NBA Player Murdered in Front of Girlfriend

[MUSIC] >> [INAUDIBLE] >> Around 1.30 a.m., just hours after Mother's Day, Orange County Sheriff's Officers respond to a shooting on Orlando's east side. When officers arrive at the scene, they're greeted with chaos. [MUSIC] >> All right, back up, back up. >> Yes sir. >> Back up. >> Oh my, I'm mercy. [MUSIC] >> Not even 1.20. >> Oh my, I'm mercy. [MUSIC] >> [INAUDIBLE] >> Who is the shooter? >> We're not sure he has dreads with the white shirt. >> Okay. >> I think. >> Yeah, we don't know. >> Okay, it's there there. [MUSIC] >> Shoot your f***ing ass, do it now. >> Stop, come here. >> On the phone. >> You on the phone? >> Okay. >> Come here, come here. >> I'm on the phone with this. >> Okay, stop. >> I'm right there. >> Who are you pointing to? >> Stop. >> Stop. Stop. >> Stop. >> I'm pointing to my house. >> You don't have to be so rough, buddy. >> Well, I'm trying to get your hand so it's easier for the handcuffs. >> Yeah, I'm right here. >> The shooter identifies himself as 29-year-old Lauren Stority. >> Can you take me back in front of my house? >> No. >> Are you going to the back of this car? >> All right. >> This is for this person. >> Shooter. >> My home. >> What on, what on? >> I know. >> This is my home. >> This is my home. >> Okay, well, we're just detained for now. >> You're in my home. >> This is literally my house. >> Which is making sure you don't have any -- >> No, I don't have anything. >> Can we go back to my house boss? >> No, right now, man. >> Why? >> Because it's considered a crime scene right now. >> So. >> I don't have anything. >> Yeah. >> So we set the double check, that's it. >> You're going to fix it, right? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> That's it. >> Can I call my lawyer? >> Yeah. >> I accept. >> Can you give my phone, talk to my lawyer? >> No, right now. >> Right now, you're being detained. >> Go ahead with the feed-in for me. >> Just yards away, his victim clings to life. >> Yes. >> You guys are going to be able to stay for them. >> So we're trying to remember. Right now, I just need to stand over on Saddle Walker, right? >> A distraught woman identifies herself as Tara Walker. She tells police the victim is her boyfriend. 31-year-old former NBA player Adrian Payne, a power forward who spent four seasons in the league. >> How are we going? >> If you go make it, he's doing. >> It's early to say, but it don't look good. So I'm not a medic though. >> Within minutes, paramedics arrive. And Adrian is rushed to a nearby hospital. Meanwhile, Lawrence tells police he's the real victim. >> I got out of my dad's truck, and I've seen this gentleman outside of my house, and I've seen this car multiple times. And I ran up to his car, I walked over to his car, and he got out of his car. He's seven feet tall, sir. You see how tall I am. He recent his pants like he's going to grab for his gun. I ran inside of my house. I have my son and my father in the truck. And I protected us. You understand what I'm saying? >> I hear what you're saying. >> But why am I in handcuffs? >> Because you just shot somebody. >> Where did you put the gun inside the house? >> It's in the house, I will show you. >> Well, you can't go inside the house as a crime scene. >> It's pretty me like a suspect, brother. >> You are a suspect. >> But I not have the right in my house to stand my ground. >> That's why we're doing the investigation, to see. To see what truly happened. >> Officers quickly identify two other key eyewitnesses, one being Adrian's girlfriend Tara. >> Why am I here, though? >> Because you were here in the scene. >> But he has no face. >> You witnessed everything. >> I wish he never came with me. I wish I could go back inside. I wish he never came. >> The second eyewitness, Lawrence's father Larry, appears to be in shock too. >> Sir, you can breath, I know it's a lot. Take a breath for me, okay? Listen, what, what, so far what happened? >> Well, I was bringing my son and his son home. >> Is it this house? >> No. >> And he needed God to come up, right? And God got out of his car. There's same words, and I said, hey, are you okay? And he said, oh, so it goes like the house, and then this guy here, he's going to move, and then my son's going to shoot me. >> So I'm just shooting him. >> Okay. >> I know it's a lot, man. Do you know the guy I shot him? >> That's my son. >> Larry tells police his grandson, Lawrence's 10-year-old son, was in the truck with him when the shooting occurred. In the ensuing mayhem, he's gone missing. I found a 