Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Friday 21 april 2017
Widow of Saints star Will Smith upset at killer’s 25 years

of credit for the time he’s Hayes, a beefy ex-semi-pro
already served since shoot- football lineman, lumbered
ing one of the city’s sports to the stand with his arms
heroes in April 2016. State and legs shackled, and
law requires him to serve broke down in tears Thurs-
85 percent of the sentence day as he talked of the im-
before becoming eligible pact on his 6-year-old son
for good-behavior release, and his mother.
meaning he could be freed He looked at Racquel Smith
in roughly 20 years. and told her he wished
“If he was sentenced to 60 the night had never hap-
years, he probably could pened. He insisted he was
have died in jail. At least afraid for his life as Smith
with 25 he has the oppor- fired a gun at him, despite
tunity to be reunited with trial evidence and witness
his family,” Hayes’ lawyer, testimony indicating Smith
John Fuller, said outside never handled or fired his
court. gun.
Racquel Smith said she is Later, under tough ques-
“extremely disappointed” tioning by a prosecutor, he
at what she called the le- referred to the Smiths, say-
niency of the sentence, ing, “I apologize for their
given the violence of the loss.”
Racquel Smith, center, widow of former New Orleans Saints star Will Smith, leaves Orleans Parish crime and her family’s pain Hayes’ mother, Dawn
criminal courthouse Thursday, April 20, 2017, during a break in the sentencing of Cardell Hayes, and loss. Mumphrey, also testified,
who killed her husband and shot her, and was convicted of manslaughter in New Orleans. Hayes “This ordeal has been a wailing and shaking as she
was sentenced to 25 years in prison for manslaughter, far less than the maximum prosecutors had
called for. He also received 15 years for shooting Racquel Smith in the legs, to be served at the nightmare for me and my pleaded for mercy and for-
same time. In background a supporter of Hayes heckles district attorney staff. family. There are no winners giveness.
(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) here today,” her statement “That’s my baby,” she
said. She praised prosecu- cried. “Lock me up and
KEVIN McGILL day to 25 years in prison for tempted manslaughter, tors and police, and said give me my son back.”
Associated Press manslaughter, far less than as prosecutors had urged. she and their three children, Assistant New Orleans Dis-
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The the maximum prosecutors Instead, Judge Camille Bu- Willie, Lisa and Wynter, will trict Attorney Laura Ro-
man who fatally shot retired had called for. ras gave him 15 years for carry on Smith’s legacy of drigue dismissed the tears
New Orleans Saints star Will Cardell Hayes faced up shooting Racquel Smith in love for his community. as a “desperate attempt”
Smith and wounded his to 60 years if given con- the legs, to be served at “I will continue to shine my to gain sympathy, and
wife after a traffic crash last secutive maximum terms the same time. light for my Superman,” she hammered at Hayes’ claim
year was sentenced Thurs- for manslaughter and at- Hayes, 29, will get a year said. of self-defense.q
Slain trooper’s widow angry ‘I can’t grow old with him now’

MICHAEL RUBINKAM weekslong manhunt. crimes. He killed Dickson, a Trooper Alex Douglass, who his mortally wounded com-
Associated Press The focus on Thursday shift- 38-year-old Marine veter- was shot through both hips rade and suffers from a
MILFORD, Pa. (AP) — The ed to the impact of Frein’s an, and critically wounded as he came to the aid of range of health problems.
widow of a state police Douglass told the jurors he
trooper shot and killed by a might have to have one of
survivalist in a 2014 ambush his legs amputated below
described a sad, lonely life the knee.
without him and said their In emotional testimony that
two young sons are strug- left some in the courtroom
gling. shaken, Tiffany Dickson re-
“I don’t have a break. I’m called how she spoke to
just really tired,” Tiffany her husband on the phone
Dickson, the widow of Cpl. about 30 minutes before
Bryon Dickson II, told jurors he was killed.
on Thursday at the trial of “Kiss the boys for me. I love
her husband’s killer. “He you,” she said he told her.
was my break, and he was Less than two hours later,
a really good teammate. two troopers and a priest
I’m just angry I can’t grow showed up at their door.
old with him now.” After Dickson’s killing, their
She testified at a hearing older son, who had just
to determine whether Eric turned 8, couldn’t eat or
Frein will be sentenced to sleep, and he started bit-
death or to life in prison ing himself and wetting the
without parole. bed.
Frein, 33, was convicted “He screamed, ‘I just want
on Wednesday of all 12 to die. I want to see Dad-
charges he faced after tar- In this January, 2015 photo, Eric Frein is led away by Pennsylvania State Police Troopers at the Pike dy. Can’t we just die to-
geting the state police in County Courthouse in Milford, Pa. The widow of a state police trooper shot and killed by Frein in a gether?’” Tiffany Dickson
a late-night sniper attack. 2014 ambush described a sad, lonely life without him and said their two young sons are struggling. said, adding he had to be
He was captured after a (Butch Comegys/The Times & Tribune via AP) medicated. q