The weapon that was used to kill a woman last month was brought to a teammate by Alabama freshman basketball star Brandon Miller, according to authorities in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
On the night that Jamea Jonae Harris, 23, was shot to death, Darius Miles texted Miller to bring him the gun, according to Tuscaloosa detective Branden Culpepper’s testimony on Tuesday.
Culpepper provided testimony at a preliminary hearing for Miles and Michael Lynn Davis, who are charged with the capital murder of Harris after he was shot and murdered on January 15 close to the campus of the University of Alabama.
The gun used in the deadly shooting was provided by Miles, who has since been kicked out of the Crimson Tide programme, according to investigators’ findings in a court document, but Davis actually fired the gun.
Tuesday, Culpepper said that Miles had informed Davis of the whereabouts of his gun in Miller’s vehicle.
The Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats stated at a news conference later on Tuesday that the programme was aware of Miller’s alleged connection to the issue even though Miller has not been charged with a crime.
Miller has not been charged with any crimes. There is nothing we could charge [Miller] with, Tuscaloosa Chief Deputy District Attorney Paula Whitley told AL.com on Tuesday.
Table of Contents
Brandon Miller Alabama: Jamea Jonae Harris Shooting Case
Both Davis and Miles wiped away tears as their mothers testified that they would ensure their sons followed the law if granted bond, but Tuscaloosa County District Judge Joanne E. Jannik later rejected that request.
A grand jury will be consulted in this matter.
The incident took place on the Strip, a commercial area with clubs and eateries close to the Bama campus that caters to students. According to authorities, Harris was hit by a bullet when she was seated in the passenger seat of a vehicle.
The programme has “completely cooperated with law enforcement the entire time,” according to Oats, who added that the “whole scenario is awful.”
When questioned about Miller reportedly giving Miles the gun, Oats replied, “We knew about it. “unable to regulate anything people do when not in practise. Nobody anticipated that would occur. There hasn’t been any trouble for Brandon, and there isn’t any trouble for him now. At the wrong place and time.”
After getting backlash on social media for his “unfortunate words,” Oats later tried to clarify them.
Oats confessed in a statement that his remarks “came across inappropriately” on Tuesday night.
Law enforcement informed us that there were additional student-athletes in the area, but they have repeatedly assured us that none of them are suspects, according to Oats. “They were merely observers. We believe that everyone has been completely honest and cooperative.
Several versions of the shooting were provided by the prosecution and the defence attorneys. Whitley informed the judge that there was sufficient evidence to move forward with Miles and Davis’s prosecution.
Brandon Miller Alabama: What Happened to him?
At the hearing on Tuesday, a defence attorney hypothesised that Miles was behaving defensively when he informed Davis of the location of the pistol.1
The No. 2 Crimson Tide defeated South Carolina 78-76 in Columbia on Wednesday night, a day after Tuscaloosa police testified he gave a now-former teammate the handgun used to kill a woman in January.
Alabama’s star freshman Brandon Miller scored a career-high 41 points during the contest, including the game-winning layup in the final seconds of overtime.
Miller would play, Alabama declared about 312 hours before the 9 p.m. ET tipoff, calling him “an active member of our team.”
The university released a statement saying, “UA Athletics continues to assist completely with law enforcement in the ongoing investigation of this unfortunate incident. According to all the evidence we have, Brandon Miller is simply seen as a cooperative witness in this case and not a suspect.
Brandon Miller Alabama: Bio
Miller attended Cane Ridge High School while a child growing up in Antioch, Tennessee.
During his junior season, he averaged 23.3 points, eight rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.6 blocks, and 2.3 steals per game. He was also voted the Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year.
After averaging 24.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.3 steals per game as a senior, Miller was named the Gatorade Player of the Year once more.
Brandon Miller Alabama: Career
Miller was included on the watch lists for both the Julius Erving Award and the Naismith College Player of the Year before to the start of his rookie year at Alabama.
Miller received his first Southeastern Conference (SEC) Freshman of the Week award on November 21, 2022.
Miller defeated Gonzaga on December 17, 2022, scoring 36 points while pulling down six rebounds.
