By REBECCA SANTANA
Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A court is rejecting an appeal by the man convicted of killing former Saints football star Will Smith during a traffic altercation.

The 4th Circuit Court of Appeal in a ruling Wednesday affirmed the conviction of Cardell Hayes in the April 2016 killing.

Hayes is serving a 25-year sentence for manslaughter in Smith's death and attempted manslaughter in the wounding of Smith's wife.

Hayes insisted at trial that he fired after a drunk, angry Smith retrieved a gun from his car and fired first. Hayes was convicted in a 10-2 decision.

His lawyer argued on appeal that Hayes acted in self-defense and that evidence that surfaced after the trial lent credibility to his assertion.

But the appeals court wrote that the "evidence presented at trial was sufficient" to convict.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.