James was born and raised in Greenville, North Carolina, the middle child of nine siblings. Growing up in Kearney Park, one of Greenville’s oldest public housing communities, he found purpose and discipline in sports. Baseball was his first love, but once he picked up a basketball, he knew he had found his calling.
A stand-out at J.H. Rose High School, James excelled both in the classroom and on the court, earning multiple Division I basketball scholarships. He went on to attend Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania, leading his team in scoring for two seasons before graduating. His passion and talent took him overseas, where he played professionally in France, Greece, Norway, and Bulgaria. No matter where basketball took him, James invested in local mentoring programs, determined to give back to communities near and far.
By his early 30s, James returned to the U.S. to be closer to his family and pursue his true passion—mentoring youth. He envisioned a career dedicated to guiding young people, advocating for them, and inspiring them to build brighter futures. For James, helping others wasn’t just a calling; it was his life’s purpose.
That vision was tragically interrupted on June 30, 2009. While visiting family and friends in Greenville, a shooting outside a nightclub claimed the lives of two innocent men. Without any physical evidence or credible eyewitness identification, James was arrested on July 4, 2009, and charged with their murders. Despite his spotless record and unwavering claims of innocence, the prosecution sought the death penalty against James. Following an investigation and trial marred by the withholding of favorable evidence, he was convicted and sentenced to two consecutive life sentences without parole. James has now spent nearly two decades in prison for a crime he did not commit. Up until his wrongful arrest, James had never been in trouble and had no criminal record.
