Usha Chatman, a 22-year-old woman from Durham, North Carolina, tragically lost her life on December 24, 2016. Usha was an innocent bystander who was shot while inside a car at the Rochelle Manor Apartments in Durham. The shooting was a retaliatory act for another shooting that had occurred earlier the same day. Usha was not involved in the earlier incident and was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The investigation into Usha's death led to the arrest and conviction of Hakeem Hubbard. Hubbard pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in Durham County Superior Court. He was sentenced to 19 to 24 years in prison. The case was prosecuted by the North Carolina Department of Justice’s Special Prosecutions Section’s Special Deputy Attorney General Jocelyn Wright. The Durham Police Department played a crucial role in investigating the case and arresting Hubbard.
Attorney General Josh Stein expressed his hope that the sentencing would bring some closure to Usha's family and friends. He emphasized the importance of holding violent criminals accountable and praised the efforts of the Durham Police Department in solving the case. Usha Chatman's death serves as a stark reminder of the senseless violence that can claim innocent lives and the importance of justice in bringing some measure of peace to those affected.
