On the night of January 28, 2017, LeDarius Marquis Belser, a 25-year-old male, went to the 'Handsome Brute' nightclub in Birmingham, Alabama, with two friends, Fredreco Williams and Shawn Smith. Inside the crowded club, an accidental bump between Williams and another man, Danny Dewayne Adams, Jr., sparked a heated argument. Belser stepped in to defend his friend, and the verbal altercation escalated, drawing in a companion of Adams.
Security at the nightclub intervened and removed Adams from the premises.
After the club closed for the night, Belser, Williams, and Smith were walking back to Belser's vehicle when the confrontation reignited. The argument that began inside the club continued in the parking lot and tragically culminated in gunfire. Belser sustained multiple gunshot wounds during the altercation. He was rushed to Princeton Hospital for medical attention.
For nearly two weeks, LeDarius Belser fought for his life. However, the damage from the gunshot wound to his abdomen was too severe. On February 10, 2017, he succumbed to his injuries. An autopsy revealed that his death was the result of multiple organ system failure caused by sepsis, which was a direct consequence of the injuries to his colon and small bowel from the shooting.
The Birmingham Police Department's homicide unit investigated the shooting. Their investigation, which included reviewing surveillance footage from the nightclub and a nearby drugstore, led them to identify Danny Dewayne Adams, Jr., as a suspect. On September 22, 2017, a Jefferson County grand jury indicted Adams for the murder of LeDarius Belser. Following a trial where the events of that fateful night were presented, Danny Dewayne Adams, Jr., was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.
