Dein erstes Forum » Hoffman will take over Aprils duties.Hoffm

NEW ORLEANS -- Former New Orleans Saints running back Pierre Thomas told a jury Wednesday that he thought a heated argument between retired Saints star Will Smith and an irate driver had cooled -- but then he heard gunshots and turned to see his friend being gunned down.After the shooting stopped I stood there in shock. Telling myself that didnt happen, Thomas said, his voice shaking. Telling myself he didnt just kill one of my friends, my former teammate.Thomas, who spent eight seasons with the Saints, said he walked up to the SUV to confirm his fear, and peered through the passenger window to see Smiths body slouched over the steering wheel.Nobody disputes that Smiths killer was Cardell Hayes, 29, a former semi-pro football player and owner of a tow-truck business. At dispute in the second-degree murder trial is whether Hayes legitimately feared for his life in a post-collision confrontation with Smith and others.He also wounded Smiths wife, Racquel, in the legs, before surrendering to police at the scene.Thomas testimony is the latest to bolster the prosecutions scenario of how the shooting unfolded: The Smiths were out for the evening with friends after a festival in the French Quarter, and were traveling in three different vehicles.At one point, Smiths Mercedes SUV stopped short behind an orange Hummer, perhaps lightly striking it, before steering around it and continuing downtown. Moments later, the Hummer, driven by Hayes, rammed into the rear of Smiths vehicle, and both men got out to confront each other.Prosecutors and their witnesses say Racquel had calmed her husband and the argument had subsided when Hayes fired, hitting her in the legs, followed by a bullet to Smiths side and seven more in his back.In opening statements and cross examinations, defense attorneys John Fuller and Jay Daniels have questioned the credibility of prosecution witnesses while insisting that Hayes fired because he feared that Smith was returning to his vehicle to fetch his own gun.The Hummers crash into Smiths SUV, they suggested, was an accident that happened as Hayes was trying to report Smiths license plate number on a 911 call.Fuller noted that Smith had been drinking at the festival, a bar and two restaurants earlier that night, but Thomas insisted that Smith showed no signs of being out of control, and resisted suggestions during cross examination that he was trying to burnish Smiths image.I want justice, he told Fuller at one point.Thomas had been in a car that was ahead of the accident scene.Another Smith family friend, Rebecca Dooley testified Wednesday that Hayes shouted taunts at the slain mans body, sounding evil and showing no remorse.Dooley and her husband were riding with Smith and his wife when the Hummer slammed into them.They just both seemed angry: Will saying `You hit my car, `Mr. Hayes saying, `You hit me first, then back and forth, back and forth, Dooley testified.Dooley said her husband and Hayes passenger also had words, and that the passenger took a swing at her husband. But she said no physical contact was made among any of those arguing, and she too thought tempers had calmed.Then, she said: I see Mr. Hayes walking toward Will with a gun pointed at him. I hear shots fired. I see Wills body jolt.Look at you now. You were showing off, Dooley quoted Hayes as saying over Smiths slumped body.It just sounded like there was no remorse -- evil kind of sounding, Dooley testified.Then, she said, I heard Mr. Hayes say, `Wheres that white boy at?At that point I though he was looking for my husband, she said, but no other shots were fired.Contradicting a developing defense narrative, Dooley and Thomas said they never heard Smith threaten to fetch a gun before he was shot.Dooleys husband, Richard Hernandez, also took the stand Wednesday, and the defense pointed to inconsistencies in his testimony as well as a discrepancy between his account and what his wife apparently told police.Fuller noted that Hernandez testified at one point that the drivers were calm after the accident but also said he pulled his shirt off, expecting a fight. Fuller also said that Dooley had told police that a passenger in Hayes Hummer, Kevin ONeal, tried to calm the situation down.But Hernandez, who had argued with ONeal at the scene, characterized ONeal as aggressive. Nike Air Huarache Sale . -- Jaye Marie Green shot a 4-under 68 on Thursday to increase her lead to five strokes after the second round of the LPGA Tours qualifying tournament. Air Max 2007 Sale . Speaking to the Chicago Tribune at baseballs Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Boras called the former home of the Expos a "tremendous environment" for baseball. https://www.wholesaleshoesforcheap.com/nike-shox-sale/ . -- Derrick Rose shook off poor shooting early to hit clutch shots late and Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 104-95 preseason victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. Air Max 2006 Sale . -- The Bishops Gaiters are showing they belong among the countrys top varsity football teams. Yeezy 380 Sale . Pirlo limped out of Sundays 1-0 win over Udinese after just 13 minutes. Juventus says Pirlo underwent tests on Monday which revealed he has "a second-degree lesion to the collateral medial ligament in his right knee. NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans fired special teams coordinator Bobby April on Monday, a day after they allowed a 67-yard punt return for the winning touchdown in a 27-20 loss to the Houston Texans.Titans coach Mike Mularkey announced the firing a day after special teams were responsible for giving up 10 points to Houston. Special teams assistant Steve Hoffman will take over Aprils duties.Hoffman has been on the Titans coaching staff since 2013 and has 26 years of special teams experience with a number of NFL teams.The Titans and Texans were tied 20-all Sunday before Houstons Will Fuller scored on a punt return in the final minute of the third quarter. Earlier in the game, the Texans got a field goal on a drive that was kept alive when Tennessee was called for 12 men on the field while Houston was in punt formation.Titans punter Brett Kern took the blame for a bad punt with little hang time leeading to the touchdown.ddddddddddddThey had a wall set up to go to the other side of the field, Kern said. They just outflanked us, and they were able to get on their blocks a little quicker when theres not hang time. Ill take 100 percent of the blame.Tennessee also got lucky with officials ordering a redo on fourth down after the Texans apparently blocked a punt.Mularkey hired April after being given the head coaching job in January. This was Aprils 25th season in the NFL after also working for the Jets, Oakland, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Rams, New Orleans, Pittsburgh and Atlanta. The Titans currently rank 11th in kick return average but next to last in the NFL in defending kickoffs and 27th on punt return coverage.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '