At the end of May in 2013, a car driven by former Atlanta Hawk Daron “Mookie” Blaylock drifted over to the wrong side of an Atlanta area road and collided head-on with a car driven by Monica Murphy, killing the mother of five.
Monday Blaylock pled guilty to vehicular homicide in the case and was sentenced to 15 years in jail, reports the Atlanta Journal Constitution.While he was sentenced to 15 years, the 47-year-old former NBA star will only serve three years in prison for vehicular homicide and other charges in the May 31, 2013, death of Monica Murphy, according to the terms of a negotiated plea deal.
That plea came on the day jury selection was to start, attorney Amanda Palmer told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The negotiated deal, seven years in prison and eight on probation, allows for Blaylock’s prison sentence to be suspended after three years. The conditions for the suspension include 1,500 hours of community service and treatment for alcoholism, including twice weekly Alcoholic Anonymous meetings. Additionally, he cannot drive until his probation is completed, Palmer said.
There was no alcohol in Blaylock’s blood at the time of the accident, according to reports. Blaylock almost died in the accident, spending days in the hospital’s intensive care unit.
Blaylock played 13 years in the NBA, seven in Atlanta plus stints in New Jersey and Golden State. He was a lock down defender who twice led the league in steals (he remains the Hawks franchise leader in steals). He also was one of the first guards to really embrace shooting the three ball (back in the 80s it was still a novelty.
The band Pearl Jam was first known around Seattle as Mookie Blaylock until the player forced the band to change its name.
