surgery to remove a fractured hook of the hamate bone in his left hand. | Forum

NEW ORLEANS -- The man who fatally shot retired New Orleans Saints defensive leader Will Smith was convicted of manslaughter on Sunday night, ending a week-long trial in which the defendant insisted he only fired because the popular football star was drunk, violent and had grabbed a gun following a traffic crash on the night of April 9. Keibert Ruiz Dodgers Jersey .Smith was part of the Saints team that lifted the stricken citys spirits in the years after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, helping carry the team to a winning season in 2006 and a Super Bowl win four years later. His death at the hands of Cardell Hayes, 29, was stunning, even for a city where residents are accustomed to reports of multiple gunfire deaths every week.Hayes faces a possible sentence of up to 40 years in prison at his sentencing on Feb. 17.Hayes defense lawyers said Smiths popularity led to a rush to judgment by police and prosecutors.I knew for a fact that I was going to get shot, Hayes told the jury after taking the stand in his own defense Saturday. He said he not only saw the gun but heard what he believes was a gunshot before he began firing.Hayes, however, was the only witness to say Smith armed himself that night. Prosecutors acknowledged that a loaded gun was found in Smiths car but said there was no evidence that it was ever fired or that Smith had grabbed it.A pathologist report showed Smith was legally drunk with a high blood-alcohol level that night, the end of a day in which he had spent time at the citys annual French Quarter Festival, a bar and two restaurants. He, his wife and two passengers were in his Mercedes SUV the night of the shooting. They were heading from New Orleans Lower Garden District toward downtown when a series of events led to the shooting, beginning with Smiths vehicle appearing to lightly bump Hayes Hummer -- although the prosecution raised doubts that the two vehicles actually touched.Hayes vehemently denied intentionally running into Smiths Mercedes SUV moments later -- he said he was trying to dial 911 and didnt realize how close he was getting to Smith as he tried to report the apparent hit-and-run.Hayes said he armed himself only after he and his own passenger were accosted by Smith and Richard Hernandez, a passenger in the Smiths Mercedes. Hernandez, he said, wildly stripped off his shirt and took something shiny from his pocket -- Hayes said he was afraid it was a knife.Smith didnt initially notice the gun, Hayes said. He said Smith, 34, threw a cup containing some type of alcohol at him and punched him repeatedly. At some point during the fast-unfolding melee, Hernandez alerted Smith to Hayes gun, Hayes said under questioning from defense lawyer John Fuller.Hayes testified that Smith addressed him with a racial epithet and then told him, ... you got your gun. Well Im going to get mine and Ill show you what to do with it.Hayes said Hernandez, a white Hispanic who fled the scene, also used racial epithets.However, race has not been raised as an alleged factor in the confrontation. Hayes and Kevin ONeal, his passenger, are black, and so was Smith.On cross examination, Assistant Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Napoli repeatedly noted that no other witness said Smith had a gun and that Hayes never told investigators he saw a gun in Smiths hands that night.I never gave a full statement to anyone, Hayes said, growing testy as Napoli asked about inconsistencies in his testimony and past statements.Hayes also insisted he never shot Racquel Smith, although Napoli said ballistics evident indicates otherwise.Calm and sometimes smiling during his early testimony, Hayes voice broke a bit as he talked about being separated from his 6-year-old son. Hayes has been jailed since the shooting. Hayes owns a tow truck business and also said he breeds dogs. He discussed his high school and college football career, his time as a semi-pro football player and his admiration for Smith. He said he didnt recognize Smith the night of the shooting and grew despondent hours later upon learning he had killed the beloved football star.I cried like a baby, he said.I said my lifes over with ... Theyre going to make me like I just shot and killed this man. Joc Pederson Jersey . For the Wild it was their first win of the season and they now have a record of 1-1-2 while the Jets fall to 2-2. Jets start a six game home stand Friday with another divisional game, home to the Dallas Stars. Andrew Toles Jersey .C. - The Carolina Hurricanes have placed backup goalie Anton Khudobin on injured reserve with an unspecified lower-body injury. https:///...-jersey-dodgers.html . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR. DENVER -- Washington ace Max Scherzer never did find his groove Monday night.Not a problem, though -- the bullpen took care of this one.Five relievers combined for five scoreless innings and Bryce Harper doubled in the go-ahead run in the seventh as the Nationals beat the skidding Colorado Rockies 5-4.Sammy Solis (2-3) got the win and Colorado-native Mark Melancon needed only four pitches in the ninth to earn his 34th save in 37 chances. The NL East leaders have won three straight and four of five.Our bullpen came in and bailed each other out, manager Dusty Baker said. Its hard to shut these guys out for the last four or five innings of a ballgame.Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos homered for Washington.Werth hit a two-run homer estimated at 444 feet in the third inning off Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa and reached safely three times to extend his on-base streak to a career-best 43 games.The stretch is the longest in the majors this season and it ties Werth with Ryan Zimmerman for the Nationals record.Its a product of my approach, Werth said. My focus has always been to get on base. If you get on base, good things can happen.DJ LeMahieu had the fourth four-hit game of his career and Charlie Blackmon hit his sixth home run in four games for Colorado. Blackmon was selected the NL player of the week after leading the majors with seven home runs last week.Still, the Rockies have lost eight of nine.We are dealing with multiple challenges at the same time right now, but the bottom line is you have to win games, Colorado manager Walt Weiss said. We are fighting, but we are coming up short.Jordan Lyles (3-4) took the loss.Scherzer allowed seven hits and four runs in four innings.Colorado scored three in a 35-pitch first inning. David Dahl hit a two-run double with the bases loaded and Daniel Descalso added a sacrifice fly.Blackmon made it 4-2 with his homer in the fourth.The Nationals bullpen pen shut down the Rockies from there as Matt Belisle aand Solis combined for 2 1/3 innings. Wholesale Dodgers Jerseys. Blake Treinen needed just one pitch to induce Nolan Arenado into an inning-ending double play in the seventh, and Shawn Kelley struck out two in a hitless eighth.I just didnt pitch efficiently, Scherzer said. I just didnt do a lot of things right tonight. I just couldnt get in a groove.Im just glad I got picked up by the bullpen and the offense.Daniel Murphy hit an RBI single in the fifth, Ramos connected for a tying home run in the sixth and Harper hit his second double of the night in the seventh to give Washington a 5-4 lead.Harper played for the second straight day after missing five games with a neck injury.WITH HONORSBlackmon also led the majors with a .563 batting average and 42 total bases last week. In seven games, he topped the NL with nine RBI and a .600 on-base percentage.Chuck is having a great year, Weiss said. He is one of those guys who just continues to get better and I think that is directly related to his work ethic.TRAINERS ROOMNationals: Zimmerman (wrist) and C Jose Lobaton (elbow) began rehab assignments with Triple-A Syracuse. ... INF Stephen Drew (vertigo-like symptoms) has increased his participation in baseball activities. ... RHP Joe Ross (shoulder) will throw a bullpen at some point during the three-game series.Rockies: RHP Tyler Chatwood (back spasms) could skip his next start or be placed on the 15-day disabled list, Weiss said. ... 1B Mark Reynolds (hand) had surgery to remove a fractured hook of the hamate bone in his left hand.UP NEXTNationals: LHP Gio Gonzalez (8-9, 4.24 ERA) is 2-0 with a 3.75 ERA in two August starts. He has struck out 12 and walked two in 12 innings.Rockies: RHP Chad Bettis (10-6, 5.27) hasnt lost a start since July 2. In his last one, he gave up five runs over five innings in 100-plus-degree heat in Texas. ' ' '