Eric Kay found guilty for his role in Tyler Skaggs’ death

The trial, which lasted more than two weeks, explored drug use among League Baseball players, some of whom, when testifying, admitted to purchasing opioids through Kay. Matt Harvey, a former Mets pitcher who was Skaggs’s teammate with the Angels in 2019, discussed his own cocaine use, as well as his use of opioids. He and others describe Kay as a team employee who is known for his ability to give players the drug they seek, even as he deals with his own addiction.

In one statement from the angelsJohn Carpino, the team’s president, said the team is grateful that MLB has updated its drug policies following Skaggs’ death.

“The player testimony is extremely difficult to hear for our organization,” Carpino said, “and it is a reminder that drug use and addiction are often hidden.”

While 32-year-old Harvey, who admitted to sharing opioids with Skaggs, was granted immunity in exchange for his testimony, he could still face disciplinary action from MLB. He is a free agent after while spending the 2021 season with the Baltimore Orioles.

Skaggs, to whom many witnesses testified, was addicted to Percocet earlier in his career, said to have sent teammates to see Kay over the years so Kay could buy them drugs. Federal prosecutors said Skaggs’ death was caused by Kay providing pills that looked like oxycodone but were actually fentanyl, a stronger opioid. A medical examiner and several toxicologists testified that it was the fentanyl in Skaggs’ system that led to his death.

While Kay’s attorneys ruled their client was addicted to opioids and admitted he had previously lied about seeing Skaggs the night he died, their defense focused on not It is not possible to know for certain whether the drugs provided by Kay led to Skaggs’ death. as Skaggs’ telephony chain. They believe that the messages on Skaggs’ phone were deleted by members of the Skaggs family before the phone could be examined by authorities, and that the messages were potentially incriminating to others.

Michael Molfetta, Kay’s attorney, said: “This case has been reverse engineered. “They said, ‘Eric’s the guy, and we’re going to get him.’