10-year-old. >> Police locate the frightened child inside his house, and contact his mother, Lawrence's girlfriend Tatiana Mesa, to come get him. >> Real quick, your mom just wants to at least see you and make sure you're good, all right, man? >> Mommy. >> I got it. >> Hey, Evan. >> Who are you? >> As officers process the scene, they receive word from the hospital. Adrian Payne has been pronounced dead from a gunshot wound to the chest. Later that morning, Lawrence Doherty is charged with first-degree murder. He pleads not guilty, citing self-defense. Now it's up to detectives to figure out if he's telling the truth or not. They bring in Adrian's girlfriend, Terrell Walker, to get her side of the story. >> Don't do what happened tonight. So my best friend is Tatiana Mesa. She texted me around 104 and said, "Hey, are you awake?" And I responded back to her and told her, "Yeah." And she responded back and said, "Please meet me at my house in 15 minutes." And I said, "Everything okay." She didn't respond back. >> Tatiana Mesa is Lawrence's longtime girlfriend and the mother of his son. According to Tara, Tatiana and Lawrence have a very toxic relationship. Their fights often turn ugly. We always go through this and I'm kind of like the mediator. Like I always, I'm like, calm down. Like, I don't necessarily say the protector, but they're to make sure that he doesn't physically harm her. >> After Tatiana texted her, Tara got in her car and headed to Lawrence's house. On her way there, she called Adrian. >> It's also my friend, my boyfriend, which is Adrian. And he was on his way to my house and I told him, "I got to stop by Todd." Something's going on. She asked me to come. Usually I send emergency. It's this late at night. And he was like, "Well, get off the highway and meet you there. I'm almost there." And I'm like, "No, babe, just go home and be with the kids." "Let me just go see what's going on." And Lawrence is hotheaded and I don't want him to feel like you're there for something. He's like, "No, I'm there for you because last time he was in your face." And you know, he's just just respectful and he's nasty to you. >> Tara says she and Adrian remained on the phone. And he got to Lawrence's house before she did. >> I was on the phone with a American here at Lawrence telling him, "Why are you at my house? Why are you at my house?" >> So there was no argument. It was just like, "Why are you here?" And Adrian was just like, "You know, get on. I'm not dealing with you." >> Minutes later, when Tara arrived at Lawrence and Tatiana's house, Tatiana wasn't there. She didn't see Lawrence either. >> Like this time, Lawrence had walked back into the house. I'm assuming he walked in the house to go get his gun. >> Tara says Adrian was parked on the streets in front of Lawrence's house. >> And then I walked over to his car to tell him, "Bam, I'm going to go inside. Don't even come in the house." >> Okay. >> It's obviously hot-headed. >> And he was sitting in the car at that time. >> Sitting in the car and he opened his leg out. >> With his leg out. >> Yeah. So you park your car, you get out, you're talking to Adrian at the car. And while you're there talking to him, Lawrence comes out. >> I turn around to go walk and I see Lawrence coming out. >> I kind of slowed down because I can see he has something like this in his white shirt. >> Okay. Could you tell what it was right away? >> Yeah, I know it was a gun. >> Okay. What made you know it was a gun? >> By the way, he was holding it. >> Okay. >> By the way, he was holding himself. >> And I hear Larry said, "Lorrence, what you got? What are you doing? What are you doing in Lawrence?" And then Lawrence pulls his gun out and he raises it. And I raise my hands up and I'm like, "Please, Lawrence, Tat told us to come. Tat told me to come. He's not, he's here for me and make sure I'm good." And he's like, "Why are you here?" And then he just shot him. And then I like, time back around and I see Adrian grab his chest and like lean over to the passenger side and then come back to the driver side. And I'm watching as Lawrence just kind of like just. Pushes his hair back and then just turns around and just gradually walks into the house like nothing ever happened All right, did Lauren say anything besides why are you here do you say anything else nothing how many gunshots did you hear? Just one okay At that time did Adrian have anything in his hands? No, okay, was he not even a cell phone? I didn't grab a cell phone. He was literally sitting there. Just watching. Okay, both