gun from his car and fired first. Hayes was convicted in a 10-2 decision.
His lawyer argued on appeal that Hayes acted in self-defense and that evidence that surfaced after the trial lent credibility to his assertion.