Page 4 - ATODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 13 december 2016
Prosecutor wants 60-year sentence for ex-Saint’s killer

KEVIN McGILL “It’s very unfortunate that
Associated Press another child will grow
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New up without a father,” said
Orleans’ district attorney Raquel Smith’s lawyer, Pe-
said he’ll seek 60 years in ter Thomson, referring to
prison for the man who Hayes’ 6-year-old son. “But
killed New Orleans Saints Mr. Hayes, regardless of
star Will Smith — the maxi- that, must face the conse-
mum 40 years for man- quences of his actions un-
slaughter, plus another 20 der our system of laws.”
years for attempted man- Friends and relatives of
slaughter in the wounding Hayes, a former semi-pro
of Smith’s wife. football player who owns a
“We will do our gut-level towing company, left court
best to get the judge to without commenting Sun-
impose the maximum sen- day night.
tence of 60 years,” Leon Hayes’ defense said Smith’s
Cannizzaro told reporters popularity led to a rush to
Monday. judgment by police and
Cardell Hayes was found prosecutors. Assistant Dis-
guilty Sunday night after trict Attorney Laura Ro-
insisting that he only fired drigue countered that
because the retired NFL the defense was trying to
player was drunk and vio- Assistant District Attorney Laura Rodrigue leaves Orleans Parish Criminal District Court after the smear Smith.
lent and had grabbed a verdict in the Cardell Hayes trial in New Orleans, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016. Hayes was convicted of A pathologist report
gun following their collision manslaughter in the shooting death of former NFL New Orleans Saints football player Will Smith, in showed Smith was legal-
in traffic last April. a road rage incident. ly drunk that night, after
No one else testified Smith (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) spending time at the city’s
ever held a gun. A load- trina hit in 2005. He helped Judge Camille Buras will a mandatory life sentence annual French Quarter
ed .9-mm semi-automat- carry the team to a winning have the option of impos- had he been found guilty Festival, a bar and two res-
ic handgun was found season in 2006 and a Super ing less than the maximum as charged of second-de- taurants. He was driving
loaded but unused inside Bowl victory four years later. sentences, and could or- gree murder, and Racquel with his wife and another
Smith’s car. His death in a dispute over der them served concur- Smith will press for a harsh couple, who were travel-
Smith, a 34-year-old father traffic was shocking, even rently. But the D.A. said the sentence when she gives ing with a group of friends
of three, was a defensive for a city with a high rate of crime warrants maximum her victim impact state- in several cars — when his
leader on the Saints team homicides. sentences, served one af- ment before the sentenc- Mercedes SUV may have
that lifted spirits in New Or- Hayes, 29, will be sen- ter the other. ing, according to a state- lightly bumped Hayes’
leans after Hurricane Ka- tenced on Feb. 17. State Hayes would have faced ment from the family. Hummer.q

Attorney General: Hate crimes are stain on America’s ‘soul’

ERIC TUCKER the pages of the report Milk High School, and to
Associated Press lie communities who are visit the Stonewall Inn and
STERLING, Virginia (AP) — now more afraid than be- the new Stonewall Nation-
Hate crimes tear at the fab- fore and more afraid than al Monument, the site of a
ric of American communi- any American should ever 1969 clash that sparked a
ties and represent a stain feel.” Hate crimes, she said, gay-rights movement.
on the country’s soul, Attor- don’t just target individuals Lynch, who this year sued
ney General Loretta Lynch and should be of concern the state of North Carolina
said at a mosque and Mus- to every American. over a bathroom bill the
lim community center on They tear at the “fabric of administration said discrimi-
Monday. our communities. They also nated against transgender
Lynch spoke at the All stain our dearest ideals; individuals, said a “perni-
Dulles Area Muslim Society they stain our nation’s very cious thread” connects
Center as law enforcement soul.” hate crimes regardless of
across the country con- The FBI and Justice De- the target. She linked an
fronts a spike in hate crimes Attorney General Loretta Lynch takes a question during a news partment are responsible assault on a transgender
targeting Muslims. conference at the Justice Department in Washington. Hate for investigating and pros- man to violence against
Her speech at an interfaith crimes tear at the fabric of American communities and repre- ecuting hate crimes under a woman wearing a hijab
gathering in the waning sent a stain on the country’s soul, Lynch said at a mosque and federal law. A Connecti- and to the June 2015 slay-
weeks of the Obama ad- Muslim community center on Dec. 12. cut man who fired a rifle ing of nine black men and
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
ministration was intended at a mosque and a North women at a church bible
to reaffirm the Justice De- the progress she said had year of the Sept. 11, 2001, Carolina man who ripped study in Charleston, South
partment’s commitment been made in the last eight terror attacks. Overall hate off a woman’s hijab on an Carolina.
to safeguarding civil rights years. crimes rose by 6 percent airplane are among those In an apparent reference
and protecting racial and Recently released FBI statis- last year. Many hate crimes convicted of hate crimes in to the incoming adminis-
religious minorities. But she tics show that the number go unreported. recent months. tration of President-Elect
also acknowledged con- of hate crimes targeting “Behind every number is a Lynch was scheduled to Donald Trump, Lynch said
cerns from minorities that Muslims that were reported person,” Lynch said. “Be- travel to New York City there’s anxiety that the
divisive rhetoric and a new to law enforcement rose by hind every statistic is some- Tuesday for a discussion Justice Department’s civ-
administration could lead 67 percent in 2015, to the one whose rights have with lesbian, gay and trans- il rights work might slide
to an erosion of some of largest number since the been violated. Behind gender youth at Harvey backward.q