Ex-NBA player Javaris Crittenton freed on $230,000 bail in murder case
(CBS/AP) ATLANTA - Former Washington Wizards player Javaris Crittenton is free on bail after being charged with the murder of a mother of four in an August drive-by shooting, authorities say.
Sheriff's spokeswoman Tracy Flanagan said the ex-NBA star was released at 12:15 a.m. Wednesday.
After hearing testimony Tuesday from the Crittenton's friends and coaches, Fulton County Magistrate Judge Karen Woodson allowed the player to go free on $230,000 bond. She ordered former Georgia Tech head basketball coach Paul Hewitt and others who testified on his behalf to co-sign the bond.
Crittenton is accused of killing 22-year-old Julian Jones who was killed Aug. 19 during a drive-by shooting. Police have said the shots were aimed at someone walking with Jones.
Defense attorney Brian Steel said Crittenton is not guilty and the charges are based on faulty eyewitness testimony.
This incident is not Crittenton's first issue with guns. He was with the Washington Wizards in December 2009 when he and teammate Gilbert Arenas had a dispute over a card game. Two days later, Arenas brought four guns to the locker room and set them in front of Crittenton's locker with a sign telling him to "PICK 1." Crittenton then took out his own gun.
Crittenton pleaded guilty in January 2010 to a misdemeanor gun charge and received a year of unsupervised probation. Arenas entered his guilty plea on Jan. 15, 2010. He served a short time in a halfway house.