Former New Jersey Nets star Jayson Williams, 42, will serve time for the shooting death of Costas “Gus” Christofi. Superior Court Judge Edward Coleman sentenced Williams to five years in prison.
According to the prosecution, Williams hired Christofi as a personal driver on Valentine’s Day in 2002. Once Williams and a group of friends returned from dinner, Williams decided to show off his new 12-gauge shotgun. However, the shotgun’s safety was off and Christofi was fatally shot after Williams mishandled the weapon. Williams attempted to evade responsibility by trying to make it appear that Christofi shot himself. Reportedly, Williams also encouraged his friends to lie about what happened. He eventually told the truth and paid Christofi’s family $2.75 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit.
The incident occurred two years after Williams signed a six-year $86 million contract with the Nets. But since the killing, Williams’ life has unraveled. His wife filed for divorce in 2009. Williams was charged with drunk driving last month after crashing his SUV in New York and his father died in November. Williams will be eligible for parole in 18 months. –amir shaw
