Melotic
05-01-2002, 07:30 AM
http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20020501/thumb.1020264990.williams_shooting_ny164.jpg
Wed May 1,10:56 AM ET
By SHEILA HOTCHKIN, Associated Press Writer
FLEMINGTON, N.J. (AP) - Former NBA player Jayson Williams was indicted on manslaughter charges Wednesday in the shooting death of a limousine driver at his estate.
Williams also was indicted on a series of other charges including aggravated assault and witness and evidence tampering. He could face more than 24 years in prison, and remains free on $270,000 bail.
A friend of the former New Jersey Nets star, John Gordnick, was indicted on two charges, including evidence tampering.
The 34-year-old Williams was charged on Feb. 25 with manslaughter in the Feb. 14 death of Costas Christofi.
Williams appeared in court on the charges in March. He did not enter a plea and was not required to do so until a grand jury indictment.
His spokeswoman, Judy Smith, has said Williams will plead innocent "at the appropriate time."
Prosecutors say Williams was recklessly handling his 12-gauge shotgun and that he and two friends, Gordnick and Kent Culuko, tried to make the shooting look like a suicide.
In a deal with prosecutors last week, Culuko pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence and witnesses and agreed to testify against Williams and Gordnick.
Christofi, 55, was apparently invited on a tour of Williams' mansion in Alexandria Township after picking up the former NBA All-Star's friends at a Harlem Globetrotters game in Bethlehem, Pa., prosecutors said.
The 6-foot-10 Williams was once among the NBA's best rebounders, but leg injuries ended his career and he retired from the Nets in 2000. Since the shooting, he has been suspended from his job as an NBA analyst for NBC.
They have to make examples, I guess...
If they didn't try to cover it up, he wouldn't be in this amount of trouble...
Wed May 1,10:56 AM ET
By SHEILA HOTCHKIN, Associated Press Writer
FLEMINGTON, N.J. (AP) - Former NBA player Jayson Williams was indicted on manslaughter charges Wednesday in the shooting death of a limousine driver at his estate.
Williams also was indicted on a series of other charges including aggravated assault and witness and evidence tampering. He could face more than 24 years in prison, and remains free on $270,000 bail.
A friend of the former New Jersey Nets star, John Gordnick, was indicted on two charges, including evidence tampering.
The 34-year-old Williams was charged on Feb. 25 with manslaughter in the Feb. 14 death of Costas Christofi.
Williams appeared in court on the charges in March. He did not enter a plea and was not required to do so until a grand jury indictment.
His spokeswoman, Judy Smith, has said Williams will plead innocent "at the appropriate time."
Prosecutors say Williams was recklessly handling his 12-gauge shotgun and that he and two friends, Gordnick and Kent Culuko, tried to make the shooting look like a suicide.
In a deal with prosecutors last week, Culuko pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence and witnesses and agreed to testify against Williams and Gordnick.
Christofi, 55, was apparently invited on a tour of Williams' mansion in Alexandria Township after picking up the former NBA All-Star's friends at a Harlem Globetrotters game in Bethlehem, Pa., prosecutors said.
The 6-foot-10 Williams was once among the NBA's best rebounders, but leg injuries ended his career and he retired from the Nets in 2000. Since the shooting, he has been suspended from his job as an NBA analyst for NBC.
They have to make examples, I guess...
If they didn't try to cover it up, he wouldn't be in this amount of trouble...