Dispute Arises in Williams Trial

The jury in Jayson Williams’ manslaughter trial in Somerville, N.J., was sent home Thursday so the judge could consider whether the prosecution improperly kept photo evidence from lawyers for the retired NBA star.

Williams’ lawyers said they may seek a mistrial over the 25 photographs and notes, which prosecutors said had been inadvertently withheld.

The evidence submitted Thursday -- a day after the defense had rested its case -- shows that a prosecution expert had partly disassembled Williams’ shotgun months before a defense expert completely disassembled and test-fired the weapon, Williams lawyer Billy Martin said after the jury was sent home.

The defense has made the shotgun a central part of its case, saying that the weapon misfired when Williams snapped it shut early Feb. 14, 2002, killing chauffeur Costas “Gus” Christofi.

Witnesses for both sides gave false testimony because they did not know about the withheld information, Martin said. He added that the omission “severely affects the ability of Mr. Williams to receive a fair trial.”

First Assistant Hunterdon County Prosecutor Steven C. Lember denied any misconduct, saying that the delay in providing the material was unintentional. He added that the defense had to have known that the prosecution expert had examined the weapon, asserting it was implied in the expert’s report.

Tennis

Playing her first tournament since July, Serena Williams advanced to the final of the Nasdaq-100 Open at Key Biscayne, Fla., by beating Eleni Daniilidou, 6-4, 6-4.

Her opponent Saturday will be Elena Dementieva, who defeated Nadia Petrova, 6-4, 6-2.

Andy Roddick and Vince Spadea advanced to the men’s semifinals. Roddick beat Carlos Moya, 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 and Spadea beat Agustin Calleri, 7-5, 6-1.

Miscellany

Veteran broadcaster Pat Summerall, 73, is scheduled to undergo a liver transplant after being flown to Jacksonville, Fla., by air ambulance, his agent Sandy Montag confirmed.

Rookie Kyle Busch, the last of 49 drivers to take the track, secured his second Busch series pole of the season, running a lap of 189.847 mph at Texas Motor Speedway in Austin.

The LPGA’s Samsung World Championship will be played at Bighorn Golf Club in Palm Desert Oct. 14-17.

Johar, who dead-heated for the win with High Chaparral in the $2-million Breeders’ Cup Turf in October, has been retired because of a strained suspensory ligament. Johar, trained by Richard Mandella, won six of 15 starts and earned $1.4 million.