Tennessee Appeals Court Ordered New Trial for Samuel Ward Jr.

The court vacated a voluntary manslaughter conviction due to improperly excluded evidence regarding the victim.

Updated on Oct. 10, 2026 in Sex Crimes

Tennessee Appeals Court Ordered New Trial for Samuel Ward Jr.

The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals has ordered a new trial for Samuel Ward Jr., who was previously convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the 2022 shooting death of Paris Lee. Judges ruled that the original trial court erred by excluding evidence concerning Lee's sex assigned at birth.

Why it matters

Defense attorneys argued that information about the victim was essential for the jury to understand the level of fear Ward claimed to experience during the fatal argument. The appellate ruling highlights ongoing legal debates regarding the admissibility of evidence used in defense strategies.

The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals overturned the 2025 manslaughter conviction of Samuel Ward Jr., who shot Paris Lee six times in 2022. Prosecutors now have the legal right to appeal this order to a higher court.

The players

Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals

This is the intermediate appellate court in Tennessee that hears criminal cases and makes rulings on trial court procedures.

Samuel Ward Jr.

He is the individual convicted of voluntary manslaughter for the 2022 death of Paris Lee.

Paris Lee

The victim in the 2022 shooting incident who was killed by Samuel Ward Jr.

The details

Ward claimed during his defense that Lee pointed a gun at him during their confrontation, though he fled the scene before calling 911. The appellate panel determined that the trial judge failed to properly weigh the potential relevance of evidence about Lee's sex assigned at birth, necessitating a new trial.

June 2022: Samuel Ward Jr. shot and killed Paris Lee.
July 23, 2024: Michigan enacted a ban on LGBTQ+ panic defenses.
May 2025: Ward was convicted of voluntary manslaughter.
October 5, 2026: The appeals court filed the decision to vacate the conviction.

Legal Context

This ruling highlights the lack of Tennessee legislation banning LGBTQ+ panic defenses, placing the state in contrast to the 21 jurisdictions that have enacted such prohibitions. The decision underscores a broader legal divergence regarding how evidence of a victim's identity is weighed in criminal trials.

The decision to vacate the conviction ensures the case will return to court for further proceedings, keeping the matter active within the local judicial system. Residents and local businesses may see renewed legal activity as the case moves back toward trial.

The takeaway

The appellate ruling emphasizes how procedural decisions regarding evidence admissibility can fundamentally alter the outcome of a criminal trial. It serves as a reminder that the evolution of state-level statutes continues to influence how defendants construct their arguments in court.