A Tennessee judge dismissed a civil lawsuit against NBA star Ja Morant, ruling that he acted in self-defense at his parents' home during a 2022 pickup basketball game.
Joshua Holloway is now a college player at Samford University, and was 17 years old at the time of the incident.
He accused Morant of assaulting him in a July 2022 match and prosecuting the assault. However, Shelby County Circuit Judge Carol Chumney found that under Tennessee Self-Defense Act, Morant is legally legal.
Morant said that after Holloway threw a basketball on a “one-handed, baseball-style pass” during a catch exchange, he responded, which was the standard part of the pickup game. At a December 2023 hearing, Morant testified that he was worried that Holloway was injured when he hit him, hit him in the chest, grabbed his fist and took a combat stance.
In April 2024, Judge Chumney ruled that Morant “enjoys the assumption of citizen immunity” and was supported by Tennessee’s “From Your Stand” law that allows individuals to use force if they are threatened in their own homes, a provision that usually applies in criminal cases but allows it in civil courts.
At a hearing in January, Holloway claimed Morant was the invader and used too much force.
But Chumney eventually found that Holloway's version was inconsistent, not other witnesses, including former NBA player Mike Miller, who said his game turned to Morant after Holloway hit Holloway in the face.
In the final ruling, Chuni emphasized the influence of both men and noted that they “each has a unique opportunity to inspire youth and show mature leadership.”
“This court sincerely hopes that moving forward, each of them can spend more time on the 'court' and less on the 'court',” she concluded.
JA's Grizzlies are currently playing in the playoffs with OKC and need to win a game as soon as possible to avoid being eliminated.
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