Jason Williams, former NBA star player for the New Jersey Nets has been sentenced to 3yrs in prison for the fatal shooting of his limo driver which took place back in 2002.
According to nypost The plea deal would resolve all charges in the case that dragged out for nearly eight years.
During his 2002 trial, the jury deadlocked on the reckless manslaughter count, acquitted him of aggravated manslaughter and convicted him of covering up the shooting. He was never sentenced for the cover-up counts, pending the outcome of the retrial, and has remained free on bail.
Witnesses testified that while showing off a shotgun in his bedroom, Williams snapped the weapon shut and it fired one shot that struck driver Costas Christofi in the chest, killing him.
They also testified that Williams initially placed the gun in the dead man’s hands and instructed those present in the bedroom to lie about what happened.
The defense has maintained the shooting was an accident and that Williams panicked afterward.
