Adreian Payne death: Trial begins for man accused of killing former Orlando Magic player
Trial begins tomorrow for man accused of killing former Magic player
The jury has been selected for the trial of the man accused of killing former Orlando Magic player, Adrien Payne. FOX 35's Marie Edinger has the latest outside the Orange County courthouse.
ORLANDO, Fla. - The trial for Lawrence Dority, the man accused of killing former Orlando Magic player Adreian Payne more than three years ago, began on Monday.
Dority faces a second-degree murder charge in the shooting death of Payne, court records show.
Former Orlando Magic player killed
The backstory:
On May 9, 2022, investigators said Payne was shot and killed while trying to break up a domestic dispute between Dority and his girlfriend on Egret Shores Drive in Orlando.
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Dority is claiming self-defense under Florida’s "Stand Your Ground" law, saying he felt threatened by Payne’s size and actions.
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Surveillance footage captured part of the incident, and officials said a woman can be heard pleading, "Do not pull your gun out" and "We were asked to come here."
Officials said a single gunshot is heard on the footage.
Pictured: Adreian Payne
Payne was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Detectives said he was not armed.
Dority later told detectives that Payne was over 7 feet tall and said Payne was getting in his face and was intimidating due to his size, so he went inside to get his gun.
‘Never a violent person’
What they're saying:
Payne’s family, who lives in Ohio, plans to attend the trial.
FOX 35 News spoke with Payne's brother, Antiwan, last year. He described his brother as nonviolent.
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"My brother was never a violent person. He never been in confrontations. No records of violent fights or anything like that," he said.
Who was Adriean Payne?
Payne was a professional basketball player who played in the NBA for teams including the Orlando Magic and Minnesota Timberwolves, and starred in college at Michigan State.
CHICAGO, USA - DECEMBER 20: Adreian Payne (33) of Orlando Magic in action during an NBA basketball match between Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic at United Center in Chicago, Illinois, United States on December 20, 2017. (Photo by Bilgin S. Sasmaz/Ana
Following his death, the Orlando Magic shared a statement on X, saying:
"The @OrlandoMagic are saddened to learn of the tragic death of Adreian Payne. Adreian was a two-way player that appeared in five games with Orlando during the 2017-18 season, and also spent time with the Lakeland Magic of the NBA G League.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time."
Payne was 31.
What's next:
The trial is scheduled for 9 a.m., with Circuit Judge Greg A. Tynan presiding.
FOX 35 News will update this article with updates from the trial.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared previously by the Orange County Sheriff's Office.