Brandon Miller Alabama: Shooting Incident
- On February 21, 2023, a Tuscaloosa police officer testified that Miller had given his teammate Darius Miles a gun that had been used to kill Jamea Jonae Harris, 23, earlier that year in Tuscaloosa.2
- Miles left the revolver in Miller’s car after Miller dropped him off at a club, claims Miller’s counsel. Miller received a text message from Miles asking him to carry his gun as he was returning to pick him up. Miles informed Michael Davis, a friend of his, that the rifle was in the car when Miller arrived.
- Harris’ boyfriend opened fire, striking Miller’s car twice with two bullets when Davis pulled out the gun and fired into a car Harris was riding in. Miller’s legal representative said that Miller was unaware of any intended use of the firearm.
- While Miles and Davis first told officers lies about the incident, Miller’s version of the shooting reportedly matched what detectives learned from video footage and other witness testimony almost identically, according to the Tuscaloosa police officer’s testimony.
- Miller does not face any charges as a result of the event, according to Paula Whitley, chief deputy district attorney for Tuscaloosa County.
- Miller subsequently went on to record the most points ever scored by a freshman in a Division I game this year and in Alabama programme history.
- With 4.1 seconds left in regulation, he made the layup that tied the game, and with 0.9 seconds left in overtime, he scored the winning basket.
Jamea Jonae Harris: Who Was He?
On the night that 23-year-old Jamea Jonae Harris was shot to death, Miller brought his now-ex-teammate Darius Miles’ gun to him, as Miles had requested in a text message, according to testimony given by Tuscaloosa Detective Branden Culpepper on Tuesday.
Harris, who was shot and killed close to campus in the early hours of January 15, faces capital murder charges alongside Miles, who has since been kicked out of the Crimson Tide men’s basketball programme. Investigators said Miles admitted giving the shooter the gun, but Davis is credited with firing it.
Paula Whitley, the chief deputy district attorney in Tuscaloosa, stated to AL.com on Tuesday that “there’s nothing we could prosecute [Miller] with.” Miller was not charged with any crimes.
Standridge claims that when Miles texted Miller the night of the shooting to bring him his rifle, Miller was already en route to pick him up. Miller never noticed Miles’ weapon, according to Standridge, who also said that it was “concealed under some garments in the back seat” of Miller’s automobile. Miller, he said, never handled the pistol or took part in its transfer to Davis, the suspected shooter.
In their testimony on Tuesday, the police claimed that Davis’ dancing in front of Harris’ Jeep resulted in a confrontation with Harris’ boyfriend, Cedric Johnson.
Standridge claims that Miller did not intentionally obstruct Johnson’s Jeep’s exit because he was not aware of the altercation between the two parties, did not get out of his car, and had already parked it when Johnson’s Jeep subsequently drew up behind him.
Miller left as the firing began, his windscreen being struck by bullets.
Jamea Jonae Harris: How Did He Die?
Oats claimed that his player was in the “wrong spot at the wrong time” after the police testimony, adding that the school was aware of Miller’s presence there.3
Oats later clarified what he called his “unfortunate words” from earlier in the day, according to Byrne, who claimed to ESPN that Oats had not been informed of the fresh material that surfaced during the hearing.
He apologised once more for his first comments Tuesday as he began his postgame news conference on Wednesday night.
Oats stated, “I am not here to offer excuses, but I want to be clear that I did not have the specifics from the hearing that morning as I was coming straight from practise.” “Moreover, I chose my words poorly, giving the impression that I was not treating this awful circumstance seriously, which is what we have done throughout. I’m truly sorry for it.”
The top-ranked NBA prospect competing for a college team this year is 6-foot-9 small forward Miller. According to ESPN’s most recent NBA draught projections for 2023, he is expected to go fifth overall. For the Crimson Tide, Miller averages 19.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and shoots 43.1% from beyond the arc each game (24-4, 14-1 SEC).
View this post on Instagram
Quick Facts
| Date Of Birth: 2002
Birth Day: 22 November |
Father: Darrell Miller
Mother: Yolanda Miller |
| Age: 20 years old | Siblings: One Sister (Britany) |
| Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius | Relationship Status: Single |
| Birth Place: Antioch, Tennessee | Girlfriend: N/A |
| Nationality: American | Dating Date: N/A |
| Religion: Christianity | Children: N/A |
| Ethnicity: Black | Profession: Basketball Player |
| Height: 6 Feet 9 inches tall | Net worth: Below $100,000 |
| Weight: 92 Kg | Instagram: Link |
| Education: College Student | Twitter: Link |
| College: University Of Alabama | Facebook: Link |
