U.S. & World

E-mail

Close Window E-mail This Page

Source: Jayson Williams Facing Prison In Plea Deal

Required fields are marked with an asterisk(*)

Recipient E-mail:*
- Your Name:*
- Your E-mail:*
Add a Message:
Send me a copy of this e-mail.

Type the characters in this picture:*

Click here to refresh with new letters

The information you provide will be used only to send the requested e-mail and will not be used to send any other e-mail communications. Read more in our Privacy Policy

Send E-mail

Print Share + Comments

Nov 19, 2009 7:45 am US/Pacific

Source: Jayson Williams Facing Prison In Plea Deal

Former NBA Star Acquitted In 2004 Of Manslaughter Charges

TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) ―

Click to enlarge 1 of 1: Former basketball player Jayson Williams confers with defense attorney Billy Martin during a hearing at the Somerset County Courthouse in Somerville, N.J., on July 16, 2007.
John O'Boyle/AP

Close

numSlides of totalImages

Jayson Williams is facing prison under plea deal in the wreckless manslaughter case against the retired NBA star, a source told The Associated Press Thursday.

The deal could have Williams spend up to three years in prison for accidentally shooting a driver at his New Jersey estate in 2002, according to the source close the case.

Williams, who retired in 2000 after playing nine seasons in the NBA for the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets, was to face a retrial in January on a reckless manslaughter count.

The person, who was not authorized to speak about the case, told the AP on condition of anonymity that Williams is to plead guilty to aggravated assault on Friday. Because a gun was used in the crime, Williams must serve at least 18 months in prison, the person said.

The plea deal would resolve all charges in the case that dragged out for nearly eight years.

During his 2002 trial, the jury deadlocked on the reckless manslaughter count, acquitted him of aggravated manslaughter and convicted him of covering up the shooting. He was never sentenced for the cover-up counts, pending the outcome of the retrial, and has remained free on bail.

Several messages left for defense attorney Joseph Hayden were not returned Thursday.

Witnesses testified that while showing off a shotgun in his bedroom, Williams snapped the weapon shut and it fired one shot that struck driver Costas Christofi in the chest, killing him. They also testified that Williams initially placed the gun in the dead man's hands and instructed those present in the bedroom to lie about what happened.

The defense has maintained the shooting was an accident and that Williams panicked afterward.