hands. You can see what he's been clear as day Does Adrian have a gun? Okay, so he doesn't have a gun. Does he? While you were there he didn't make any motions like he had a gun. No All right, can you raise your right hand? You swear everything we talked about today's true When detectives speak with Tatiana Mesa she confirms she texted Tara and asked her to meet her at the scene Tatiana also reveals why she reached out to Tara for help hours before the shooting she and Lawrence took their son to Larry's house for a Family gathering and that's when the trouble began And then you know we're just talking about some past and my past specifically and he was just getting upset and I was getting upset Obviously about his past, you know, and we kind of as the conversation increased You know, he mentioned some things about my past that really really upset me someone he was in front of me In my face talking about it. I kind of like pushed him back and he had pushed me back And so that's when he said he wanted to go home Tatiana says Larry offered him a ride he then drove Lawrence home with your 10-year-old and you stayed behind Tatiana stayed behind and texted Tara to meet her at Lawrence's house Imagine setting your makeup then forgetting it's even theirs meet new grippy setting mist from Maybelline, New York Gel to mist technology locks in your look for up to 24 hours with flexible all-day comfy grip. No tightness, no stickiness, no residue Just plum, dewy, hydrated skin that still feels like your skin. Try new grippy setting mist from Maybelline, New York Maybe it's Maybelline He was still at Larry's house when Tara called her. What did she tell you? She said Adrian is done And did she she tell you how that came to be? Did she tell you anything? She has not explained anything to me Because she wasn't there Tatiana can't speak to the shooting, but Lawrence's father Larry can Kind of help me understand what happened here tonight I was bringing my son home and my grandson in the truck And we said the car I thought it was an SUV Because they had to light some real bright point at the truck. I said why was that one? He said he didn't know he didn't he just mumbled And he got out of the truck Okay, so so you stated Lawrence got out. Yeah, Lawrence got out as if he I don't know who the book I'm just now This is my first time ever seeing You know And he went up to approach the guy to talk to him that guy was real tall And he had a couple words And when He was leaving going back And I said is everything okay And he's in the thing he said I don't know if he said I don't know what right But then I see the guy get out of the truck the the car again. It's like he he made an emotion and I and I so I said what are you doing? And they say I know how you're a shot I start yelling at the screaming It's just everything just happens so quick right when you heard the gunshot where you steal inside your truck Okay, I was looking at my window So after the gunshot Lawrence what is Lawrence to I don't know. I don't know what he didn't I didn't see anything out so you get out of your truck You go I run to see what's going on with the boy. Okay. I see him in a car shot I try to give CPR. Okay, did you pull a lot of car was he? No, I was gonna stay with him and I grabbed his hands if I could feel anything. Okay. I could hear him at first I could hear him Okay, I could hear him Is it stay with me stay with me boy stay with me right? I grabbed his hand and About the end of the castle. Sure. At the scene Lawrence told officers Adrian was armed Tara said he wasn't Detectives put the question to Larry. Did you ever see him pull out a gun? No Did his hands come up like he was holding a gun? Not that I'm aware of There was no gun found on Adrian at the scene so police perform a thorough search of his car I And they come up empty with no proof to back his story Lawrence's self-defense claim appears to be on shaky ground As the investigation continues Adrian pain is laid to rest in his home state of Ohio At his packed memorial service family friends and former teammates pay tribute to the man They describe as a gentle giant and who overcame a tough childhood to achieve his dreams of making it to the NBA Months pass and as Lawrence's story prepares for his day in court his legal team files a motion to have his case dismissed They argue that under the controversial stand your ground law Lawrence had the right to use deadly force against Adrian because he believed him to be a legitimate threat The request is denied in July of 2025 the case