Attica prison inmate indicted for murder in May 2018 beating death of Elmira man

An Elmira man serving time in prison on a 2019 drug conviction now faces much more serious charges.

A Chemung County grand jury has indicted James Lee, 48, on murder and other felony charges for the May 2018 beating death of Shida Gilliam, of Elmira, and the severe beating of a woman.

The grand jury indicted Lee on charges of second-degree murder in connection with Gilliam’s death, and second-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault for the attack on the woman, who has not been named.

The attack took place around 2:30 a.m. May 26, 2018 on the 900 block of Oak Street, Elmira police said at the time.

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Capt. Kristen Thorne, who investigated the Gilliam case, said at the time police had a suspect in the attacks, but didn’t have enough evidence to file charges.

Several of Gilliam’s family members expressed frustration months after the attack that no suspect had been charged.

“The wheels (of justice) turn. Just sometimes they turn slow,” Thorne said.

Thorne confirmed Lee is the person police suspected at the time. The incident was not a random act, and Gilliam and the woman were attacked together, Thorne said, although he didn’t offer a motive.

Shida Gilliam, of Elmira, with his granddaughter Za’Mariana. Gilliam was beaten to death in May 2018 and a Chemung County grand jury has indicted a former Elmira man who’s in prison on unrelated charges for murder.

Gilliam, 41, who had six children, one grandchild and two stepchildren, later died from his injuries. The woman survived, but she was struck in the head with a blunt object, causing a permanent brain injury, according to the indictment.

Lee was arrested in March 2019 on multiple narcotics charges for alleged drug sales in the City of Elmira.

He was convicted on a single count of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a felony, and is currently serving his sentence at Attica Correctional Facility.

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Lee would be eligible for parole on that conviction in 2024.

He faces 25 years to life in prison on the murder charge alone if convicted.

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This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Elmira murder in 2018 leads to indictment of Attica prison inmate