Hurricane Floyd
06-07-2002, 07:13 PM
FLEMINGTON, N.J. (Reuters) - Former NBA All-Star Jayson Williams pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Friday to charges he killed a chauffeur at his New Jersey mansion in February then tried to cover up the crime.
Williams, wearing a gray suit, said nothing as his attorney Joseph Hayden entered the plea before Judge Edward Coleman.
"We enter a plea of innocent to each and every count," Hayden said.
A grand jury handed up a seven-count indictment on May 1 charging Williams, 34, with aggravated manslaughter, reckless manslaughter, hindering apprehension, witness and evidence tampering, fabricating evidence and aggravated assault.
Both the prosecution and defense gave glimpses of the trial to come as they outlined the evidence to be presented.
The trial will likely not start until at least the autumn, as DNA analysis of Williams's clothing is not expected to be complete until September, said Hunterdon County Prosecutor Steven Lember.
Defense attorney Hayden said he may file a motion to dismiss the case, on the grounds that some seized evidence was outside the scope of a warrant.
The judge ordered both parties back for anther pretrial status conference on Sept. 6.
The most serious charge of aggravated manslaughter requires prosecutors to prove "extreme indifference to human life" and is punishable by a maximum 30 years in prison. Reckless manslaughter carries a sentence of five to 10 years.
Williams is accused of recklessly handling the .12-gauge shotgun that killed limousine driver Costas Christofi, 55, on Feb. 14, then attempting to make the shooting appear self-inflicted.
Prosecutors say that the 6-foot-10-inch one-time New Jersey Nets star hired Christofi to drive him and several friends from a Harlem Globetrotters basketball game in Pennsylvania to his estate in Hunterdon County, N.J.
As Williams led a tour of the 40-room mansion, prosecutors say Williams shot the driver once in the chest. After the shooting, Williams allegedly tried to wipe his fingerprints from the gun and imprint it with Christofi's to make the incident appear to be a suicide.
Co-defendant John Gordnick, 45, pleaded not guilty at the Friday hearing to evidence tampering and two counts of hindering Williams's apprehension. A third defendant, Kent Culuko, 29, admitted in April that he helped Williams with the alleged cover-up at Williams's urging.
Williams remains free on $270,000 bail pending his trial, and left the courthouse without speaking to the more than 50 reporters and TV camera crew outside the building.
Sourc: Yahoo Sports!
Williams, wearing a gray suit, said nothing as his attorney Joseph Hayden entered the plea before Judge Edward Coleman.
"We enter a plea of innocent to each and every count," Hayden said.
A grand jury handed up a seven-count indictment on May 1 charging Williams, 34, with aggravated manslaughter, reckless manslaughter, hindering apprehension, witness and evidence tampering, fabricating evidence and aggravated assault.
Both the prosecution and defense gave glimpses of the trial to come as they outlined the evidence to be presented.
The trial will likely not start until at least the autumn, as DNA analysis of Williams's clothing is not expected to be complete until September, said Hunterdon County Prosecutor Steven Lember.
Defense attorney Hayden said he may file a motion to dismiss the case, on the grounds that some seized evidence was outside the scope of a warrant.
The judge ordered both parties back for anther pretrial status conference on Sept. 6.
The most serious charge of aggravated manslaughter requires prosecutors to prove "extreme indifference to human life" and is punishable by a maximum 30 years in prison. Reckless manslaughter carries a sentence of five to 10 years.
Williams is accused of recklessly handling the .12-gauge shotgun that killed limousine driver Costas Christofi, 55, on Feb. 14, then attempting to make the shooting appear self-inflicted.
Prosecutors say that the 6-foot-10-inch one-time New Jersey Nets star hired Christofi to drive him and several friends from a Harlem Globetrotters basketball game in Pennsylvania to his estate in Hunterdon County, N.J.
As Williams led a tour of the 40-room mansion, prosecutors say Williams shot the driver once in the chest. After the shooting, Williams allegedly tried to wipe his fingerprints from the gun and imprint it with Christofi's to make the incident appear to be a suicide.
Co-defendant John Gordnick, 45, pleaded not guilty at the Friday hearing to evidence tampering and two counts of hindering Williams's apprehension. A third defendant, Kent Culuko, 29, admitted in April that he helped Williams with the alleged cover-up at Williams's urging.
Williams remains free on $270,000 bail pending his trial, and left the courthouse without speaking to the more than 50 reporters and TV camera crew outside the building.
Sourc: Yahoo Sports!