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Former Laker Javaris Crittenton Sent to Atlanta on Murder Charge

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Javaris Crittenton was taken from a Los Angeles lockup to Georgia Thursday to face a murder charge stemming from the shooting death of a 22-year-old woman in Atlanta last month.

The Atlanta Police Department's Fugitive Unit was tasked with transporting the 23-year-old former NBA player to Fulton County Jail, according to Atlanta police.

Crittenton agreed Aug. 31 not to fight extradition to Atlanta, two days after he was arrested at John Wayne Airport in Orange County.

Atlanta-based attorney Brian Steel told reporters in Los Angeles last month that he hoped his client would be transported quickly "so we can begin defending him and clearing him from the false allegations."

Crittenton, of Fayetteville, Ga., is accused of shooting Julian Jones outside her home on Aug. 19. Georgia law enforcement officials allege Crittenton was actually targeting someone he thought had stolen jewelry from him earlier in this year.

Crittenton was chosen by the Lakers in the first round of the 2007 NBA draft, but was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies on Feb. 1, 2008 in the deal that brought Pau Gasol to the Lakers.

Crittenton is not currently on any NBA team roster.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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