finally heads to trial So we're now going to start with the opening statements of the attorneys and then start moving into the witnesses testimony One by one witnesses take the stand including Adrian's girlfriend Tara Walker During her testimony a hush falls over the courtroom when prosecutors introduce footage of the shooting that was recovered from a neighbor's home security camera All right, so I want to go back through that and ask you a few questions um about some of the voices and things that we're hearing on the video okay that we hear there um is that your voice correct yes and what are you saying there do not pull your gun out On cross examination the defense tries to paint Tara as a biased witness Notice sound like a very ignorant question and pardon my ignorance But it was fair to say you love Mr. Pain right correct You wouldn't want him to have a bad name would you No It's true you would do anything to protect his name right What do you mean by anything that fair would you No, not necessarily No further questions Leading up to the trial the question on everyone's mind is will Lawrence take the stand in his own defense Hours after Tara's testimony that question is answered Matt you may call your first witness. I would like to call Mr. Lawrence Dirty If you'll make your way over to the witness box one, please You will call what happened on May 9, 2022 Yes, I do a Jew Explain to the court in the jury what happened Well Around 130 in the morning Me and my son and my dad Went to my house my father was taking me my son home and as we arrived I see the car parked at the corner of my home And automatically assumed it was Tara So I thought it was weird that she was parked right there because she would typically park in the driveway Or in front of the house and so I walk over there To greet her to say hey, you know why you parked here and Mr. Pain gets out of the car and when he gets out of the car He's looking down at me. He has his hand in his waistband And I can see like Something silver sticking out on the side of his head with his hand on it And I ask him what are you doing here? And he said I'm not playing with you. I'll smoke you. I said what I threw my hands in the air And I started freaking out my dad rolls down the window and asking me is everything okay And I told him I don't know So I go inside of my home I retrieve my firearm so I could safely get my son in the house And so as I return back outside I see Mr. Pain has moved his car up even more He's gotten out of his car again and so I'm standing in my driveway and I'm asking him why are you here? What are you doing here? Why are you here? Can't please Can you please leave and just stare at me? - Did you have a relationship with him at all? - No, sir. - Did you invite him to your home? I'm sorry. - No, sir. - Why did you go back in the house? Why did you go in the house? - 'Cause I felt, I thought, I thought I was gonna die. - Why'd you feel that way, though? - He's outside my house. It's time he's gonna smoke me. I'm a son outside of my father outside. He's there by himself. Nobody I didn't. - When you came back outside, you had this firearm. - First of all, did you have a concealed weapon permit? - Yes, sir. - Well, have you taken self-defense classes before? - Yes, sir. - When you came out, did you have any additional words or anything was said by you at that time? - Yes. - What was that, if anything? - I said, can you please leave, who are you here? Can you please leave, what do you have for? - What was the response that you got? - You didn't say anything, you just was staring at me. - Did Mr. Payne appear to reach for something? - Yes. - When I was saying, why are you here? You need to leave, you need to leave. Why are you here? I've seen him going like this when his hand up. Like, he's raising a gun towards me and I shot one time and I called the police and I put my son in the house. - Mr. Dirty, I'm actually this question. Did you see a firearm in the hand or in the possession of Mr. Dirty? - Yes. - I feel like your life was in danger. - Yes, me and my son and my father. - No further questions, sir. - On cross examination, the prosecution hammers away at Lawrence's testimony. - I wanna talk about some other things that you said in your direct testimony. You were very clear in your testimony five, 10 minutes ago when your attorney asked you, did you see a firearm, right? You said, yes, I saw a firearm. That was your testimony just, I mean, 10 minutes ago, right? - Correct. - In a dramatic moment, it appears Lawrence's previous