In the wake of the death of former LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy on Sunday of an apparent suicide, Lacy’s lawyer, Matthew Ory, released a statement criticizing the investigation regarding his client’s arrest on charges stemming from a fatal hit-and-run crash in Louisiana.
A grand jury had been set to hear evidence involving the case beginning on Monday.
Ory called the investigation into Lacy “targeted and overzealous” and also referred to it as a “witch hunt.”
“We were very confident the evidence, after being fully collected and reviewed, would lead to a declination of charges,’’ the statement read, first released by WAFB-TV.
“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.”
Lacy, 24 at the time of his death, had been accused of causing a crash in Louisiana that resulted in the death of a 78-year-old man on Dec. 17, as well as leaving the scene without notifying authorities.
He turned himself in on Jan. 12 and was jailed before being released on $151,000 bail, according to police records.
According to police, he was charged with negligent homicide, felony hit-and-run with death and reckless operation of a vehicle.
“The decision by the investigating agency to charge him at all, in our view, was not only unjustified, it was disturbing,’’ the statement read. “It’s imperative to understand the Lafourche Parish District Attorney, to this day, has not formally charged Kyren.”
The statement also criticized the media for a perceived role in his apparent suicide, referring to Lacy as “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.”
And the NFL was also hit with criticism. Lacy declared for the 2025 NFL Draft two days after the crash. He didn’t play in LSU’s bowl game, but did take part in the program’s pro day in March and may have been selected in the draft later this month after three seasons at LSU following two seasons at Louisiana.
“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 statement read. “The pressure and perception likely became unbearable.”
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis, you can call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org for free and confidential crisis counseling.
