NEW ORLEANS -- If the man accused of murdering former Saints standout Will Smith is going to take the stand in his own defense, Saturday will probably be the day, now that the prosecution has rested its case.Cardell Hayes is claiming he shot and killed Smith in self-defense on the night of April 9, after a heated argument ensued between their two parties following a pair of traffic incidents.On Friday, the prosecutions fourth and final day of testimony included experts who testified that Hayes intentionally crashed into Smiths vehicle and that evidence did not support the theory that Smith was reaching into his car at the time he was shot. After the prosecution finished, the defense began presenting its case Friday afternoon.The prosecution finished its case by calling former New Orleans police captain Billy Ceravolo, a close friend of Smiths who became a highly publicized figure in the weeks after Smiths shooting when defense attorney John Fuller suggested Ceravolo might have tampered with evidence at the crime scene.Ceravolo adamantly denied those claims Friday and was critical of his reputation being sullied so publicly. The state had earlier shown video evidence that proved Ceravolo was not on the scene at the time of the shooting. Ceravolo was called to the scene afterward by Saints running back Pierre Thomas, a mutual friend of Smiths and Ceravolos who was out with them that night.Ceravolos possible involvement continued to be debated as the defense began its case with a private investigator, David Olasky, who testified about a female witness who told him she thought she saw Ceravolo reach across Smiths body toward the glove compartment and pull out what she thought was a gun. The state, however, got the detective to acknowledge that the witness was wrong about Ceravolo being there at the time.Some things about her story were true, some things she might have gotten wrong or confused. ... [But] I believe she saw someone removing something from the area of the glove box, Olasky said.The defense also called a crime lab deputy, Madelyn Collins, to testify that gunshot residue was found on Smiths hands, explaining it could possibly have come from firing a gun, from being near a gun when it was discharged, or from touching a gun that had been discharged. The state, however, had her specify that she found only two particles on the back of each hand and one on the left palm -- for a total of five particles?-- but none on the right palm, and that its possible residue could come from a gun being fired into his vehicle.The defense has been hinting at the possibility that Smith might have held or fired a gun that was removed or moved at the scene, though Olasky is the only one to testify about anyone having seen such activity.Homicide detective Bruce Brueggeman testified Thursday that Smiths gun was found holstered with the safety on, wedged between the drivers seat and the center console.The defense finished the day by calling character witnesses who described Hayes calm demeanor earlier that night.Perhaps the most impactful testimony Friday came from the two expert witnesses at the beginning of the day, according to multiple media accounts.Car crash expert Michael Sunseri says he put the blame for the crash squarely on Hayes, though the defense challenged Sunseris conclusions based on black box data from the Hummer and Smiths Mercedes SUV. Defense attorney Jay Daniels suggested Hayes might not have been paying attention and thus hit Smiths vehicle by accident.Also, Dr. Samantha Huber, the chief forensic pathologist for the Orleans Parish Coroners Office, testified that the first shot hit Smith from a level angle and into his left side, which indicates he wasnt reaching into his car for a gun as the defense has suggested.Smith was shot a total of eight times, first in the side and the next seven in the back as his body wound up slumped across the drivers side of his vehicle. Before that, his wife, Racquel, was shot through both legs while she was in close proximity to her husband, trying to pull him away from the heated argument, according to multiple witnesses.The defense is claiming that Smith had either threatened to get his own gun or had already retrieved it before Hayes began shooting at him. Multiple witnesses for the prosecution claimed that Smith and Racquel were walking away after she had successfully calmed him down.The defense is claiming that Smith and members of his party were acting as the aggressors in the confrontation that followed Hayes crashing into Smiths vehicle. Huber also confirmed that Will Smiths blood-alcohol level registered at .235 percent, nearly three times the legal driving limit, which had been previously reported.Racquel Smith left the courtroom briefly, audibly sobbing, while the pathologist was describing each of the gunshot wounds that Smith suffered and the damage they caused.The Associated Press contributed to this report. Toby Alderweireld Jersey . "No difference at all," chirped U.S. roommate and linemate James van Riemsdyk. "Its still the same cranky Phil. Youri Tielemans Belgium Jersey . "It doesnt get any better than that," Giambi said. "Im speechless." The Indians are roaring toward October. Giambi belted a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give Cleveland a shocking 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, keeping the Indians up with the lead pack in the AL