With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Ex-Angels Employee Sentenced For Providing Fentanyl To Tyler Skaggs
Los Angeles Angels public relations employee Eric Kay is seen on left as players lay their jerseys on the pitchers mound on July 19, 2019 to honor Tyler Skaggs.
(
John McCoy
/
Getty Images
)
Topline:
The family of Tyler Skaggs, the L.A. Angels pitcher who died of an overdose, said they “will continue the fight to hold responsible” the people that allowed former L.A. Angels communications director Eric Kay to provide the deadly drug to their son.
The background: Skaggs died in a Dallas hotel room in 2019 before the team was scheduled to play the Texas Rangers. He had a combination of fentanyl, oxycodone, and alcohol in his system at the time of his death.
The case against Kay: Kay was found guilty in February of supplying the drugs that led to Skaggs' death. Federal prosecutors said that Kay regularly gave Skaggs and others counterfeit prescription drugs. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison on Tuesday, according to the Washington Post.
Support for LAist comes from
The family’s full statement: “We are very grateful to everyone who worked so hard to investigate and prosecute Eric Kay. Today’s sentencing isn’t about the number of years the defendant received. The real issue in this case is holding accountable the people who are distributing the deadly drug fentanyl. It is killing tens of thousands of people every year in our country and destroying families along with it. We will continue the fight to hold responsible those who allowed Kay to provide a deadly drug to Tyler. But for their actions, Tyler would still be with us today.”
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember. -
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain. -
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases.
Best of LAist