Williams Acquitted on Manslaughter Charge
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Apr 30, 4:16 PM (ET)
By JEFFREY GOLD
(AP) Jayson Williams, left and his attorney Joseph Hayden Jr. stand as the jury enters the courtroom...
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SOMERVILLE, N.J. (AP) - 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 convicted on four of the six lesser charges, related to tampering with evidence and attempting to cover up the shooting death of limousine driver Costas "Gus" Christofi, 55. Collectively, the charges carry a maximum penalty of 13 years in prison.
The defense argued that the shooting was accidental, saying a malfunction in the gun's firing mechanism caused the weapon to go off. Prosecutors contended Williams was handling the shotgun so recklessly that it amounted to a crime.
The shooting happened Feb. 14, 2002, while Williams gave friends and members of the Harlem Globetrotters a tour of his mansion in Alexandria Township.
According to testimony, Williams, who had a skeet-shooting range on his 65-acre estate, took a loaded shotgun from a cabinet in the master bedroom. He turned, uttered an expletive at Christofi, possibly in jest, and then snapped the weapon shut, and it went off, according to testimony.
Christofi was struck in the chest and died within minutes. Williams dropped to his knees and wailed, "Oh my God! Oh my God!" and "My life is over," according to witnesses.
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Let's see, Williams "accidentally" shoots his limousine driver, and he starts whining that HIS life is over?
What a waste of skin
It would seem that American juries are getting stupider and stupider. Used to be that jurors were selected from the pool of registered voters. Several states have the "motor/voter" law, which broadens the pool to people who shouldn't be allowed to breed, much less be jurors.
I fully expect the jury in the Michael Jackson case not only to find him "not guilty", but nominate him for the Nobel Prize!
Mark
Email this Story
Apr 30, 4:16 PM (ET)
By JEFFREY GOLD
(AP) Jayson Williams, left and his attorney Joseph Hayden Jr. stand as the jury enters the courtroom...
Full Image
SOMERVILLE, N.J. (AP) - 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 convicted on four of the six lesser charges, related to tampering with evidence and attempting to cover up the shooting death of limousine driver Costas "Gus" Christofi, 55. Collectively, the charges carry a maximum penalty of 13 years in prison.
The defense argued that the shooting was accidental, saying a malfunction in the gun's firing mechanism caused the weapon to go off. Prosecutors contended Williams was handling the shotgun so recklessly that it amounted to a crime.
The shooting happened Feb. 14, 2002, while Williams gave friends and members of the Harlem Globetrotters a tour of his mansion in Alexandria Township.
According to testimony, Williams, who had a skeet-shooting range on his 65-acre estate, took a loaded shotgun from a cabinet in the master bedroom. He turned, uttered an expletive at Christofi, possibly in jest, and then snapped the weapon shut, and it went off, according to testimony.
Christofi was struck in the chest and died within minutes. Williams dropped to his knees and wailed, "Oh my God! Oh my God!" and "My life is over," according to witnesses.
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Let's see, Williams "accidentally" shoots his limousine driver, and he starts whining that HIS life is over?
What a waste of skin
It would seem that American juries are getting stupider and stupider. Used to be that jurors were selected from the pool of registered voters. Several states have the "motor/voter" law, which broadens the pool to people who shouldn't be allowed to breed, much less be jurors.
I fully expect the jury in the Michael Jackson case not only to find him "not guilty", but nominate him for the Nobel Prize!
Mark