Former LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy, 24, was found dead in an apparent suicide from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after a brief chase by police on Sunday in Houston.
On Monday, a grand jury was set to begin hearing evidence in Lacy’s negligent homicide case stemming from a December 17 vehicular accident that left a 78-year-old man dead.
After their client’s death, Lacy’s attorneys issued a statement condemning investigators and vowing to launch their own investigation into what they are calling a “gross miscarriage of justice.”
“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,” said attorney Matthew Ory.
“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.
“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.
“Let us be absolutely clear: This is far from over. 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.”
According to Pro Football Talk, the NFL did not exclude Lacy from the NFL Draft.
During his five-year collegiate career at the University of Louisiana and LSU, Lacy caught 162 passes for 2,360 yards and scored 26 touchdowns.
