Jurors Deciding Jayson Williams's Fate

By Stephen M. Silverman

Tuesday April 27, 2004 01:00 AM EDT

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After receiving instructions from New Jersey Superior Court Judge Edward M. Coleman, jurors in the Jayson Williams manslaughter case deliberated for four and a half hours Tuesday without reaching a verdict.

On Monday, closing statements lasted five hours, with the defense saying that the shooting of driver Costas Christofi two years ago was a tragic accident, the Associated Press reports.

Prosecutors claim that the reckless behavior of the former NBA star, 36, means he should be convicted of aggravated manslaughter and seven other charges. If convicted on every count, the retired New Jersey Nets center could face 55 years in prison.

Since the trial began on Feb. 10, jurors heard from 43 witnesses. During Monday's summation, the defense attacked the objectivity of the police investigation and the credibility of two key prosecution witnesses. They also re-asserted their contention that the weapon malfunctioned when Williams snapped it shut as he was showing friends and members of the Harlem Globetrotters the gun in the bedroom of his mansion early on Feb. 14, 2002.

At that point, they said, the shotgun fired once, striking van driver Costas "Gus" Christofi, 55, who died within minutes. "That gun was never pointed, was not aimed, it was not meant to be directed at Gus Christofi," said defense lawyer Billy Martin said. "It's a tragic accident."

Prosecutor Steven C. Lember later countered by saying, "When you play with deadly weapons, 'accident' is no defense." He said Williams was reckless because he had been drinking and chose to handle a loaded weapon in a room with other people around.

Said Lember: "Gus was shot and killed because the defendant was reckless."