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NEW ORLEANS -- Former Saints player Will Smith was accused of bringing about his own demise by the friend of Smiths accused killer, Cardell Hayes, during one of the most dramatic moments to date in Hayes murder trial.That friend, Kevin ONeal, testified for nearly four hours Thursday, stressing the point that Smith and others in his party were acting as the aggressors in an altercation that led up to Hayes shooting Smith eight times and Smiths wife, Racquel, being shot in the legs.ONeals statement came when he responded loudly to an assistant district attorney who was asking about Smith not being there anymore for Racquel and their children.Did her husband bring it by his own demise? ONeal said -- which elicited loud sobbing from the area of Racquel and other family and loved ones. Im just asking. He attacked this man (Hayes) from the beginning to the end of that situation. At no point in time did I ever see this man (Hayes) irate or aggressive with anyone out there. At no point in time, my Gods honest truth, did I ever see (Hayes) get angry.Hayes is claiming self-defense in the case, which has centered on whether Hayes felt in fear for his life when he opened fire on Smith and allegedly on Smiths wife. Other witnesses have testified that Smith and passenger Richard Hernandez were both acting aggressively during a shouting match with Hayes and ONeal and that they both had to be restrained by their wives.One witness stated that Hernandez was acting in a ridiculous fashion, with one eyewitness testifying Thursday that he shouted, Im gonna f---ing kill you, followed by a racial slur directed toward either ONeal or Hayes.However, the state has repeatedly stressed the points that Hayes was the only one armed with a loaded gun when everyone exited their vehicles after Hayes car crashed into Smiths car; that Smith was unarmed when he was shot; and that even if Hernandez was acting aggressively, no one seemed to be afraid of him, with multiple witnesses saying they found Hernandezs behavior almost comical.And homicide detective Bruce Brueggeman testified that the police never found any evidence that Smith was armed or said he was going to arm himself -- though Hayes defense team will try to show that Smith did.Another explosive moment that happened in court Thursday came when defense attorney John Fuller slammed down a legal pad and demanded a mistrial when the state asked ONeal about a recorded statement he had made criticizing Fuller as a sellout or a nobody who gets people off on technicalities even if theyre guilty. The judge denied Fullers request.Assistant District Attorney Laura Rodrigue began the day by focusing on multiple statements ONeal gave to both the media and a grand jury about how he felt as if he could handle the men trying to fight him and wasnt really in fear for his life until he heard the gunshots.The state referenced that ONeal said, How the f--- did it get from this to this? ONeal replied, however, that, Me having confidence in my ability to defend myself has nothing to do with the facts.And ONeal stressed that, Before anyone was shot, Mr. Hayes was under attack as well as myself. Point blank period.ONeal testified that five or six people were trying to restrain Smith at one point, including Saints running back Pierre Thomas -- though no eyewitnesses have testified to seeing that other than ONeal. And ONeal said he doesnt know where those five people went before the shooting, when only Racquel was trying to restrain Smith.Fuller drove home the point with ONeal, with two neutral eyewitnesses and with the homicide detective, Brueggeman, that Smith and Hernandez were the only ones who needed to be restrained by anyone during the altercation. Fuller also made the point that Hayes was not some stone-cold killer since he didnt shoot at anyone when they exited their vehicles or when people were charging at him or taking swings at him.Fuller suggested it was something Smith did that made Hayes act in fear of his life.Fuller said Smith had done some great things. But he asked ONeal, Was he acting like a great man that night? And ONeal said no.Then ONeal was asked if the two sides were reversed but the facts of the case stayed the same, would Smith be there on trial for murder. And ONeal replied, I doubt it.ONeal was one of many witnesses, however, who said he did not see or hear what happened between Smith and Hayes in the moment before the first shot was fired. ONeal said he didnt even know Hayes had a gun and didnt see him fire any shots, because ONeal was occupied trying to hold off Hernandez and Hernandezs brother-in-law Jonathan Whipple at the time.ONeal testified that