On the night of July 23, 1977, James L. True, age 25, was one of six people killed in a mass shooting at Uncle Albert’s Lounge in Klamath Falls, Oregon. The shooter, 26-year-old DeWitt Charles Henry, entered the lounge armed with a semi-automatic rifle and, after a dispute, opened fire on patrons and employees. Other fatalities that night included Carrol Ann Seater, who was eight months pregnant, her husband Robert David Seater, Andrew Lane Walker, Gary Lee Anderson, and Michael Gene Mortensen; two additional people were wounded.

Henry had prior convictions including negligent homicide and a history of drug abuse; his wife had served him with divorce papers the same day as the shooting. He was arrested after the attack, tried on multiple counts of murder and attempted murder, and found guilty. With Oregon lacking the death penalty at the time, he received six consecutive life sentences and was incarcerated.