On a summer evening in Binghamton, New York, a dispute over money escalated into a fatal act of violence that claimed the life of 33-year-old James High. The incident unfolded on July 24, 2015, following a disagreement that began inside the Antler Lodge, a social club on Chenango Street. The argument spilled out into the street, where High was shot.
He was rushed to a local hospital, but succumbed to his injuries and died later that day.
The investigation into the shooting led police to identify Joshua Taylor as the suspect. About a month after the incident, Taylor was located and taken into custody. Investigators also recovered the handgun believed to have been used in the shooting, which had been concealed under a nearby staircase. Taylor was subsequently charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon. Before his trial, he was offered a plea deal that would have reduced the murder charge to manslaughter with a sentence of 18 years to life in prison, but he rejected the offer.
In September 2017, following a two-week trial, a Broome County jury found Joshua Taylor guilty of murder and weapons possession. The jury deliberated for nearly two days before reaching their verdict. However, the legal battle was far from over. An appeals court later ordered a new trial, citing that the judge had not properly instructed the jury on the distinction between direct and circumstantial evidence.
The second trial took place in December 2021, and once again, Taylor was convicted of murdering James High. A crucial moment in this trial occurred when a key witness directly identified Taylor in court. In March 2022, Joshua Taylor was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison, the maximum sentence for his crimes. The Broome County District Attorney's Office stated that they had been in contact with High's mother, who had attended the trial, to inform her of the sentence.
