Ex-NBA Player Tried to Defuse Domestic Dispute — He Was Killed, and the Gunman’s Excuse Failed in Court By KC Baker

Adreian Payne, a former NBA player for the Orlando Magic, was trying to defuse a domestic dispute in 2022 when he was fatally shot. On Friday, Aug. 29, the gunman learned his fate.

Lawrence Dority, 32,  of Orlando, was sentenced to life in prison for the killing, according to online jail records. Dority had been found guilty of second-degree murder with a firearm on July 30, according to online court records.

After his May 2022 arrest, Dority pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, telling police he shot Payne in self-defense after Payne allegedly threatened him and appeared to reach for a gun, according to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by NBC Sports.

Payne, 31, who played for the Magic during the 2017-2018 season, was shot and killed on May 9, 2022, outside of the Orlando-area townhouse complex where Dority lived, according to court documents obtained by ESPN.

The former Michigan State University player had driven to the townhouse complex with his girlfriend to help her friend Tatiana Mesa, mediate a domestic dispute, something she had done in the past, according to the affidavit, NBC Sports reports.

That night, Dority returned home from a Mother’s Day celebration at about 1:30 a.m. with his 10-year-old son and said he found Payne sitting in a car, according to court documents, Fox 35 Orlando reports.

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Dority told authorities that Payne allegedly told him, “I’ll smoke you, bruh,” before reaching for what Dority said he thought was a gun, the affidavit alleged, ESPN reports.

Saying he felt intimidated by the 6-foot-10-inch Payne, Dority told authorities he went inside his house to get his gun and fired one shot at Payne, the affidavit says, according to ESPN.

Authorities found no guns in Payne’s car, according to ESPN.

Witnesses told authorities a different story. One witness said Payne did not make any “threatening motions” toward Dority, the affidavit says, according to ESPN.

Payne’s girlfriend was heard begging Dority in a video recording of the incident, saying, “Do not pull your gun out” and “We were asked to come here” before Dority shot Payne, the affidavit said, CourtTV reports.

During his trial, Dority took the stand in his own defense and said he pulled the trigger because he feared for the safety of his son and his father, who had driven them home, CourtTV reports.

In his closing argument, Dority’s attorney argued that his client acted in self-defense and was protecting his “castle,” CourtTV reports — making the shooting legal under Florida’s Castle Doctrine.

Dority’s attorney did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.