In what began as a disagreement inside a Lexington, Kentucky bar, 68-year-old James Nelson Terry lost his life in a sudden act of violence. On March 11, 2019, patrons at Uncle 7's Bourbon Bar & Grill on Delzan Place had to scramble for cover when gunfire erupted. An argument between Terry and another man, Larry Walters, escalated, leading to the fatal shooting.
Emergency services were called to the scene around 4 p.m., where they found two individuals suffering from gunshot wounds. Terry was one of the two people transported to the University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries the following morning. The Fayette County Coroner's Office confirmed that a gunshot wound was the cause of his death. The second victim was also seriously injured in the shooting.
The man responsible for the shooting, Larry Walters, who was 73 at the time, fled the bar after the incident. However, he was apprehended by police a short time later outside his home on Galata Drive. Walters was initially charged with murder, first-degree assault, and three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment.
In July 2022, Larry Walters accepted a plea deal. His murder charge was amended to second-degree manslaughter, the assault charge was reduced to second-degree assault, and the wanton endangerment charges were also amended to a lesser degree. Court documents indicated that Walters claimed to have no memory of the events at the bar and expressed shock and remorse. His defense team had intended to argue that he was not guilty by reason of insanity, and a previous trial had resulted in a mistrial. The plea agreement recommended a prison sentence of 10 years for the manslaughter and assault charges.
