This guy (Jayson Williams) really was a loose cannon for a long time (see article excerpt below). Even if he shot the chaueffer accidentally, and I believe he did, his failure to get medical attention for the victim and efforts to cover up the crime by trying to portray it as a suicide is reprehensible. He should, at the very least, have to serve 5-10 years for this offense and never be allowed to own another weapon during his lifetime. He seems to want everyone to feel sorry for all the trauma he has had to go through due to his actions, but it's clear who really suffered the most here: the victim's family and friends.
SOMERVILLE, N.J. (AP) -- The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said Thursday it was shocked that a state judge barred evidence that Jayson Williams killed his pet Rottweiler from being presented at his upcoming manslaughter trial.
Dr. Stephanie LaFarge, director of the ASPCA's Counseling Services department, said research clearly shows that people who intentionally kill or injure animals are inclined to be violent toward people. She argued that the evidence about Williams' previous actions with guns was relevant to the upcoming trial.
Williams, the retired New Jersey Nets center whose trial is to begin next week, shot the dog, Zeus, at his estate in Alexandria Township after losing a bet, according to a sworn statement given by a witness, Hunterdon County Assistant Prosecutor Katharine L. Errickson disclosed in court Wednesday.
Superior Court Judge Edward M. Coleman ruled with the defense that the potential of the evidence to inflame the jury outweighed its value regarding the shotgun shooting of Costas "Gus" Christofi on Feb. 14, 2002. Williams has called that shooting was a tragic accident.
Williams, 35, faces seven charges, including aggravated manslaughter and witness tampering, that could carry up to 55 years in prison.
Errickson said the shooting of Zeus happened between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. on either Aug. 8 or 9, 2001, according to a sworn statement from Dwayne Schintzius, a former NBA player who was living at Williams' mansion at the time.
Schintzius said he bet Williams $100 that he could drag Zeus out of the house. After Williams accepted, Schintzius pulled the dog outside by his hind legs, the prosecutor said.
Williams went upstairs and returned with a shotgun, then shot the dog once in the side and then in the head. He loaded two more rounds into the shotgun, pointed it at Schintzius and ordered him to remove the dog "or you're next," the prosecutor said. Schintzius complied and buried the dog, she said.
