Football hero's slaying plays out in court of public opinion (Yahoo Sports)

The bullet-riddled corpse of a retired football hero - seven shots to the back, one to the side - makes a powerful starting point for prosecutors as they build the case against a gunman jailed in the death of former New Orleans Saint Will Smith, say legal experts who are watching the story unfold. Hayes is the 28-year-old ex-semi-pro football player jailed for allegedly killing Smith late Saturday after a car crash and subsequent confrontation - the details of which are the subject of hot dispute. Smith was shot eight times late Saturday after an angry confrontation with the driver of a Hummer that crashed into the rear of the Mercedes SUV that Smith was driving.