A Catoosa County jury has handed down a conviction to Joshua Aaron Basham, a known gang member, for a 2021 road rage shooting that left one man wounded. Basham was found guilty on counts including aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony after a four-day trial that took place from March 24 to March 27, FOX 5 Atlanta reports.
The trial proceedings experienced a brief hiccup when Basham showed up under the influence of fentanyl and other drugs on the second day, an incident for which he was held in contempt by Superior Court Judge Melissa Hise though the trial soon resumed. Despite Basham's declaration that he acted in self-defense, the jury dismissed this claim.
During the altercation on Battlefield Parkway in Fort Oglethorpe, Basham shot a motorcyclist in the stomach, an action witnesses claim occurred after an exchange of heated gestures between Basham and three motorcycle riders, as detailed in a release from Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney Clayton Fuller, obtained by NewsChannel 9. The witnesses and victim later identified Basham by a distinct number '7' tattoo on his neck.
In a statement provided by Fuller it was made clear that the victim did not physically attack Basham and that the gun was already drawn before the victim approached Basham's vehicle to inquire why he was being followed, the shooting not only seemed to lack legal justification – the shooter, a convicted felon, was also prohibited from lawfully carrying a firearm. After the shooting occurred, Basham fled to his father's house, a route that was pieced together by testimony from several witnesses during the trial proceedings.
As the verdict was delivered, Judge Melissa Hise sentenced Basham to 20 years in prison, with a minimum of 15 years to be served before parole is an option.
