NEW YORK – Former NBA star Jayson Williams (search) in an interview with Fox News denied that alcohol and his own belligerence played a role in the fatal shooting of a limousine driver at Williams' home two years ago.
Prosecutors allege that Williams taunted and cursed at chauffeur Costas "Gus" Christofi (search) on Feb. 14, 2002. Williams said that scenario didn't happen.
"Alcohol did not play a role that night in the death of Mr. Christofi," Williams, a former All-Star with the New Jersey Nets, told Fox News Channel's Rita Crosby.
• Video: Williams Talks with Fox News, Part One | Part Two
Williams, 35, has said the driver's death was an accident that happened as Williams showed Christofi a gun.
But prosecutors charge that Williams pointed the gun at Christofi, cursed at him and flipped up the shotgun, which then fired.
Williams' pregnant wife, Tanya, accused New Jersey prosecutors of treating her husband "very unfairly.
"I believe very strongly that, due to the high visibility of this trial ... they have aggressively and abusively investigated this matter in furtherance of personal career agendas," she said.
The couple's interview with Fox News came at the end of a week in which jury selection began in the manslaughter trial of Williams, who retired in 2000 as center of the Nets.
Williams faces seven charges, including aggravated manslaughter and witness tampering, that could carry up to 55 years in prison. Two of his guests pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence, one for wiping down the shotgun that killed the 55-year-old Christofi and the other for hiding Williams' clothes. Both said they acted at Williams' request, and have agreed to testify against him.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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