Former NBA Star Blaylock Gets 15-Year Jail Sentence for Vehicular Homicide

((ht: ajc.com))

Former NBA All-Star Mookie Blaylock pleaded guilty to Vehicular Homicide and other minor charges in a metro Atlanta area courtroom Monday afternoon.

The charges stem from a May 2013 traffic accident south of Atlanta when he crashed into a car driven by Monica Murphy who died on the scene. Blaylock, who was also seriously injured in the crash, agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors that calls for 7-years of jail time and 8-years of probation, though he'd be eligible to have the prison term suspended after 3-years.

While Blaylock, who admitted he had an alcohol problem, was apparently not intoxicated at the time of the crash, he was under orders not to be driving due to a seizure disorder attributed to his alcoholism.

Read more from AJC.com RIGHT HERE

Blaylock played for 13-years in the NBA and retired in 2002. He was drafted in 1989 by the New Jersey Nets and played for the Atlanta Hawks and Golden State Warriors.

Here is some video of Blaylock with the Hawks:

Mookie Blaylock Up On 14-Count Grand Jury Indictment

A suburban Atlanta grand jury has returned 14 counts against the former Atlanta Hawks guard in the 2013 crash that killed Monica Murphy. The 14 counts include 2 counts of felony homicide by vehicle.

Police said Blaylock left the northbound lanes of a Clayton County (GA) road, went into the southbound lanes, and crashed into the other car. Blaylock's license was suspended and had been told by physicians, according to the county district attorney's office, that he wasn't supposed to operate a car because of seizures that were being treated by medication.

Blaylock’s attorney, Don Samuel, said that doctors never told his client not to get behind the wheel of a car. He is refuting what the investigators are saying about the idea of Blaylock being told by doctors not to drive.

Blaylock has had several arrests involving 6 DUI charges in the past, but never had to serve any substantive time behind bars on any of the charges.

Here's the story from the time of the accident when the sheer volume of Blaylock's DUI's came forward...
((HT: 11Alive.com))

Blaylock could face up to 33 years in prison if found guilty in the upcoming trial.
No date has been set for the Blaylock trial.

Multiple Blaylock DUI Charges Knocked Down To Avoid Felony

((HT: WSB-TV))

If you or I had a DUI punched at a .272 or .36, there would be a few questions:

1) How were you allowed to do one after the other in public after getting pulled over...
2) How are you not dead...

It appears that former Atlanta Hawks guard Mookie Blaylock had some of his DUI charges knocked down from the possibility of having to face felonies and/or felony convictions...

The DA from the county denied that he made those charges a lesser variety, and we're still waiting to hear from the judge...

Here's Tom Jones

DEVELOPING: Blaylock Charges Upgraded (MONDAY UPDATE: Blaylock Turns Himself In)

((HT: AJC/WSB-TV))

So much for just the two minor charges...

With the death of Monica Murphy, the charges in the accident involving former NBA-star Mookie Blaylock have now been added to a few times over.

Second-degree vehicular homicide
Making an improper lane change
Driving on the wrong side of the road
Driving on a suspended license and,
Crossing into the median

All of the charges are misdemeanors, but Blaylock’s charges could be added to again when toxicology tests come back. Second-degree homicide means that the Clayton County (GA) DA's Office thinks there was no malice aforethought when Blaylock's car crossed the center line.

Here's Tom Jones with the husband of the woman killed in the acident
If Blaylock is found to be under the influence at the time of the accident, the vehicular homicide charges will be upgraded to first-degree... MONDAY UPDATE: Using a walker, Blaylock turned himself in to ... When asked about the crash, Blaylock only said, “No comment.” His wife told Jones he feels horrible about it. Naturally... Tom Jones was there when it all went down before Blaylock was transported to the county jail...

Developing: Mookie Blaylock on Life Support After Crashing Car (UPDATED To Serious Condition, One Other Dead And Charges Filed)

Former NBA All-star Mookie Blaylock is on life-support late Friday afternoon after being critically injured in a crash south of Atlanta.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Blaylock was hurt when his car crossed the median and hit an oncoming vehicle head on.

They report at least two people transported in critical condition as of this posting (6:50pm)

Read the AJC.com story RIGHT HERE

Blaylock, who went to college at Oklahoma,  played 13-years in the NBA for New Jersey, the Atlanta Hawks and Golden State Warriors, making the all-star game once. He was considered one of the best point-guards of his era. His name was often material for comics and many others.

PM UPDATE: According to the AJC's Alexis Stevens, the early parts of the investigation are yielding that Blaylock went over the center line. A passenger in the second vehicle has died from injuries. Blaylock himself has been taken off life support, but he is listed as "guarded, but critical."

Here's early coverage from WSB-TV...

SUNDAY UPDATE: Blaylock is set to be charged with failure to maintain lane and driving on a suspended license according to Jonesboro (GA) Police Chief Franklin Allen