Free Republic

TRENTON, N.J. — Retired NBA star Jayson Williams has cut a plea deal that would send him to prison for up to three years for accidentally shooting a driver at his New Jersey estate in 2002, a person with knowledge of the case told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Despite being called a racially derogatory name, Jayson Williams won’t get a new trial on the charges for which he was convicted and he will still be retried on a charge of manslaughter he faces for the death of Costas “Gus” Christofi.

The family of Costas "Gus" Christofi will hold a public candlelight vigil at 7 p.m. Thursday on the steps of the courthouse on Main Street. The vigil is being held the night before a hearing in which the Hunderton ounty Prosecutor's Office is expected to announce whether it will seek to retry ex-NBA star Jayson Williams on reckless manslaughter charges stemming from Christofi's death at Williams' Alexandria estate. Williams, 36, was acquitted earlier this month of aggravated manslaughter in connection with Christofi's death. A mistrial was declared on a reckless manslaughter charge after jurors said they were unable to reach...

SOMERVILLE, N.J. — Former NBA star Jayson Williams was acquitted Friday of the most serious charge against him, aggravated manslaughter. The jury said it could not agree on the charge of reckless manslaughter. Williams, 36, was found guilty on four of the six lesser charges, related to tampering with evidence and attempting to cover up the shooting. Collectively, the charges carry a maximum penalty of 13 years in prison. But Williams would probably receive a sentence of less than five years, the maximum for the most serious count. No date was set for sentencing. It was not immediately clear whether...

Jury in Trial of Ex-Nets Star Won't Hear of Pet's KillingBy BOB HANLEYPublished: February 5, 2004 OMERVILLE, N.J., Feb. 4 - The judge in the manslaughter trial of Jayson Williams refused on Wednesday to allow prosecutors to introduce evidence about Mr. Williams's killing of his pet watchdog with two shotgun blasts in 2001.The judge, Edward M. Colman, barred any testimony about the death of the dog, a Rottweiler named Zeus, saying it would inflame the jury and undercut Mr. Williams's right to a fair trial.   "I can't think of anything that would be more prejudicial," Judge Colman said. He...

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