"Who wants to die?" Byrd said.
In separate statements, witnesses and the driver recounted hearing similar threats as Byrd brandished the blade. "Who wants to die today?"
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Byrd said.
Mother Speaks on Mental Health
Byrd's mother, Sharon Byrd, spoke out regarding her son's mental health struggles, attributing his behavioral changes to a severe car crash suffered just prior to the 2009 NFL Draft.
"He has his Heisman trophies right here," she said.
"So this is a young man that had a future and once that accident happened, everything went away."
She explained that her son's mental state has deteriorated significantly over time due to the lingering effects of his head injury.
"Everybody is against him, everybody wants to hurt my son, in his mind," she said. "Everyone wants to hurt him."
She advocated for rehabilitation rather than incarceration for the former championship athlete. "My son don't need jail, he needs help mentally," Byrd's mother said.
Despite the criminal charge, she maintained that her son is inherently non-violent. "There's nothing vicious about him and anyone who knows him will tell you that.
That's not my son," she said.
Byrd previously led Miami Central High School in receiving yards before helping LSU win the 2007 national championship.
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He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in 2009 but was released in 2010 following his car accident.