he saw Smiths body slumped over the drivers seat after the shooting with his arm extended and the glove box open -- as if he might have been trying to retrieve a gun. But the state pointed out that ONeal said he retrieved his own gun after the shooting started -- and Smith might have been trying to do the exact same thing ONeal did.ONeal also testified that he and Hayes were following Smiths car at a normal rate of speed that night with the intent of getting Smiths license plate number after they felt as if Smith had bumped them from behind moments earlier, then drove off.ONeal said Hayes car accidentally crashed into Smiths car while they were trying to retrieve that license plate info and call 911. And ONeal testified that several members of Smiths party came rushing aggressively at them after the accident instead of calmly discussing what happened.The two neutral eyewitnesses that testified Thursday -- ?Justin Ross and Abby Levray -- agreed that Hernandez and Smith were acting more aggressively than Hayes and ONeal, with Hernandez definitely acting the most aggressive, though everyone was arguing. They both testified that Smiths and Hernandezs wives were trying to restrain them.Ross said Hernandez pushed his wife in the face to get her away. But Ross said Smith was not acting in the same manner toward his wife -- not at all. And in Ross viewpoint, Racquel had successfully restrained her husband and calmed him down before the shooting started.Ross testified that nothing he saw warranted Smiths being shot. And he said ONeal was the only one he heard mention a gun, saying something like, Back off, back down, I have a gun.Neither witness was looking at Smith and Hayes right before the shooting started, though, and neither could hear what was being said between Smith and Hayes. Nike Free Shoes Wholesale . -- There were a lot of firsts for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. Nike Free Discount . According the Toronto Star, a knee injury will keep Sundin out of the lineup, which includes former teammates Gary Roberts, Darcy Tucker, Tie Domi and Curtis Joseph. http://www.cheapnikefree.us/ . Numbers Game looks into the Canadiens securing the services of Thomas Vanek in a trade with the New York Islanders. The Canadiens Get: LW Thomas Vanek and a conditional fifth-round pick. Nike Free Shoes Clearance . Miller reached right to deflect Mikhail Grabovskis attempt with just over 2 minutes remaining in regulation, and then made two more saves in the shootout Sunday to give the Sabres a 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals. Cheap Nike Free Shoes . Schenn scored the game-winning goal and added two assists to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday. RIO DE JANEIRO -- As he walked into an Olympic pool venue for the final time on Saturday night, Michael Phelps couldnt help but feel the emotion begin to settle over him. He had known this day had been coming for years. Ever since he decided to unretire for one last Olympics, he knew it would all come to an end late on Aug. 13.He expected there would be emotions. How could there not? This was nothing like four years earlier in London, where he left the sport of swimming kicking and screaming and eager to put lane lines and kickboards in his rearview mirror as quickly as he could. This time, he had embraced the journey, became a team leader and rediscovered the love for the water he had as a little boy. So of course there would be tears, even before his final race began.Walking down the warm-up pool deck, I started getting choked up thinking this is my last this, this is my last that, Phelps said. It was definitely more emotion than in 2012, and I think thats a good thing.He wasnt alone. Bob Bowman had coached Phelps for 20 years. He watched Phelps grow from an eager 11-year-old into a hard-headed, complicated competitor into a grown father and leader. He had once worried about who Phelps was hanging out with and what they might be up to. At one point, the relationship between Bowman and Phelps had devolved into ferocious, profanity-laced arguments, with both of them swearing they would never talk to the other again, only to somehow return.And yet, here at the end, for the past 21 months, their bond had become everything it always should have been. They respected one another. Vacationed together. Laughed. Worked hard but had fun doing so. So of course, when Phelps began his final warm-up swim before the mens 4x100 meter medley relay final, Bowman had to excuse himself.?I just walked off like I was going to the bathroom, Bowman said. I spent the whole day thinking about sentimental stuff. The last time I will see him swim freestyle. The last 200 IM. The