As the city of New Orleans gears up to honor the life of Will Smith on Friday, the criminal case of his shooter, Cardell Hayes, trundles through the American justice system.
Footage released Tuesday appeared to show Smith, driving a Mercedes SUV, rear-end Hayes moments before their fateful encounter. When Hayes pulled over to survey the damage, Smith drove off. Hayes followed in pursuit.
What happened next remains for debate. A passenger riding with Hayes at the time claims Hayes "saved his life" in a "justified homicide," but Peter Thomson, the Smith family attorney, painted a different picture on Wednesday.
From theneworleansadvocate.com:
“[Racquel Smith] was holding her hands up, pleading with this man to back off,” Thomson said. “My understanding is Will and Racquel wanted to just call the police and not engage this guy in any kind of a fight or altercation because he was obviously enraged or deranged.”
But Hayes at some point drew a .45-caliber handgun and fired one bullet in each of Racquel Smith’s legs, causing her to collapse, Thomson said. One bullet shattered Racquel Smith’s right femur, near the knee, Thomson said. Another passed through her left thigh, Thomson said.
Hayes then shot Will Smith eight times in the back, Thomson said. “That’s 10 shots that we know about,” said Thomson, of the Stone Pigman law firm, which has a long relationship with Saints owner Tom Benson.
The New Orleans coroner confirmed Wednesday Smith took eight shots, seven of which landed in his back.
In statement, New Orleans coroner confirms seven bullet wounds were discovered in Will Smith's back. Another apparently near it.
— Ramon Antonio Vargas (@RVargasAdvocate) April 13, 2016
Police also confirmed Smith was "partially" inside his SUV when he died. Though Hayes' defense team seems keen on the results of Smith's toxicology report, Thomson said Smith wasn't inebriated "to the point where he could not drive."
As for the loaded 9 mm pistol found in Smith's SUV on Tuesday, Thomson says the former Saints captain at no point brandished a weapon or carried one on his person.
Hayes remains in New Orleans jail on $1,000,000 bond.
