Months shy of earning degrees in psychology and biomedical engineering, he said he never returned to his studies. Six months later, while recovering, he was involved in the shooting that led to the reckless homicide conviction.

The incident began when two men, Rodney Steward and Marcus Moffitt, nicknamed “Big D,” showed up at his house to rob him, according an account James provided to Memphis police in 2004.

James said Moffitt had a 9 mm handgun and ordered him to lie down because they were going to rob him, court records show.

James fled to another room to get his own handgun, which he said he bought for protection after being robbed. When they saw his weapon they ran out his back door, according to court records. James chased them, and Moffitt starting shooting. James shot back.

When police arrived they found Steward dead in James’ yard with 2.4 grams of crack cocaine in his pocket. Shelby County’s medical examiner said Steward had been shot eight times.

During James’ trial, a Memphis police sergeant testified that all bullet casings at the scene came from James’ gun. The sergeant returned the next day and found “no evidence of bullet strikes inside or outside the house.”