Alabama basketball star and NBA prospect Brandon Miller has been linked to a murder of teammate Darius Miles after he allegedly provided a handgun that was used to kill a woman in Tuscaloosa last month, police say.
On Tuesday, Tuscaloosa detective Branden Culpepper testified that Miller received a text message from Miles, who is one of two men accused of murdering Jamea Jonae Harris on Jan. 15 near campus. Miller is said to have complied and brought the gun to Miles and Michael Lynn Davis. who are accused of shooting and killing Harris.
Upon arriving at the scene, Miller contacted Miller to say “the heat is in the hat,” adding that “there’s one in the head,” according to Culpepper. As the detective explained, Miller allegedly hinted that there was a gun in a hat with a cartridge in the chamber.
Miller was not charged in the case. Davis and Miles were charged with capital murder in January.
Tuscaloosa Assistant Attorney Paula Whitley declined to tell AL.com why Miller wasn’t charged, saying, “That’s not a question I can answer. We can’t blame him.”
Alabama basketball star and NBA contestant Brandon Miller (pictured) has been linked to a murder case against teammate Darius Miles after he allegedly provided a handgun that was used to kill a woman in Tuscaloosa last month, police say
Darius Miles (left) and Michael Lynn Davis (right) were both charged with capital murder. Miles has since been removed from the Crimson Tide basketball team
Alabama’s basketball program was already aware of the allegations against Miller.
“We knew about it,” Crimson Tide basketball coach Nate Oats told reporters Tuesday. “I can’t control everything that anyone does outside of training. Nobody knew that would happen. … Brandon was not in any trouble, nor is he in any trouble in this case. Wrong place at the wrong time.”
Oats insisted on Tuesday that the program “has cooperated fully with law enforcement at all times.”
He also said the “whole situation is sad”.
Miller is the Tide’s leading scorer at 18.7 points per game and is expected to be a top-five pick in June’s NBA draft. Both ESPN and NBA Draft Net have placed Miller among the top 5 picks.
Harris’s shooting occurred on the Strip, an area of bars and restaurants frequented by students in Tuscaloosa. According to police, she was in the front passenger seat of a car when she was hit by a bullet.
Jamea Harris, 23, of the Birmingham area, was shot dead, police have confirmed
Harris’ friend told police that on Jan. 15 he returned fire in self-defense and may have struck a suspect believed to be Davis. According to AL.com, Miller’s windshield was hit twice by gunfire in the shooting.
Last month, the University of Alabama said in a statement that Miles was no longer on the basketball team.
Miles has maintained his innocence and his lawyers say he is “heartbroken” by the tragedy.
“Although Darius has been accused of involvement in this tragedy, he maintains his innocence and is looking forward to his day in court,” Miles’ attorneys said in January.
At Tuesday’s preliminary hearing, attorneys for Miles and Davis requested the release of their respective clients.
Tuscaloosa District Judge Joanne Jannik denied the motion, ruling that there was sufficient evidence against Miles and Davis to bring the case to a grand jury for a possible indictment.
Both Miles and Davis were sobbing at the end of Tuesday’s hearing, according to AL.com.
Harris, mother of one young son, was visiting her cousin and boyfriend in Tuscaloosa when she was shot in the early hours of January 15.
Alabama’s basketball program was already aware of the allegations against Miller. “We knew about it,” Crimson Tide basketball coach Nate Oats (pictured) told reporters Tuesday. “I can’t control everything that anyone does outside of training. Nobody knew that would happen. … Brandon was not in any trouble, nor is he in any trouble in this case. Wrong place at the wrong time’
Tuscaloosa and University of Alabama police were dispatched to the Walk of Champions at 1:45 a.m. Jan. 15 at Bryant Denny Stadium, the school’s football field, when a shooting was reported.
There, police ran into Harris’ friend Cedric Johnson, who said he drove away from the shooting after their vehicle was hit by gunfire. Harris’ friend told police he returned fire in self-defense and may have hit one of the suspects, believed to be Davis.
Investigators later determined that the shooting took place in the 400 block of Grace Street off University Boulevard, near many bars and restaurants.
Harris’ mother, DeCarla Heard, told AL.com that the suspects attempted to speak to her daughter, who told them she had a boyfriend and was not interested in their advances.
Court records obtained by AL.com say Davis fired the fatal shots, while Miles admitted providing the gun to Davis.
Miles was originally dropped off at the scene by Miller, who didn’t stay because the line outside a local club, Twelve25, was too long, according to witnesses at Tuesday’s hearing.
Miles was originally dropped off at the scene by Miller, who didn’t stay because the line outside a local club, Twelve25, was too long, according to witnesses at Tuesday’s hearing
The first encounter happened after Harris, Johnson and Harris’ cousin Asia Humphrey left the club for a bite at a nearby grill, where they bumped into Davis, according to police.
Johnson told Davis that Harris was not interested in him.
“It’s increased a little bit,” Culpepper testified on Tuesday.
Miles reportedly texted Miller saying, “I need my joint,” which police say is slang for a gun.
Miles has maintained his innocence and his lawyers say he is “heartbroken” by the tragedy.
According to police, Miles and Davis walked to Miller’s car before approaching the victims.
Davis then said, “I told you I was going to get you,” according to Tuesday’s statement, and fired at least eight shots at Johnson’s Jeep.
Harris was slapped in the face.
Miller’s car was hit by two bullets.
The victims drove to the Walk of Champions where they met the police. Harris was pronounced dead soon after.
Police say they received a 911 call from Miles, who said his friend Davis had been shot.
Miles told police he didn’t know how or where it happened.
In subsequent police interviews, Miles said he and his girlfriend picked Davis up after he was shot.
Police later told Miles that the incident was caught on a nearby security camera, prompting Miles to admit he was at the scene.
Miles has admitted to contacting Miller to get his gun but said Davis was the one who got it from Miller’s vehicle, according to police.
Davis claimed to be drunk and struggled to remember how the shooting happened.
Defense attorneys have suggested Miles and Davis feared for their lives after seeing a gun in the victim’s vehicle.