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Cops Taser 'Suicidal' Former Basketball Star

Posted Apr 27th 2009 11:30AM by TMZ Staff

Jayson WilliamsFormer New Jersey Nets' star Jayson Williams is now under psychological evaluation after cops say he was acting "suicidal" and "violent" in a NY hotel room this morning.

According to the NY Post, cops were forced to remove Williams from his Manhattan hotel room at around 4 AM after he allegedly went ballistic and barricaded himself inside -- trashing the room in the process.

Cops were forced to use "an electrical device" on Williams -- aka a taser -- and then shipped him off to the St. Vincent's Hospital for evaluation.

Sources tell TMZ the original 911 call was made by a female friend of Williams at 4:28 AM, who said prescription drugs or alcohol were a factor.

Williams was acquitted of aggravated manslaughter after the 2002 accidental shooting death of his limo driver, 55-year-old Costas "Gus" Christofi. Williams currently faces a retrial for reckless manslaughter.

UPDATE: Cops say they found empty bottles of prescription drugs in the room. Also, Jayson's ex wife just visited him at the hospital -- followed by his lawyer.

Story developing...

Tags: basketball, basketball star, BasketballStar, jayson williams, JaysonWilliams, manslaughter, NJ Nets, NjNets, Taser, tasers

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16. "we're 7 years later and he's still waiting to face reckless manslaughter, what the hell?"

There was some prosecutorial misconduct that lead to appeals that have caused the delay. If anyone is suggesting that Williams intentionally shot the guy, that is silly. It was an accident. The issue is whether Williams was reckless in the actions that produced the accident.

Posted at 12:49PM on Apr 27th 2009 by Josh

17. Oh no, he didn't intentionally shoot the driver. He just got out his gun, cocked it and pulled the trigger accidentally and then tried to pretend that the driver committed suicide. You are right, how silly anyone would think he intentionally shot him.

Posted at 12:55PM on Apr 27th 2009 by sushi

18. I would LOVE to have seen a bunch of paps on the scene asking this BIG, CRAZY mfkr. a bunch of their USUAL stupid questions. I KNOWE he would've had them whinning like the btches they are. "Please don't hit me, Mr. Williams". If they thought Woody Harrelson was a problem, Jason would've shown them.

Posted at 1:04PM on Apr 27th 2009 by Donald Ray

19. Josh, you're a moron. Did you watch that trial? That shooting was NO accident. Pointing a shotgun at another person and pulling the trigger isn't an accident, it's a deliberate action. Whether he knew the gun was loaded or not doesn't matter -- THE ACTION WAS DELIBERATE. Therefore, Jayson Williams committed criminally negligent homicide and should be in prison. Were it not for his lying, manipulating (soon to be ex) lawyer wife d!cking around with the judicial system, that's exactly where he'd be right now. And now that she's divorcing him and telling everything she knows, he's losing his mind.

Jayson Williams is gonna squeal like a b!+ch in prison.

Posted at 1:46PM on Apr 27th 2009 by Ya Think

20. I hope they give him something lethal in the loony bin....

Posted at 3:13PM on Apr 27th 2009 by Ava

21. Sounds like KARMA is kicking his ass and its ABOUT TIME!! He murdered that man and he knows it. He doesn't deserve to live in peace.

Posted at 4:29PM on Apr 27th 2009 by Buffy the Vampire Slayer

22. You tase someone with a taser

Posted at 8:00AM on Apr 28th 2009 by Pinky

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