Jayson Williams Pleads Guilty To Shooting

Jayson Williams, Troubled Former Athlete, showed up in court today to plead guilty— for real this time—to aggravated assault for accidentally shooting his chauffeur. That, plus about 18 months in prison, will end his legal ordeal.

Nearly eight years after killing Costas "Gus" Christofi with a mishandled shotgun, Williams was set to be retried this month on a reckless manslaughter charge. (The original jury deadlocked back in 2004.) However, in the last year he got divorced, has been arrested at least three times, broke his neck, and has been hospitalized in a suicidal rage. Just last week he got drunk, smashed his car, and then slid into the passenger seat hoping cops would think he wasn't driving. (He was alone.) So he's got a lot on his mind.

It's not clear if the recent accident finally pushed him to accept his fate, but at least this chapter in his life will finally come to an end. He's broke, injured, and possibly alcoholic. A couple years in a cell could be just what the doctor ordered.

Ex-Nets star Jayson Williams pleads guilty to fatal shooting of limo driver; faces 18 months in jail [NY Daily News]