The case is the State of New Jersey versus Jayson Williams, a 36-year-old former basketball star. The case appeared on Court TV for the entire week of April 16, 2004, and will continue into the next week. The judge presiding over the trial is State Superior Court Judge Edward Coleman and his courtroom is in the Somerset County Courthouse in Somerville, New Jersey. Williams, 36, is charged with several crimes arising from an incident on February 14, 2002, in which he shot Costas "Gus" Christofi, a 55-year-old limo driver, and then tried to make the shooting appear to be a suicide. By the time the defense rested, the litigants had called 43 witnesses and the trial had already lasted 11 weeks.
The State of New Jersey has charged Williams with eight crimes: (1) Aggravated Manslaughter - 1st Degree; (2) Reckless Manslaughter - 2nd Degree; (3) Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose - 2nd Degree; (4) Aggravated Assault - 4th Degree; (5) Hindering Apprehension - 3rd Degree; (6) Tampering with a Witness - 3rd Degree; (7) Tampering with Evidence - 4th Degree; and (8) Fabricating Physical Evidence - 4th Degree.
According to section 2C: 11-4 of the New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice, a criminal homicide constitutes aggravated manslaughter when the accused recklessly causes death under circumstances that demonstrate an extreme indifference to human life. Section 2C: 11-4 also states that a criminal homicide constitutes manslaughter when it is committed recklessly. The difference between the two crimes, therefore, is that the prosecution must prove the accused demonstrated an extreme indifference to human life to prove aggravated manslaughter, which is a first degree crime. In New Jersey, first degree crimes are punishable by a term of imprisonment between 10 and 30 years while second degree crimes are punishable by between 5 and 10 years (NJSA ยบ 2C:20-11c(1)).
The difference between these two crimes became significant dur...