Testimony on Eric Kay's Drug Use Before Tyler Skaggs’ Death
A former Los Angeles Angels ballpark attendant testified on November 4 about Eric Kay, a communications staffer linked to the pitcher Tyler Skaggs’ death due to an illicit pill. It was widely known in the clubhouse that Kay struggled with drug addiction.
Witness Account from Kris Constanti
Kris Constanti shared during the wrongful death trial that Kay admitted to being high on Norco while at the ballpark and hired sex-workers during spring training. Constanti also described Kay seemingly snorting drugs in the team kitchen just before Angels owner Arte Moreno entered.
Defense and Denials
- Angels' attorney portrayed Constanti as a disgruntled ex-employee upset about his firing after over ten years with the club.
- Constanti admitted to never witnessing Kay ingesting drugs directly or formally reporting any suspicions to the Angels organization.
- Other employees working with Kay denied any knowledge of his opioid addiction or supplying illicit pills to players, including Skaggs.
Allegations from Skaggs' Family and Kay’s Ex-Wife
The family of Tyler Skaggs and Kay's ex-wife allege that team officials were aware of Kay’s drug use and his connection to Skaggs prior to the pitcher’s death at age 27 in a Texas hotel room in 2019.
"Kay admit[ted] to being high on Norco while at the ballpark, to hiring sex-workers to stay with him during spring training and to appearing to have snorted drugs in a team kitchen moments before Angels owner Arte Moreno walked in."
Author’s summary: Testimony reveals widespread awareness of Eric Kay’s drug addiction within the Angels’ clubhouse, conflicting with the organization’s denials before Tyler Skaggs’ fatal overdose.