The first five days of the murder trial of New Orleans semipro football player Cardell Hayes for the death of former Saints defensive end Will Smith have featured several key developments.
As detailed in our SI trial preview, Hayes, 29, is accused of using a .45 caliber Ruger handgun to shoot Smith eight times following an argument between the two men and others on April 9, 2016. The confrontation stemmed from two traffic incidents involving vehicles driven by Hayes and Smith, the latter of whom was allegedly intoxicated. Hayes is also accused of shooting Smith’s wife, Racquel Smith, once in each leg as she was next to her husband.