ESPN hosts walk back Kyren Lacy defense after police release video

Ryan Clark, Pat McAfee and Scott Van Pelt gave strong reactions to the evidence that attempted to prove Kyren Lacy innocent of allegedly causing a fatal wreck last year.

However, when Louisiana State Police issued their own surveillance to defend their findings that Lacy’s “reckless operation” eventually led to a 78-year-old man’s death, they walked back their earlier sentiments.

Upon seeing the video, Van Pelt said Monday night that he could not “recall ever seeing something that made me react viscerally to the point that I felt like my hands were trembling.”

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Kyren Lacy of the LSU Tigers celebrates a catch against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field on Oct. 26, 2024 in College Station, Texas. (Gus Stark/LSU/University Images via Getty Images)

“There is video to show this is not what happened, and this young man took his life,” Van Pelt said of Lacy, who died by suicide in April.

Clark said Lacy “died having to live with the guilt and the consequences of a guilty man, knowing he was innocent,” and “police… tried to coerce and doctor and use ways to manipulate statements that put this young man behind bars.”

On Wednesday, after police released their findings, Van Pelt issued a monologue on his ESPN show, apologizing “for the incomplete reaction that aired on this show Monday night.”

“Lacy faced several charges, including felony negligent homicide, but died by suicide days before a grand jury was set to convene — meaning his guilt or innocence will never be determined in a criminal court. The one certainty here is that this was a senseless tragedy in December, magnified by a second life lost in April,” Van Pelt added.

On Thursday’s edition of “First Take,” Clark said “it’s always important to me that I gather all factual and important information to provide the complete story… and when discussed in real time on Monday evening, I failed to do so. And for that, I apologize.”

McAfee, after seeing Lacy’s attorney’s claims, said he “didn’t do it” and “we gotta get that s— right,” via OutKick.

“We thought we had more context. Now, more video has been made available and it shows even more context. It shows Kyren Lacy driving on the wrong side of the road and could have easily made the case that he caused the car to swerve and the tragic accident. We apologize for adding any more heat. We will continue to stay on top of the news breakings and this story. This is tragically sad and involves an athlete’s legacy,” McAfee also said Tuesday.

Kyren Lacy of the Tigers poses for a portrait during media day at the LSU Indoor Practice Facility on June 17, 2024, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (LSU Athletics/University Images via Getty Images)

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Louisiana State Police released a “Critical Incident Briefing Video” that appeared to show that Lacy was driving at “a high rate of speed, passing three passenger vehicles and one loaded 18-wheeler in a designated no-passing zone with a 40 mph posted speed limit.

The briefing video showed bodycam footage of one witness — the driver of the 18-wheeler — saying Lacy caused the wreck. That witness said the driver of a gold truck traveling north slammed on the brakes as Lacy’s Charger approached southbound, causing a female driver in a Kia Cadenza behind the gold truck to swerve into the southbound lane to avoid the truck. The Cadenza then crashed into the Kia Sorrento carrying Herman Hall, which was traveling south. Hall died as a result of his injuries.

“The gold truck traveling north veered right to avoid a head-on collision with the green Charger. As the gold truck veered right, the driver of the Kia Cadenza saw the approaching green charger. In reaction, the Kia Cadenza driver swerved left into the southbound lane and impacted a northbound Kia Sorrento,” police said, adding that the driver of the gold truck “reacted appropriately” to avoid a crash with Lacy. 

Lacy’s attorney Matt Ory said Lacy could not have caused the crash, considering he was nearly a football field’s distance away from the wreck by the time he got back into the correct lane.

“At the time of impact, he’s 72.6 yards behind the vehicles at the time of impact. Key word: behind the vehicles. That is not how this story was ever painted. Never,” Ory said.

Kyren Lacy runs the ball as LSU takes on the Nicholls Colonels at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Sept. 7, 2024. (Scott Clause/USA Today Network)

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However, police said, “All evidence collected supports the conclusion that Lacy’s reckless operation of the green Charger into oncoming traffic triggered the chain of events involving the other drivers, ultimately resulting in the fatal crash.”

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