FLEMINGTON, N.J. -- The family of a limousine driver shot to death inside Jayson Williams' mansion filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the former basketball star on Wednesday.

Costas "Gus'' Christofi's family demanded in a lawsuit filed in state Superior Court in Bergen County that Williams pay damages for causing the driver's death and covering it up, according to a statement released by the family's attorney.

The suit was filed by Christofi's brother, Anthony Christofi of Elmwood Park, and the victim's sister, Andrea Adams of Bridgewater.

The family contends Williams owes the family for suffering and for the support Christofi provided. The lawsuit also accused Williams of defamation for trying to make Christofi's death look like a suicide.

"He killed a man for no reason whatsoever and they've been robbed of their brother. Just because he's well-to-do, I don't think he should get away with that,'' family attorney Ken Berkowitz said.

A spokeswoman for Williams declined to comment, saying she had yet to see the lawsuit.

Andrea Adams, Christofi's sister, referred calls to her attorney.

During a night of heavy drinking, Williams humiliated and cursed at Christofi before showing off with a shotgun and fatally shooting him, prosecutors said in court documents filed Wednesday.

The new details of the Feb. 14 shooting came in prosecutors' response to a defense motion seeking to dismiss charges against Williams.

Williams is accused of recklessly handling the gun that killed Christofi and then trying to make the shooting look self-inflicted.

The 34-year-old Williams could face nearly 45 years in prison if convicted on all charges, including first-degree manslaughter.

Prosecutors contend they did not engage in misconduct, as argued by the defense.

In Wednesday's filing, prosecutors gave the most complete picture yet of what they say happened that night.

Before returning to the mansion where the shooting took place, Williams and nine friends drank $627 in alcoholic beverages at a restaurant, the documents said. Two children also were present, but the filing does not say whether they were drinking.

Tests on a blood sample taken from Williams eight hours after the shooting found a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.11 percent, slightly more than the legal level of intoxication in New Jersey.

An expert for the prosecution has concluded Williams was severely intoxicated at the time of the shooting, with a probable blood-alcohol concentration of between 0.18 and 0.22 percent.

At the restaurant, Christofi sat apart from Williams' friends and had coffee and perhaps food, the documents said.

"At one point during the evening, the defendant singled out Gus and began cursing at him. The defendant's conduct was such that several of the witnesses were uncomfortable with what appeared to them to be an uncalled for public humiliation of Gus by the defendant,'' the documents said.

Witnesses said that was not the only time Williams cursed at Christofi.

Back at the mansion, Williams took a 12-gauge Browning out of his gun cabinet and told guests to watch him, saying he was a "professional,'' the documents said.

He opened the gun and snapped it together in one motion, the documents said. It fired and hit Christofi, who was no more than 3 feet away, in the chest with buckshot pellets.

After guests checked Christofi's pulse and called 911, Williams wiped the shotgun and tried to put the victim's hand or fingerprints on it, the documents said. Williams also removed his own clothing, jumped into his pool downstairs and changed into new clothes.

He told all of the guests they must agree the shooting was a suicide and he wanted them to lie to police and say they had been downstairs when it occurred, the documents said.

Two guests, Kent Culuko and John Gordnick, have pleaded guilty to tampering charges and agreed to testify against Williams.

The 6-foot-10 Williams was among the NBA's best rebounders when leg injuries ended his career. He retired from the New Jersey Nets in 2000. After the shooting, he was suspended from his job as an NBA analyst for NBC.

According to the defense, the prosecutor acted improperly by repeatedly telling grand jurors Williams exercised his right to remain silent.

The defense also said the grand jury received insufficient instructions and the prosecutor presented only a partial picture of the shooting, leaving out details that cast Williams in a positive light.

Williams remains free on $270,000 bail. The judge has said he hopes to rule on the motions by mid-December.