Lawyers meet to discuss self-defense argument ahead of Ja Morant’s civil case
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. – There will be at least one more hearing this year in the civil case against Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant.
It all started from a fight between Morant and a teen during a pickup basketball game at Morant’s Eads home two years ago. Lawyers met Friday for a pre-trial conference ahead of next year’s immunity hearing about whether Morant acted in self-defense.
“Because, like this court ruled,” Morant’s lawyer Will Perry said, “it’s Mr. Morant’s reasonable apprehension that he needed to defend himself.”
There are several issues that need to be solve ahead of January’s hearing, according to Judge Carol Chumney.
Joshua Holloway’s new lawyers, Stephen Leffler, Travis Venable and Charleston Hornsby, will try to prove Morant did not act in self-defense when he punched the teen.
On Friday, the debate centered around information from previously filed depositions, including about a comment Holloway made after the game and whether it should be included in the hearing.
“They said Ja Morant acted based on comments that didn’t even happen yet. That doesn’t make sense,” said Venable, one of Holloway’s lawyers. “What we’re asking is an updated ruling on that.”
But Morant’s attorney said the judge already ruled to allow the statement during a hearing last year.
“Your honor has already ruled that information is admissible, you already heard testimony from five different witnesses on those statements and, in fact, your honor has made four different findings,” Perry said.
Then, the judge denied the motion.
Holloway’s attorneys also want to use testimony from Morant’s friend Davonte Pack. They said there is new information from Pack’s deposition the court has not heard that can be used for the self-defense hearing.
But Morant’s team argued Pack already testified in last year’s hearing and in a deposition.
“Name one topic that wasn’t covered adequately that you want to cover now,” said Keenan Carter, an attorney for Morant. “One of their new depositions was who bought groceries at the home. How is that? If they’re going to designate new testimony, they should have to make a showing that the new testimony that they are designating goes to the sole issue.”
The judge said she only wants new information from depositions, adding nothing should be repeated. She’ll meet with attorneys again Dec. 10 to decide what testimony can be used in the self-defense immunity hearing.
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