re: Attorney for Smith family / Attorney for Hayes l Press Conference Recap

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We have to find out where exactly Smith's gun was.

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Even if Smiths gun was in the back seat, it is Manslaughter at worst with what we have SO FAR

You guys can start a new thread if you want

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Although the man who shot and killed former Saints defensive end Will Smith is claiming self defense, the New Orleans coroner’s preliminary report says Smith was repeatedly shot in the back.

Coroner Jeffrey Rouse said today that Smith was shot eight times in all, once in the chest and seven times in the back. One bullet went through Smith’s body; the other seven were recovered from his body during the autopsy.

“These bullet tracks had entrance into the left upper back (1), left mid-back (2), left lower back (3), and left lateral chest wall (1). Many of these bullets perforated vital organs, including the lungs and heart. One of these wounds was a perforating wound, with both an entrance and an exit wound. This bullet entered the left upper back, traversed soft tissue, and exited from the right shoulder area,” the coroner’s statement said.

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I've said for several days now that the hit and run works against Hayes and in favor of the DA.

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How?

I think the exact opposite. It will get him Manslaughter or possibly self defense.

I think it completely takes murder off the table.


my prediction right now is Manslaughter conviction and 20 years.

Yeh we knew that. The key is, will they be able to show which bullet was first? Is that possible?

i wonder at what point did he get shot in the chest. If its the first bullet that hit him, it could have spun him around, or he could have turned to shield or retreat

I hadn't heard about the chest shot. Based on the number of shots to the back, the chest shot being first makes the most sense. This is pure speculation but if he was shot in the chest first, and had no weapon in hand...Hayes is done.

yeah, we need an explanation of the chest shot. I am guessing Hayes shot Smith first in chest then finished him off when Will was going for his gun.

Another thing for the "Hayes stayed on the scene therefore self-defense crowd":

I've seen first hand that many people in neighborhoods think they are lawyers and have very warped perceptions of what the law is. He might have thought if Smith says he has a gun, I can open fire, and that's self-defense and I'm good.

This kind of thing is pretty common.

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if that gun is in the door compartment and visible. this will really change things in my opinion.

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Only to a certain degree, and the fact that all inferences point to the police actually had to search the vehicle to find Smith's gun, seems to suggest otherwise.