Jayson Williams Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Assault !!!

Jayson Williams pled guilty to aggravated assault in Somerset County, N.J. bringing to a close his long, complicated legal process that began in 2002 with the death of chauffeur Costas "Gus" Christofi at Williams' New Jersey home.

Williams will receive 18 months in prison for the aggravated assault charge in addition to a five-year sentence, which he received for attempting to cover up the incident; the 18 months, according to the NJ Star-Ledger is not elligible for parole and he must serve that time before being considered for a reduced sentence or parole on the five years.

Before pleading, Williams was forced to answer a series of questions about the incident in a likely attempt for the prosecution to finally get an admission on record.
"I didn't look in the direction the muzzle of the gun was pointed," Williams said. "It discharged and hit Mr. Christofi in the chest."

"Did the injuries cause Crostofi's death?" Hayden asked.

Williams replied, "Yes."
The plea allows Williams to avoid a retrial and the far more punishable possibility of a reckless manslaughter charge. Williams had previously been to trial for aggravated manslaughter (he was acquitted), covering up the incident (he was found guilty) and the reckless manslaughter charge (there was a hung jury on this charge, hence the manslaughter).

Then, in between, that trial and now, Williams was charged with drunken driving in Manhattan -- although the District Attorney's office claims that his decision to plead guilty in this case "is independent of, and not related to, the accident and motor vehicle charges arising in New York ..." it would seem that his decision to enter the plea would at least in part help to curb any potential legal issues arising in New York.

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