May 1, 2002: Jayson Williams is indicted in a fatal shooting case

On May 1, 2002, former NBA player Jayson Williams was indicted on charges including aggravated manslaughter in connection with the fatal shooting of limousine driver Costas Christofi at Williams's New Jersey estate; later proceedings ended with cover-up convictions and a guilty plea to aggravated assault.

On May 1, 2002, former NBA player Jayson Williams was indicted on charges including aggravated manslaughter in connection with the fatal shooting of Costas Christofi.

The charges arose from the February 2002 shooting death of Costas “Gus” Christofi at Williams's New Jersey estate.

At the 2004 trial, Williams was acquitted of aggravated manslaughter, convicted on post-shooting cover-up counts, and the jury deadlocked on reckless manslaughter.

In 2010, Williams pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and received a prison sentence, with the cover-up sentence running concurrently according to ABC7's sentencing report.

In 2007, the New Jersey Supreme Court held that post-shooting consciousness-of-guilt evidence was relevant and admissible for the reckless manslaughter retrial, with limiting instructions.

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Former NBA All-Star Jayson Williams indicted for manslaughter , HISTORY
"Former NBA All-Star Jayson Williams indicted for manslaughter," HISTORY, May 1. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/may-1/former-nba-all-star-indicted
Former NBA star Williams faces manslaughter charge , ESPN
"Former NBA star Williams faces manslaughter charge," ESPN / Associated Press, February 25, 2002. https://www.espn.com/nba/news/2002/0225/1340199.html
State v. Jayson S. Williams , Justia
State v. Jayson S. Williams, Supreme Court of New Jersey, April 11, 2007. https://law.justia.com/cases/new-jersey/supreme-court/2007/a-12-06-doc.html
State of New Jersey v. Jayson S. Williams , Justia
State of New Jersey v. Jayson S. Williams, New Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division, 2008. https://law.justia.com/cases/new-jersey/appellate-division-published/2007/a2524-07-opn.html
Former NBA Star To Plead Guilty In 2002 Shooting That Killed Man , NPR
Frank James, "Former NBA Star To Plead Guilty In 2002 Shooting That Killed Man," NPR, November 20, 2009. https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2009/11/former_nba_star_expected_to_pl.html
Jayson Williams sentenced to minimum 18 months , ABC7 New York
"Jayson Williams sentenced to minimum 18 months," ABC7 New York, 2010. https://abc7ny.com/archive/7292384/
Osama Bin Laden Dead , Obama White House Archives
"Osama Bin Laden Dead," Obama White House Archives, May 1–2, 2011. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2011/05/02/osama-bin-laden-dead
Los Angeles Riots of 1992 , Britannica
"Los Angeles Riots of 1992," Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Los-Angeles-Riots-of-1992
Haymarket Affair: Topics in Chronicling America , Library of Congress
"Haymarket Affair: Topics in Chronicling America," Library of Congress Research Guides. https://guides.loc.gov/chronicling-america-haymarket-affair
Killer of Family Gets 5 Life Terms , Los Angeles Times
"Killer of Family Gets 5 Life Terms," Los Angeles Times, May 1, 1990. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-05-01-mn-423-story.html
Today in History: May 1, Americans hear of bin Laden's death , Associated Press
"Today in History: May 1, Americans hear of bin Laden's death," Associated Press, May 1, 2023. https://apnews.com/f1c9e4f55c3f30c9cd1be2950df3ab93

May 1, 2002: Jayson Williams is indicted in a fatal shooting case

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