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'Unfortunate accident' Williams' lawyer disputes authorities' classificationPosted: Friday February 15, 2002 3:20 PMUpdated: Friday February 15, 2002 5:55 PM
ALEXANDRIA TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) -- Authorities believe the shotgun used in the fatal shooting of a limousine driver at Jayson Williams' estate belonged to the former NBA star. Acting Hunterdon County Prosecutor Steven C. Lember said Friday it appeared that the shotgun was one of several Williams kept at his 65-acre estate. "I can't tell you specifically what the purpose of the shotgun was, but it was clearly a shotgun, and it belonged on the property," Lember told The Associated Press. "We have reason to believe it was one of a number of shotguns owned by Mr. Williams." Lember wouldn't elaborate. Limousine driver Costas Christofi, 55, was found with a shotgun wound to his chest at 2:54 a.m. Thursday inside a bedroom in the home, about 30 miles northwest of Trenton. The death was first reported to authorities as a suicide but was later classified as suspicious after a preliminary investigation by the medical examiner. Lember said an autopsy was scheduled for Friday and results might not be available for weeks. He did not anticipate any immediate criminal charges. Once one of the NBA's best rebounders, the 6-foot-10 Williams retired in 1999 after a nine-year career cut short by leg injuries. He now works for NBC Sports as an NBA studio analyst. He played with the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets, averaging 7.3 points and 7.5 rebounds for his career. He was an All-Star in 1997-98. No one answered the phone Friday at Williams' house, a 40-room mansion that has an indoor pool, bowling alley and movie theater. The property also has a skeet shooting range. Williams' lawyer, Joseph Hayden, said Christofi's death was an "unfortunate accident." "It's my belief the prosecutor's office investigation is at an early stage, and we will certainly have a dialogue with them to show them what we believe is innocence," Hayden said. Christofi had been hired by Williams to transport friends from a charity sporting event featuring the Harlem Globetrotters in Bethlehem, Pa., to a restaurant in Hunterdon County, and then to Williams' home. Hayden said Williams was giving his guests a tour of his home when Christofi was shot. The lawyer did not elaborate, citing the ongoing investigation. "It was an accident," Hayden said. "It probably happened 10 minutes into the tour." Sam Nenna, owner of Seventy Eight Limousines, where Christofi worked, said it was not uncommon for drivers to take customers from place to place and wait overnight. Nenna would not say if Williams had hired Christofi to do so that night. "I want to get to the bottom of this," Nenna said. "I'm very happy to see they deemed it wasn't a suicide." The limousine driver had an extensive criminal record, including multiple convictions for burglary and receiving stolen property, according to the state Corrections Department. He was last paroled in December 1988, according to Corrections spokeswoman Deirdre Fedkenheuer. Lember said it appeared Williams had invited Christofi inside the house, and that officials had found "no evidence of wrongdoing or foul play" on the part of the driver. No one answered the phone at Christofi's home Friday. Williams, his brother Vincent and about 10 guests were in Williams' home at the time of the shooting, Lember said. In November, Williams was charged with pushing a police officer after an argument at a Branchburg bar. He pleaded innocent to charges of obstruction of justice, and the case is scheduled to be heard by a judge Feb. 27.
"We express our condolences to the family of Mr. Christofi, but
further comment has to come from Jason's attorney," NBC Sports VP
Kevin Sullivan said.
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