I genuinely hope he gets a new trial and is set free. Criminals should be sentenced for prison for murder, attempted murder, etc. However, to those with a functioning brain, this was not the case here. All he did is defend himself from some drunk idiots, with one of them being a beloved figure in that city. There is no doubt in my mind that the jury was influenced by the Saints players and coaches being in court, and the public opinion in that area if they did not convict him.
To me, anytime one party is out drinking, then I give their case a LOT LESS credence. You have a shirtless buffoon going around trying to instigate, and then a massive NFL line-man becoming enraged as well. Yet, Hayes gets sentenced to 25 years for defending himself from some drunk and violent idiots? This seriously pisses me off.