James Zachery (August 27, 1958 – January 25, 1994) was an American football defensive lineman who played eight seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Montreal Alouettes, Montreal Concordes and Edmonton Eskimos. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the eleventh round of the 1980 NFL draft.[1] He played college football at Texas A&M University and attended Midland High School in Midland, Texas. Zachery was a member of the Edmonton Eskimos team that won the 75th Grey Cup. He was also a CFL West All-Star in 1986.
| Born: | August 27, 1958 Midland, Texas, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Died: | January 25, 1994 (aged 35) Midland, Texas, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| CFL status | American |
| Position(s) | DE, DL |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) |
| Weight | 245 lb (111 kg) |
| College | Texas A&M |
| High school | Midland (TX) |
| NFL draft | 1980, round: 11, pick: 290 |
| Drafted by | New York Jets |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1980–1981 | Montreal Alouettes |
| 1982–1984 | Montreal Concordes |
| 1985–1987 | Edmonton Eskimos |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| CFL West All-Star | 1986 |
| Career stats | |
| Quarterback sacks | 37 |
| Fumble recoveries | 5 |
| Interceptions | 4 |
| |
Zachery died on January 25, 1994, after he was the victim of a gang attack.[2] 17-year-old De-Vann Stewart was initially charged with Zachary's murder.[3] Stewart was later sentenced to 20 years on a manslaughter conviction and a second defendant, Don Jackson, was convicted of aggravated assault and sentenced to 50 years in prison.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "HISTORY". nfl.com. Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
- ^ "1994 Notable Deaths". spokesman.com. Associated Press. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
- ^ "Police hold suspect in former pro football player's death". UPI. January 27, 1994. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
- ^ Frye, Cathy (January 2, 1996). "Bizarre case ends in first death penalty in 13 years". OA Online. Retrieved April 2, 2020.[dead link]