Cardell Hayes to Plead Guilty in Retrial of Will Smith's Accused Killer

Cardell Hayes, the defendant in the case of killing former Saints star Will Smith in a 2016 shooting, has agreed to plead guilty to manslaughter and attempted manslaughter. Hayes was originally charged with murder and attempted murder but was convicted of the lesser charges by a non-unanimous jury. Due to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Hayes couldn't be retried for murder, and his conviction and sentence were vacated. He has remained free since March 2021 while his new trial was repeatedly delayed.