Ex-NBA Player Crittenton Released from Jail on Murder Charge

Former professional basketball player Javaris Crittenton, accused of killing a young mother of four in a drive-by shooting in Georgia, was released from jail on a $230,000 bond early on Wednesday, authorities said.

Crittenton, 23, left jail at 12:15 a.m. local time, said Tracy Flanagan, spokeswoman for the Fulton County Sheriff's Office.

A judge on Tuesday ordered Crittenton to wear an ankle monitor while awaiting trial on a murder charge, as well as requiring him to surrender his passport and firearms license and avoid contact with any witnesses in the case.

Crittenton was arrested at a Southern California airport last month as he prepared to check in for a flight to Atlanta to turn himself in to authorities.

He is accused of the August 19 slaying of 22-year-old Julian Jones, who witnesses said was gunned down in Atlanta with an assault rifle by someone driving a dark-colored sport utility vehicle, according to the FBI.

Atlanta police have said they do not believe Jones was Crittenton's intended victim but would not elaborate on the case.

Crittenton was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2007 and played two seasons in the National Basketball Association, ending his career with the Washington Wizards after a stint in Memphis, according to the league website. He played college basketball at Georgia Tech in Atlanta.

In January 2010, the NBA suspended Crittenton and Wizards teammate Gilbert Arenas without pay for the rest of the season for bringing guns into the locker room after a dispute over a poker game on a flight home from a game.

Crittenton pleaded guilty to a criminal charge and received one year of probation over that incident.