NEWARK, N.J. — Former NBA star Jayson Williams today is expected to plead guilty in the fatal shooting in 2002 of a hired driver.

Williams was acquitted of aggravated manslaughter in 2004 but convicted of covering up the shooting at his central New Jersey mansion.

He was facing retrial on a reckless manslaughter charge, which carries a 10-year maximum sentence. An aggravated assault charge linked to a crime involving a gun carries a minimum 18-month sentence.

A person with knowledge of the case told The Associated Press that Williams will plead guilty to aggravated assault. The person wasn't authorized to talk about the case and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

On Feb. 13, 2002, Williams brought a group of friends back to his mansion after attending a Harlem Globetrotters basketball game. Witnesses testified that Williams, who had been drinking, was showing off a shotgun when he snapped it shut and it fired, hitting driver Costas "Gus" Christofi in the chest. They said Williams put the gun in the dead man's hands and told them to lie about what happened.