statement to detectives comes back to haunt him. - So Mr. Dirty, I'm gonna read from this transcript starting at line 25 on page 35. Detective Gil Birdie, this is his question to you. Okay, did you ever see a gun? Mr. Dirty, I cannot say I necessarily saw a gun, but if you're giving me this gesture, I've taken concealed weapons classes. I've taken defense classes before. If somebody approaches me like this, and that's your answer. So you cannot definitively say, and honestly say to this jury, - Judging on your object, you know how to argument it. - Stained. - You cannot say definitively that you saw a gun, can't. - Imagine setting your makeup, then forgetting it's even theirs. Meet new grippy setting mist from Maybelline, New York. Gel to mist technology locks in your look for up to 24 hours, with flexible all day comfy grip. No tightness, no stickiness, no residue. Just plump, dewy, hydrated skin that still feels like your skin. Try new grippy setting mist from Maybelline, New York. - Maybe it's Maybelline. - Objection, you're the same objection, argument. - Stained. - I had been, I had been waiting and sitting in about a police car for seven to eight hours. I was in the interview room for six, seven hours. I had been slept. I was beyond tired. And my recollection of what happened could have been maybe, you know. - Okay, so you didn't say it then, but you're saying it now, right? - I said it. - Okay. - Now, you mentioned in your direct testimony that you were concerned for your son and for your father who were present at the time of the shooting, right? Is that yes? - Yes, sir. - Okay. - Just follow the drives. - But even by your own telling, there was never any threat by the victim made to your son, right? - It's actually an argument of the honor of rule. - There was never any threat made by the victim to your son, right? - Correct. - Is that correct? - That's it, correct. - And there was never any threat made by the victim to your father, right? - Correct. It doesn't have to be made to them, though. - Okay. - Now, you would also agree that where the victim was par was not your property, right? - The neighborhood is considered my property. I don't own the neighborhood, but it's my dwelling, that's why I live. - Okay, but to be clear, Mr. Haine never set foot in your house, right? - No. - Now, when you went inside your home to arm yourself with the firearm, in this case, the victim didn't follow you, right? - No. - He stayed by his car. - Correct. - And so you went in, you would have had time at that point to call 911 if you deemed it necessary. - Correct. - But you didn't do that, did you? - Did you? - I think it was necessary at that moment. - What you deemed was necessary was to get your firearm, go outside and kill it, right? - No, that's what you did. - After Lawrence's testimony, the defense rests and the jury moves to deliberations. The next day, on July 30th, 2025, they reach a verdict. - All right, the verdict forms are in order, if you'll go ahead and please read the verdict. - In the circuit court of the marriage judicial circuit, in four Orange County Florida, the state of Florida, versus Lawrence Dorety, based on 2022, the act, black, two, five, zero, verdict as to count one. We, the jury find the dependent guilty of the second to remember, as far as the information. So say we all dated at Orlando, Orange County Florida. - A month later, a judge delivers his fate. - Given all of that, I'm going to impose the following sentence. I'm going to adjudicate you guilty of the offense, sent into life in the Florida Department of Corrections with a life remandatory for possession, discharge, and death of the alleged victim in this case for a firearm. - While Lawrence Dorety's life sentence finally brings closure to the case, Adrian Payne's loved ones are left carrying the pain of his senseless death with them forever. - You stole the man who was supposed to guide our son through life. The man who was supposed to be there for his first steps, his birthday, his first day of school, his graduations, and every special moment in between. - Adrian has gone, Lawrence is buried six feet under. He was 31 years old, the same age you are today. For that, may God forgive you because I cannot. - Any other questions or concerns? I'm sure you have the right to appeal the judgment since. What if you wish to do so? It has to be done in writing within the next 30 days. If you cannot afford to hire an attorney, for the purpose of an appeal, one could be appointed for you. We'll be in recess. (upbeat music) [MUSIC]