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FinHeaven Elite
The New Jersey Supreme Court said Tuesday it would consider whether the manslaughter retrial of former NBA star Jayson Williams can include evidence of a what he did after the shotgun death of a hired driver.
In a related ruling, the court rejected Williams' bid to appeal a ruling allowing his retrial on a charge of reckless manslaughter.
Williams' attorneys argued that a retrial would amount to double jeopardy because the earlier jury -- which found him guilty of covering up the shooting -- acquitted him of aggravated manslaughter, aggravated assault and a weapons charges stemming from the same shotgun blast.
Prosecutors want the retrial because the jury didn't reach a verdict on the reckless manslaughter charge.
The driver, Costas "Gus" Christofi, was shot at Williams' Hunterdon County estate as Williams was giving a group of people a tour after a night out. Williams' defense maintained the 2002 shooting was an accident, and that Williams panicked afterward.
The 38-year-old former New Jersey Nets center could face up to five years in prison when sentenced on the coverup charges. Reckless manslaughter carries up to 10 years.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/basketball/nba/06/13/williams.ap/index.html
In a related ruling, the court rejected Williams' bid to appeal a ruling allowing his retrial on a charge of reckless manslaughter.
Williams' attorneys argued that a retrial would amount to double jeopardy because the earlier jury -- which found him guilty of covering up the shooting -- acquitted him of aggravated manslaughter, aggravated assault and a weapons charges stemming from the same shotgun blast.
Prosecutors want the retrial because the jury didn't reach a verdict on the reckless manslaughter charge.
The driver, Costas "Gus" Christofi, was shot at Williams' Hunterdon County estate as Williams was giving a group of people a tour after a night out. Williams' defense maintained the 2002 shooting was an accident, and that Williams panicked afterward.
The 38-year-old former New Jersey Nets center could face up to five years in prison when sentenced on the coverup charges. Reckless manslaughter carries up to 10 years.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/basketball/nba/06/13/williams.ap/index.html