Following the news that former LSU star wide receiver and NFL Draft prospect Kyren Lacy died in an apparent suicide Saturday night, his attorney issued a scathing statement on behalf of his now-deceased client.
The 24-year-old was arrested after allegedly causing a car crash last December that resulted in the death of a 78-year-old veteran named Herman Hall. A grand jury was set to meet on Monday to hear evidence regarding potential criminal charges of negligent homicide, felony hit-and-run and reckless operation of a vehicle. He turned himself in to authorities in January and was released on a $151,000 bond.
Police were called after Lacy allegedly shot a firearm into the ground while having an argument with a female family member. He was fleeing officers until his vehicle crashed. He was pronounced dead at the scene via an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Lacy's lawyer, Matthew Ory, expressed his sadness and outrage, claiming that the Thibodaux, Louisiana native had been the subject of a wrongful investigation for the last few months.
A statement was issued in defense of Kyren Lacy
“Kyren’s was scheduled to have his matter heard before a grand jury tomorrow wherein we were very confident the evidence, after being fully collected and reviewed, would lead to a declination of charges,” Ory said, via WAFB9's Jacques Doucet.
“From the very beginning, this so-called investigation took on the appearance of an overzealous, targeted effort—what can only be described as a witch hunt—fueled by who Kyren was and the public profile he carried. The decision by the investigating agency to charge him at all, in our view, was not only unjustified, it was disturbing. It’s imperative to understand the Lafourche Parish District Attorney, to this day, has not formally charged Kyren.”
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“Kyren was a young man with immense promise, and he was crushed under the weight of an irresponsible and prejudiced process. The negative barrage on social media, the circulation of his mugshot by nearly every news outlet rather than a standard photo, the recent civil lawsuit filed against him that named another defendant who mysteriously wasn’t charged with a crime, only him, and the overall tone of coverage painted a deeply biased picture before he ever had the chance to defend himself.
“There was never a presumption of innocence which was exemplified by the NFL pulling his draft card over mere accusations without affording him the slightest chance to defend himself. The pressure and perception likely became unbearable.”
It is important to note that there was still a chance Kyren Lacy was going to be picked in the 2025 NFL Draft, which runs from April 24-26. His stock plummeted, but a team might have valued the 866 receiving yards and nine touchdowns the Second-Team All-SEC selection posted last season for LSU.
Matthew Ory still intends to contest the accusations. “Let us be absolutely clear: This is far from over,” he said. “We will be demanding a full and transparent review of how this investigation was conducted and why. Those responsible for this gross miscarriage of justice must and will be held accountable.”