wild-card race. http://www.belgiumsoccerpro.com/Jan-Vertonghen-Belgium-Jersey/ . Dallas hasnt ruled out the star quarterback for Sunday nights game against Philadelphia, but all signs point to Romos back injury pushing Kyle Orton into the starting role after two years of limited play as the backup. Surely Ortons name isnt the first that comes to mind for fans wanting a change after years of damaging interceptions, fumbles or, most infamously, the field goal flub when Romo dropped the snap on a kick that could have won his first playoff game in 2006. Romelu Lukaku Jersey . -- Charlie Graham stopped 67 shots as the Belleville Bulls edged the visiting Guelph Storm 6-5 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Nacer Chadli Jersey . -- Former San Diego Chargers safety Paul Oliver was found dead at his Atlanta-area home Tuesday night, and a medical examiner said Wednesday that the ex-player committed suicide. CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Former teammates, players and a former NBA assistant coach think the credibility a Hall of Fame career brings -- and familiarity with todays players -- will help Jason Kidd successfully transition into coaching. Kidd was named the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday, less than two weeks after he ended a 19-year career as a point guard that included an NBA championship and two tours as a leader on the U.S. Olympic team. Hes also No. 2 in career assists and steals in NBA history. "Hes going to have incredible credibility with his players, which is huge," said Brendan Suhr, a longtime NBA assistant coach under Chuck Daly, Hubie Brown and Lenny Wilkens. Even the accountability as the man in charge wont be a problem, said Suhr, who is attending the National Basketball Players Associations Top 100 camp at the University of Virginia and teaching players how to start coaching careers. "Hell be fine. Hes handled accountability before," Suhr said, adding that one of Kidds main priorities needs to be hiring experienced assistants to "fill in the gaps that you dont have." Denver point guard Andre Miller said he was initially surprised when he heard Kidd was in the running for the Nets job so soon after announcing his retirement, but the more he thought about, the more sense it seemed to make. "When I first heard that they were considering it, I was like, Wow, thats respect," Miller said at the camp. "Hes a hall of famer in everybodys mind and hes accomplished everything that you can accomplish as a point guard, as a person, in life and as a teammate. When you have that type of respect of your peers, and of management, coaches, you know the skys the limit. "You know that he knows how to play basketball and he knows what it takes, so it surprised me at first, but what better player to make that transition right away to show, I can do this by the things that hes done in his career. Its good for the guys in that situation and learn from a guy like that." Millers Nuggets teammate Andre Igoudala tried that in a game against Kidds team. "What made you throw that pass?" Igoudala said he once asked Kidd during a game. He said he also picked Kidds brain with a few questions when he and Kidd were paneliists during a rookie transition program.dddddddddddd "Its not as crazy to me as people are making it," Igoudala said of the Nets hire. "Youre seeing how the game is changing ... teams are bring in GMs who havent played basketball. Analytical guys. Number crunchers. Thats kind of the trend. "Why not bring in a coach who just got done playing, especially a guy like Jason Kidd" who has helped teammates get better throughout his career, Igoudala said. "It wasnt just by his presence on the court but his presence every day, his presence off the court, in practice, making guys buy into something they werent used to buckling down and doing, so Im not surprised at all." That presence, former teammate Jerry Stackhouse said, will serve Kidd well, as will having spent time around younger players in the league. Stackhouse some of todays players get the superstar label via social media before they have truly earned their stripes and are "a little different" than emerging stars of the past. "Jason Kidds been in the locker room with the Michael Jordans, everybody to the Kyrie Irvings, so hes able to relate to them," said Stackhouse, who played with Kidd in Dallas and for the Nets this season. "I think hes going to do a good job. ... Its not like he took on a bad group." The Nets, who fired Avery Johnson during the season and then rallied to make the playoffs under interim coach P.J. Carlesimo, took the Chicago Bulls to Game 7 in the first round before being eliminated. Kidd may be green, Miller said, but his career prepared him for this next step. "Take a look at Mark Jackson," Miller said of the Golden State Warriors coach, and former NBA point guard for 17 seasons. "When you play that many years, youve got to deal with egos, attitudes. Youve got to deal with behaviours and to be able to know when to get a guy involved, to know when to pull a guy to the side, know when to be positive, know when to motivate, know when to criticize. All those things factor into being a leader and a coach, and I think Jason Kidd has that and I think Mark Jackson is a perfect example of how hes earned that respect from his peers, and his teammates and the players that play for him. "Thats really important." ' ' '
