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.

James Zachery
Born:(1958-08-27)August 27, 1958
Midland, Texas, U.S.
Died:January 25, 1994(1994-01-25) (aged 35)
Midland, Texas, U.S.
Career information
CFL statusAmerican
Position(s)DE, DL
Height6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight245 lb (111 kg)
CollegeTexas A&M
High schoolMidland (TX)
NFL draft1980, round: 11, pick: 290
Drafted byNew York Jets
Career history
As player
19801981Montreal Alouettes
19821984Montreal Concordes
19851987Edmonton Eskimos
Career highlights and awards
CFL West All-Star1986
Career stats
Quarterback sacks37
Fumble recoveries5
Interceptions4

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

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References

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  1. ^ "HISTORY". nfl.com. Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
  2. ^ "1994 Notable Deaths". spokesman.com. Associated Press. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
  3. ^ "Police hold suspect in former pro football player's death". UPI. January 27, 1994. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  4. ^ Frye, Cathy (January 2, 1996). "Bizarre case ends in first death penalty in 13 years". OA Online. Retrieved April 2, 2020.[dead link]
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