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Ex-NBA star Williams pleads guilty to fatal shooting

Ex-National Basketball Association player Jayson Williams pled guilty and agreed to serve at least 18 months in jail for accidentally shooting his limousine driver to death.

Updated on: Jan 12, 2010, 22:27:41 IST
AFP | By , Somerville, New Jersey
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Ex-National Basketball Association player Jayson Williams pled guilty and agreed to serve at least 18 months in jail for accidentally shooting his limousine driver to death.

HT Image
HT Image

He pleaded guilty on Monday to an aggravated assault count for the 2002 death of Costas Christofi. Williams was awaiting a retrial on a reckless manslaughter charge.

Williams told the judge that he failed to properly check a shotgun he was showing off to friends before snapping it closed.

"I didn't look in the direction the muzzle of the gun was pointed," said Williams, who was charged with drink driving after smashing his car into a tree in New York last week.

The aggravated assault charge includes a minimum 18-month sentence while he could have faced a maximum 10-year prison sentence on the earlier reckless manslaughter charge.

Under his plea agreement, Williams will serve 18 months in jail for the aggravated assault and up to five years for a previous conviction of trying to cover up the shooting. The sentences are to run concurrent meaning he will be eligible for parole after 18 months.

Williams played for the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Nets between 1990 and 1999.

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