In 1992, his second season in the NFL, Anthony Smith was a star on a Raiders defense that included future Hall of Famers Howie Long and Ronnie Lott. Smith led the team with 13 sacks and six forced fumbles. Midway through his eight-year career in the league, Smith made news with his marriage to a former Prince protege, the performer once known as Vanity.
Now those stories of fame, fortune and football glory have been replaced with those of arson, torture and murder.
Smith is awaiting trial for four murders. He has already faced trial for one of those killings with a jury deadlocking 8-4 in favor of conviction.
In 2003, Smith went on trial twice on charges that he firebombed a Santa Monica furniture store. Both ended in mistrials. The case was later dismissed.
The latest issue of GQ takes an in-depth look at Smith and how his life unfolded from playing for one of the NFL's most famous franchises to being named in police reports and criminal cases involving allegations of gruesome violence. The feature by Kathy Dobie has twists like something out of "Pulp Fiction" ...
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