August 8, 2003 -- Jayson Williams' lawyers tried but failed to prove that the ex-NBA star's gun could be fired without pulling the trigger, a prosecutor revealed yesterday.
The re-creation of such a scenario was to be a key to Williams' defense in the slaying of a limo driver.
Despite the surprising revelation, a Hunterdon County, N.J., judge agreed to let Williams' lawyers demand information from Browning Co. about other cases of its shotguns firing without the trigger being pulled.
Part of the defense strategy expected at Williams' upcoming trial is the claim that his 12-gauge Browning "Citori" double-barrel shotgun accidentally went off and killed Costas "Gus" Christofi, who had driven guests to the ex-New Jersey Net's mansion on Feb. 14, 2002.
Defense lawyers speculate that the shotgun discharged a shell and killed Christofi, 55, when Williams, 35, forcefully flipped shut its barrel against the stock - without him pulling the trigger, as is typically required to fire such a weapon.
Weapons expert Richard Earnest has told defense lawyers that the Browning could have misfired in such a way because of gunk in the firing mechanism and worn-down parts.
But prosecutor Steven Lember said, "I was on the [gun] range" and witnessed flubbed attempts by Earnest to have Williams's shotgun misfire as the defense theorizes it did.
"The expert attempted to replicate what had happened . . . with the gun," Lember said in the court in Flemington. "He was not able to replicate a firing without a finger on the trigger."
http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/2768.htm
The re-creation of such a scenario was to be a key to Williams' defense in the slaying of a limo driver.
Despite the surprising revelation, a Hunterdon County, N.J., judge agreed to let Williams' lawyers demand information from Browning Co. about other cases of its shotguns firing without the trigger being pulled.
Part of the defense strategy expected at Williams' upcoming trial is the claim that his 12-gauge Browning "Citori" double-barrel shotgun accidentally went off and killed Costas "Gus" Christofi, who had driven guests to the ex-New Jersey Net's mansion on Feb. 14, 2002.
Defense lawyers speculate that the shotgun discharged a shell and killed Christofi, 55, when Williams, 35, forcefully flipped shut its barrel against the stock - without him pulling the trigger, as is typically required to fire such a weapon.
Weapons expert Richard Earnest has told defense lawyers that the Browning could have misfired in such a way because of gunk in the firing mechanism and worn-down parts.
But prosecutor Steven Lember said, "I was on the [gun] range" and witnessed flubbed attempts by Earnest to have Williams's shotgun misfire as the defense theorizes it did.
"The expert attempted to replicate what had happened . . . with the gun," Lember said in the court in Flemington. "He was not able to replicate a firing without a finger on the trigger."
http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/2768.htm