Blaine man sentenced to prison for killing friend in Bellingham fight in May 2019
A Blaine man will spend seven years in prison after he killed another man in a fight in Bellingham in May 2019.
Shelby James Best, 28, pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter Jan. 15, 2020 in Whatcom County Superior Court. In addition to prison, his sentence includes a year and a half of probation, and $5,043.09 in restitution to the crime victim compensation program.
Best was originally charged with second-degree murder for the death of 30-year-old Bellingham resident Joshua Paulley-Davenport. Best has been incarcerated in the Whatcom County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail since his arrest on May 2 last year.
Best was given an agreed-upon exceptional sentence above the standard range. Best has no criminal history.
Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Erik Sigmar said Best’s probation will include no alcohol and a cognitive therapy program that addresses anger management, both of which played a part in leading to Paulley-Davenport’s death.
One of Best’s public defenders, Mamie Lackie, said Best never intended to kill Paulley-Davenport, and that he was in court taking responsibility for his actions. She said Best “sincerely apologizes for the loss of Josh’s life and the pain that his death has obviously caused to so many” and that the incident was out of character for him.
Had alcohol not been involved, the incident likely wouldn’t have happened, Lackie said. Best has vowed to never drink again, is planning to educate others on the dangers of alcohol and said he plans to live an honorable life for his friend, Lackie said.
A family torn apart
Paulley-Davenport’s sister, Elisha, said in a statement read during the hearing that instead of her brother being able to watch his nephew turn 3, he was undergoing an autopsy in the morgue after a senseless act of violence took his life. Less than three months after Paulley-Davenport’s death, their mother died, in part because she couldn’t handle the loss of her only son, Elisha Paulley-Davenport’s statement said.
“My family has been torn apart and we have been broken in every way possible,” Elisha Paulley-Davenport’s statement said. “Josh should have had a lifetime, but instead he had a short 30 years, and his lifetime was taken from him without a second thought.”
Paulley-Davenport’s other sister, Nicole, said she had spoken to her brother two days prior to his death, and that every week she still reaches for her phone to talk to him. She said her brother had goals for his life he’ll never get to pursue, and that she wouldn’t wish this on anyone.
“To have him ripped away from me so quickly feels unbearable at times,” Nicole Paulley-Davenport said. “I miss my brother and family that I once had so much, but finding a new normal is my reality. ... My hope is that my family is not broken forever.”
Best, who looked at Paulley-Davenport’s family while addressing them, said he was remorseful, and sorry for their loss. He said he never intended for Paulley-Davenport to lose his life, and that he can’t imagine the pain his family and friends feel.
“I’m sorry I caused that pain, and I accept the consequences for my actions, and I hope that something positive can come from this,” Best said.
Whatcom County Superior Court Judge Lee Grochmal said she understood Paulley-Davenport’s family had suffered multiple losses. Grochmal said she hoped Best might understand and change his thinking regarding mixing alcohol and violence to prevent a similar situation in the future.
“A case like this is obviously a tragedy for everybody involved. It’s been made very clear to me by both sides on this case that the effects are far reaching,” Grochmal said before handing down Best’s sentence. “This case is still very fresh. There’s a lot of healing yet to be done and for that family to find peace.”
The fight
Bellingham police were called to the 1200 block of 24th Street minutes before midnight on May 1 for the report of an aggravated assault. The victim, later identified as Paulley-Davenport, was found unconscious and bleeding from the head, according to court records.
Life-saving measures were performed, but Paulley-Davenport died from his injuries a half-hour later, records show.
A third person who was at the house told police all three of them were out in the Fairhaven area and went to several bars and restaurants. When the bars closed, Best was too intoxicated to drive home, so it was determined he would stay the night at Paulley-Davenport’s house on 24th Street, according to court records.
All three continued socializing and drinking, and at one point, walked to a nearby convenience store to buy more alcohol, the records state. When the witness went to a back bedroom to get ready for bed, she told police she heard what sounded like men wrestling in the front room, the records state. When she returned, she saw Paulley-Davenport had a swollen eye, the records show.
The witness said she heard Paulley-Davenport tell Best to leave, and then thumping just outside the residence, court records state.
Police later saw Best getting into his vehicle in the 1100 block of McKenzie Avenue shortly before 5 a.m., court records state. When officers contacted Best, they saw blood on his face, neck, hands and clothing, and his knuckles on both hands also had notable abrasions and cuts, the records show.
This story was originally published January 15, 2020 at 11:49 AM.