last time Im going to watch him do this 25 or that 25. I got emotional. I dont think he even knew.By the time Phelps stepped onto the competition deck, the tears were in check for the time being. He had just one thought: Get the lead. The United States had never lost the mens medley relay, and they werent going to start now. Not in the last swim of Michael Phelps career. His motivational speech to his teammates was simple but effective.He said, I dont have anything to say, but lets just go out there and kill it, Ryan Murphy said. It wasnt much, but that was enough for me to get hyped.Murphy began the American charge by setting a world-record time in the 100 backstroke during the first leg of the relay. But thanks to a monster breaststroke by Great Britains Adam Peaty, Phelps entered the water on the third leg with the Americans trailing by .61 seconds. In a way, this was exactly how it was supposed to be -- the United States needing Michael Phelps to help them to victory.One hundred meters and a little more than 50 seconds later, Phelps and his strong butterfly stroke handed teammate Nathan Adrian a .41-second lead that the Americans did not lose. And just like that, the greatest career in Olympic history came to an end.This was the cherry on top that I wanted, Phelps said after the race. I couldnt be any happier with the end of my career.With that last race of the aquatics schedule in Rio, Phelps won hiss 28th career Olympic medal and his 23rd gold.dddddddddddd Last week, he regained the 200 butterfly crown he had lost four years ago that had meant so much to him. He again beat teammate Ryan Lochte in the 200 individual medley for the fourth straight Olympics. And in the last individual event of his career, he took home silver in the 100 butterfly behind 21-year-old Joseph Schooling, who grew up in Singapore idolizing Phelps; it reminded the world just how hard greatness can be to master.Phelps leaves Rio with five gold medals and one silver, the fourth straight Olympics where Phelps is likely to win more medals than any other Olympian.When the race finally was over, Phelps raised his arms high above his head to acknowledge the cheering crowd. The emotions returned while he waited for the medal ceremony, but it happened behind closed doors, where no one could see it. Teammate Cody Miller became dizzy and light-headed, postponing the medal ceremony by some 25 minutes. By the time Phelps re-emerged, he put himself back together.You could see the tears in his eyes as we were walking to the medal ceremony, Murphy said. It got tampered down with how much time we had to wait, but he was super emotional. It was a great way to cap off an incredible career.For Phelps, these Olympics have proved to be different than any other. He walked in his first Opening Ceremony after being elected the U.S. flag-bearer by his teammates. He served as one of the team captains -- another first -- and help lead the Americans to 33 total swimming medals, the most since 1984.And, for the first time in his life, it wasnt all about winning. It was the process of getting there. Which is why those close to Phelps are optimistic that the next chapter of his life will be far brighter than it might have once looked. For years, Phelps defined himself as nothing more than a swimmer. In 2008, when a University of Michigan athletics administrator asked him what he planned to do if he won eight gold medals in Beijing, he shrugged his shoulders. Retirement after London in 2012 was followed by a reality television show, playing golf and a lack of direction.This time, Phelps insists its different. He will no longer have swimming to keep his life within the boundaries -- to bring him happiness, contentment, sobriety. But he doesnt need it. He finally knows who he is beyond a swimmer. He no longer needs gold medals to define himself as a successful and productive human being. He has a fiancée who has been there through the good times and bad and loves him for the man, not the medals. He has a son who will blindingly care about him and has cried in recent days during FaceTime chats because he misses Dad.This time, Rio was closure.He knows where hes going, Bowman said. There is a baby and a house and a wife. He can see the next chapter of his life. And he cant wait. I dont worry about him anymore. Hes on a great path, and I think thats the biggest difference.The end of Phelps competitive career is anything but the end of his story. In many ways, it is only the beginning.The things Ive gone through in my life -- this is how Im supposed to be today, Phelps said. I wouldnt change anything that got me here. I can honestly say this is the best place Ive ever been in my life. ' ' '