NEW ORLEANS — Cardell Hayes, who was found guilty of killing former Saints defensive end Will Smith but later granted a new trial after the Supreme Court outlawed non-unanimous jury verdicts, will plead guilty to manslaughter next week, according to a report by John Simerman on NOLA.com.
The report cites “two sources with knowledge of the plea deal.”
Hayes is expected to enter the plea next week and then be sentenced. The news comes on the eve of the retrial in the case.
Hayes was found guilty in the death of Smith and for shooting Smith’s wife, who was shot in both of her legs.
Hayes was sentenced to 25 years in prison at the time. There was no immediate word on what the sentencing might look like as part of the plea agreement.
Smith’s death shocked the city and details slowly emerged that the two men had been involved in a situation where Smith’s vehicle bumped into Hayes’, a chase then ensued with Hayes slamming his vehicle into Smith’s.
The two men got out and a confrontation that ended, according to testimony, with Smith heading back to his vehicle to get a gun and Hayes’ firing and fatally hitting Smith.
Hayes was sentenced in 2016 at the end of a highly-publicized trial. After the Supreme Court hearing, he was released on bail in 2021, pending a retrial.