Angels in the crosshairs: Skaggs death trial opens with accusations

The Civil Trial for the Death of Tyler Skaggs: Accusations and Defenses

At the heart of the opening statements in the civil trial over the death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs in 2019 are questions about the responsibility of the Los Angeles Angels. The trial, which has been long awaited, began Tuesday in Santa Ana, California. Shawn Holley, the lawyer who presented the plaintiff’s initial statement, accused the Angels of being responsible for Skaggs’ death, arguing that the franchise put him “directly in danger” due to the continued hiring of Eric Kay. Kay, former Angels communications director, was convicted in 2022 for providing the oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl that caused Skaggs’ death. He is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence. On the other hand, the Angels’ lawyer, Todd Theodora, insisted that the team was unaware of Skaggs’ drug problems or that Kay had provided him with pills. Theodora argued that Skaggs died due to his “reckless decision to mix large amounts of alcohol with narcotics on the night of his death”.

“Angels Baseball did not kill Tyler Skaggs, and Angels Baseball only wishes he had spoken and told us about his problems,” said Theodora. “He would have told us about his drug problems and we could have helped him.”

Todd Theodora, Angels’ lawyer

Skaggs’ widow, Carli, and her mother were present in the courtroom, supported by their legal team, led by Rusty Hardin. Carli Skaggs and Tyler Skaggs’ parents filed a lawsuit against the Angels in 2021, seeking compensation of $118 million for the loss of Tyler Skaggs’ income, as well as damages for the family’s suffering and punitive damages against the Angels. The Angels owner, Arte Moreno, sat in the front row of the gallery, next to team president John Carpino. Moreno remained attentive during both initial statements, observing both lawyers. The Angels’ lawyers and the Skaggs family presented divergent opening statements about the facts of the case and what the evidence would show the jury.

“If you wanted to observe two different people in the same accident scene and get completely opposite points of view,” Hardin said as he left the courtroom, “today was the day.”

Rusty Hardin, lawyer for the Skaggs family

Holley made an initial 52-minute statement, attributing responsibility for Skaggs’ death to the Angels. Theodora, the Angels’ lead attorney, made a 58-minute statement, focusing on arguing that the Angels were unaware of Skaggs’ illicit drug use, that they did not know Kay had provided him with pills, and that Skaggs made a “reckless decision” that led to his death. Holley mentioned on several occasions that the Angels were informed about Kay’s drug problems since 2013, including stays in rehabilitation and appearances “high, very high” at work. Holley stated that the jurors will hear testimonies about an Angels club employee who witnessed Kay snorting drugs in the club’s kitchen in 2016 and an intervention in 2017 when the Angels’ head of public relations, Tim Mead, visited Kay’s house and saw pills in individual bags.

“That type of packaging was indicative of drug sales,” Holley said. “… The Angels now knew.”

Shawn Holley, attorney for the Skaggs family

Holley added that the testimony would show that Kay’s addiction was “on full display” in 2018, including at work for the Angels, and how in 2019 the Angels’ human resources department asked Kay to see an addiction specialist. Less than two months after returning to work, Kay was on the trip to Texas with Skaggs and the Angels when he provided the pill with fentanyl to Skaggs.

“It was a tragedy,” Holley said, “… that could have been prevented by the Angels.”

Shawn Holley, attorney for the Skaggs family

Holley argued that the Angels ignored the team’s anti-drug policies regarding Kay, also pointing to other employees who were suspended or fired when drug or alcohol use was discovered. Theodora said the franchise was aware of Kay’s bipolar diagnosis and family history of mental illness. Theodora stated that the Angels offered him help in managing the diagnosis and any medication issues that arose. Theodora said Kay “was better than ever” after his outpatient treatment and that there was no reason to fire him because Kay’s treatment was related to prescription drugs. As part of her initial statement, Theodora showed photos of the desk in Skaggs’ hotel room the night of his death, including a magenta room key with drug residue and a straw used for snorting oxycodone and fentanyl. Theodora also presented the autopsy report showing the levels of oxycodone, fentanyl, and alcohol in Skaggs’ system.

“Really, this is a simple case,” said Theodora. “Tyler, and only Tyler, decided to obtain the illicit pills and take the illicit drugs along with alcohol the night he died.”

Todd Theodora, lawyer for the Angels

Theodora reiterated on several occasions that the Angels would have wished Skaggs had told them about any drug problem because “we could have helped him.” She said the Angels suspended and ultimately fired Kay after learning he had been in Skaggs’ hotel room the night of his death. Theodora stated that her evidence would demonstrate that Skaggs used illicit drugs when he was with the Arizona Diamondbacks before joining the Angels and that multiple former Angels players (including Matt Harvey) and current players (including star outfielder Mike Trout) would testify or have testimonies read about Kay or Skaggs. Theodora explained that oxycodone was not prescribed to Skaggs and that the fentanyl was a “counterfeit” pill, provided by Kay. She said that the amounts of oxycodone and fentanyl were within therapeutic ranges, but that the addition of alcohol, between 11 and 13 drinks, created a lethal combination.

“It was the mix,” said Theodora, “of this amount of alcohol with this amount of oxycodone with this amount of fentanyl that caused Tyler’s death.”

Todd Theodora, lawyer for the Angels

The case, which is expected to last six weeks, will continue on Wednesday morning with the anticipated testimony of Mead, the first of the trial.