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Former NBA star Jayson Williams has agreed to accept a deal in the 2002 accidental shooting death of a limousine driver at his home, according to multiple reports.
The Associated Press reported Thursday that Williams agreed to a plea deal for aggravated assault that would send him to prison for at least 18 months and up to three years.
Linnette Higley, who works for Superior Court of New Jersey trial court administrator Eugene Farkas, told ESPN's Kelly Naqi that Farkas confirmed Williams has agreed to accept a plea deal and will do so sometime after 1:30 p.m. ET Friday.
The secretary for Judge Edward Coleman of Somerset County Superior Court confirmed to ESPN that Williams was expected in court on Friday afternoon, but would not say what the appearance would be about.
The Newark Star-Ledger first reported that Williams was expected to appear in court Friday to accept a deal in the 2002 accidental shooting death of limousine driver Costas Christofi at his home.
Calls to Williams' attorney were not immediately returned.
Williams, who retired in 2000 after playing nine seasons in the NBA for the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets, was to face a retrial in January on a reckless manslaughter count. The plea deal would resolve all charges in a case that dragged out for nearly eight years.
Christofi's sister, Andrea Adams, said Thursday that she was told by prosecutors this week to be ready to go to court Friday because a plea deal was possible. They offered no specific information on the deal, she said.
Adams has mixed feelings about a prison term of three years or less.
"I would like to see him do jail time," she said. "I don't know if that's enough time."
Witnesses testified that Williams was showing off a shotgun in his bedroom in February 2002 when he snapped the weapon shut and it fired one shot that struck 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 to lie about what happened.
The defense has maintained the shooting was an accident and that Williams panicked afterward.
During his trial, the jury deadlocked on the reckless manslaughter count, acquitted Williams 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.
Williams had been offered pleas that would have called for him to serve less prison time, the person told the AP.
One of the earlier offers, the person said, came just before a hearing last month on whether a racial slur used by a detective and other conduct by the county prosecutor's office should result in dismissal of the reckless manslaughter count and the cover-up convictions. Coleman later rejected the defense's claim that, had it known about the slur, the defense would have changed its trial strategy.
The Associated Press reported Thursday that Williams agreed to a plea deal for aggravated assault that would send him to prison for at least 18 months and up to three years.
Linnette Higley, who works for Superior Court of New Jersey trial court administrator Eugene Farkas, told ESPN's Kelly Naqi that Farkas confirmed Williams has agreed to accept a plea deal and will do so sometime after 1:30 p.m. ET Friday.
The secretary for Judge Edward Coleman of Somerset County Superior Court confirmed to ESPN that Williams was expected in court on Friday afternoon, but would not say what the appearance would be about.
The Newark Star-Ledger first reported that Williams was expected to appear in court Friday to accept a deal in the 2002 accidental shooting death of limousine driver Costas Christofi at his home.
Calls to Williams' attorney were not immediately returned.
Williams, who retired in 2000 after playing nine seasons in the NBA for the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets, was to face a retrial in January on a reckless manslaughter count. The plea deal would resolve all charges in a case that dragged out for nearly eight years.
Christofi's sister, Andrea Adams, said Thursday that she was told by prosecutors this week to be ready to go to court Friday because a plea deal was possible. They offered no specific information on the deal, she said.
Adams has mixed feelings about a prison term of three years or less.
"I would like to see him do jail time," she said. "I don't know if that's enough time."
Witnesses testified that Williams was showing off a shotgun in his bedroom in February 2002 when he snapped the weapon shut and it fired one shot that struck 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 to lie about what happened.
The defense has maintained the shooting was an accident and that Williams panicked afterward.
During his trial, the jury deadlocked on the reckless manslaughter count, acquitted Williams 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.
Williams had been offered pleas that would have called for him to serve less prison time, the person told the AP.
One of the earlier offers, the person said, came just before a hearing last month on whether a racial slur used by a detective and other conduct by the county prosecutor's office should result in dismissal of the reckless manslaughter count and the cover-up convictions. Coleman later rejected the defense's claim that, had it known about the slur, the defense would have changed its trial strategy.
