7 High Profile NBA Criminal Cases From the Last Decade

Jayson Williams: Reckless Manslaughter

Jayson Williams, the former New Jersey Net and studio analyst for NBA games on NBC had a history of weapons use. He was even accused in 1994 of firing a semi-automatic weapon in the parking lot of the Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey. But his most serious brush with the law came in February of 2002 when he shot and killed his limousine driver Costas “Gus” Christofi with a shotgun while giving him a tour of his home. It is said that there was alcohol involved, and Williams accidentally shot Christofi while fooling around with the gun. Members of Jayson Williams NBA charity basketball team were present and helped him cover up the shooting and dump the body, which led to further complications with law enforcement. In April of 2002 the jury acquitted Williams of murder charges, however deadlocked on charges of reckless manslaughter. After an appeal a judge in April of 2006 ruled that Williams can be retried on the reckless manslaughter charge. The trial has yet to occur.

Kobe Bryant: Sexual Assault

In 2003, Kobe Bryant made headlines when he was accused of sexual assault at a hotel in Edwards, Colorado by a hotel employee. Bryant admitted an adulterous sexual encounter with the accuser, but denied the sexual assault allegation. There was a lot of public opinion and debate surfacing in the media regarding the case after information was released about the evidence against Bryant. There was talk of blood on his t-shirt and rape kit evidence, however it was also leaked that the alleged victim’s underwear had multiple DNA residues, suggesting the alleged victim had sexual relations with more than two men within a day or two preceding the event with Bryant. Kobe and his wife Vanessa held a now famous press conference announcing publicly that he was not guilty and that he would be fighting the charges. Kobe and his wife Vanessa are still together to this day. After a lengthy court battle had already been underway, there was a surprise development in September 2004 when the prosecutors dropped the case after Bryant’s accuser informed them that she was unwilling to testify. Bryant’s accuser brought a separate civil suit against him that was ultimately settled out of court.

Isaiah Rider: Assault/Possession

In January 2006, Isaiah Rider was arrested on kidnapping charges in Marin City, California for taking a female friend in his car against her will. He was charged with domestic violence and ordered to stay out of Marin City. Despite this court order, he was spotted in the area a few weeks later. A Marin County sheriff’s deputy confronted him, and while fleeing, Rider hit another car. He was arrested in Alameda County in late 2006, and transferred to the Marin County jail after three judges in that county issued bench warrants against him. In February 2007, Rider pleaded guilty to several charges, including felony cocaine possession and evading an officer. He was sentenced to seven months in jail, 120 hours community service and three years’ probation. He will also have to complete a drug education program. At sentencing, Rider admitted to a longstanding problem with marijuana; he’d also begun lacing it with cocaine. Since being released from prison, Rider has had more run-ins with the law regarding drugs and an assault incident involving a taxi driver and a concealed weapon.

Jason Kidd: Domestic Abuse

In January 2001, Jason Kidd was arrested and pleaded guilty to a domestic abuse charge for assaulting his wife Joumana when they were having an argument. As part of his plea, Kidd was ordered to attend anger management classes for six months. Kidd completed the mandatory counseling and continued to attend on his own and it was reported that Kidd has since given up alcohol. While active in their church and with Joumana and their son attending most of the New Jersey Nets home basketball games it was assumed they were completely reconciled and doing well. However, on January 9, 2007 Jason Kidd filed for divorce against his wife, citing “extreme cruelty” during their relationship. Kidd contended intense jealousy, paranoia, and the threat of “false domestic abuse claims” to the police as reasons for the divorce. On February 15 Joumana Kidd filed a counterclaim for divorce, claiming that the NBA star — among countless instances of abuse — “broke her rib and damaged her hearing by smashing her head into the console of a car”. The couple has three children (Trey Jason (T.J.), and twins Miah and Jazelle).

Glen Rice: Assault 

Glen Rice was a big time NBA scorer throughout his entire career. He is now retired, and on January 11, 2008, he was arrested in Miami on suspicion of felony battery after police say he assaulted a man that he found hiding in his estranged wife’s closet.

According to police, it was alleged that Rice went to the home of his estranged wife Christina and beat Alberto Perez after finding him in the closet. After the beating, Perez had a cut on his forehead that required nine stitches. Rice surrendered to police and was released after posting $5,000 bond. Charges were later dropped.

DeShawn Stevenson: Statutory Rape

In 2001 when Stevenson was a rookie with the Utah Jazz he was charged with statutory rape for having sex with a 14-year old girl in Fresno, California. The 14-yr old girl stated that Stevenson and two former high school teammates took her and another 15-yr old girl to a motel with a bottle of brandy, got them drunk and had consensual sex. Stevenson ended up pleading no contest to the charges, and the judge reduced the charge to a misdemeanor letting him off with only community service. DeShawn faced up to a possible three years in prison for the charge. I’m sure he considers himself lucky given the outcome.

Allen Iverson: Assault/Unlawful Possession of Firearm

Although Allen Iverson has had many minor brushes with the law, one of the more recent events was in 2002 when Iverson allegedly threw his wife Tawanna out of their mansion during a fight. The following night, an enraged Iverson later went looking for his wife at his cousin’s apartment. His cousin wouldn’t let him in (Iverson was the one who paid the rent for the apartment) and eventually he forced his way inside. According to the police report, Iverson repeatedly threatened to kill his cousin Charles Jones and Jones’s roommate while waving around a semi-automatic gun. Iverson was arrested and charged with 14 different counts. All charges were ultimately dropped after conflicting testimonies from the witnesses.