FORT WORTH, Texas — A jury on Thursday found Eric Kay guilty of giving Tyler Skaggs the drugs that led to his death in July 2019.
The 12-person jury concluded that Kay, a former Angels communications director, is guilty of both crimes he was charged with in relation to Skaggs’ death: distributing fentanyl and oxycodone since “beginning or before 2017” and providing Skaggs the fentanyl that resulted in him choking in his vomit in a suburban Dallas hotel room.
Kay, 47, faces a minimum 20-year sentence and up to a $1 million fine for being convicted of giving Skaggs the drugs that resulted in his death.
While the jury had to believe Kay distributed the drugs to Skaggs beyond a reasonable doubt for a guilty verdict, the group only had to be convinced that Kay gave Skaggs the drugs in the Northern District of Texas “more likely than not.” In other words, the jury could have been convinced to a lesser extent that Kay gave Skaggs the drugs in Texas and not in California.
Skaggs, an Angels pitcher, was found dead in Room 469 of the Hilton Southlake/Dallas Town Square just after 2 p.m. CDT on July 1, 2019. He was 27. The Angels had flown to Texas from the Long Beach Airport the previous night to begin a series against the Texas Rangers that day.
An autopsy report concluded Skaggs had fentanyl, oxycodone and alcohol in his system, but the government argued Skaggs wouldn’t have died “but for” the fentanyl, which it argued originated from counterfeit oxycodone pills Kay provided Skaggs in Texas.
Rusty Hardin, the attorney for the Skaggs family, said in a statement: “The trial showed Eric Kay’s drug trafficking was known to numerous people in the Angels organization, and it resulted in the tragic and unnecessary death of one of their most popular players. We have no doubt that the Angels knew what Eric Kay was doing, and the team is morally and legally responsible for his conduct.
“In the upcoming civil cases, we are looking forward to holding the team accountable. While this verdict is the beginning of seeing justice served, it is a painful reminder of a very sad day in the life of Tyler’s family. It is obviously a bad day for the Angels, who have given a black eye to our National Pastime. I am confident that Major League Baseball will give this important issue the attention and corrective measures it deserves.”
The Skaggs family also released a statement: “We are very grateful to the government and the jury for seeing this important case through to the right verdict. Tyler was the light of our family. He is gone, and nothing can ever bring him back. We are relieved that justice was served, although today is a painful reminder of the worst day in the life of our family.”
Angels President John Carpino said in a statement: “On behalf of the entire Angels organization, we are saddened by the devastating heartache that surrounds this tragedy, especially for the Skaggs family. Our compassion goes out to all families and individuals that have been impacted. The players’ testimony was incredibly difficult for our organization to hear, and it is a reminder that too often drug use and addiction are hidden away. From the moment we learned of Tyler’s death, our focus has been to fully understand the circumstances that led to this tragedy.
“We are thankful that Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association have taken the important step to update their drug policies for players using opioids so that they can receive help.”
