According to Tuscaloosa police, Alabama freshman basketball player Brandon Miller brought gun used in fatal shooting.
Alabama: During a hearing for two individuals facing murder charges for the shooting death of a woman near the University of Alabama campus, Detective Branden Culpepper testified that freshman basketball standout, Brandon Miller, brought a handgun to him on the night of the incident. Miller reportedly received a text from his teammate, Darius Miles, requesting him to bring the gun.
Miles has since been removed from the Crimson Tide program and admitted to providing the weapon used in the shooting, while the other individual, Michael Lynn Davis, allegedly fired the gun.
Teammate informed shooter of gun’s location in car, detective says
During the hearing for the murder case, Detective Branden Culpepper testified that Darius Miles informed Michael Lynn Davis of where the gun was located in Brandon Miller’s car. Miller has not been charged, and the University of Alabama’s basketball coach, Nate Oats, acknowledged that the program was aware of Miller’s connection to the case.
The Tuscaloosa chief deputy district attorney, Paula Whitley, confirmed that there were no charges against Brandon Miller. Both Davis and Miles appeared in court, and their mothers gave testimony, expressing their commitment to ensuring their sons followed the rules if granted bond. However, the request was denied by Judge Joanne E. Jannik of Tuscaloosa County District. The case will now be presented to a grand jury.
Woman killed in shooting at popular student business district in Tuscaloosa
Police reported that 23-year-old Jamea Jonae Harris was shot and killed while sitting in the passenger seat of a car on the Strip, a business district of bars and restaurants in Tuscaloosa near the University of Alabama campus.
According to the university’s basketball coach, Nate Oats, the program has been cooperating fully with the authorities since the incident. When asked about Brandon Miller bringing the gun to Darius Miles, Oats said they were aware of Miller’s alleged involvement but could not control the players’ actions outside of practice.
Oats clarified his statements later, acknowledging his remarks’ unintended impact on social media.
On Tuesday evening, Oats released a statement acknowledging that his remarks were not well received. According to Oats, law enforcement officials had informed them that other student-athletes were in the vicinity at the time of the incident, but they were not considered suspects and had cooperated fully as witnesses.
Oats condolences to Woman
Oats expressed his condolences to Jamea Harris’s family, emphasizing that he had no intention of minimizing the severity of the situation. The second-ranked Crimson Tide’s top scorer is Brandon Miller, who is expected to be a top-five pick in the NBA draft this summer, with an average of 18.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
During the hearing on Tuesday, the prosecution and defence presented contrasting narratives of the shooting incident. According to Whitley, there was sufficient evidence to move forward with the case against Miles and Davis.
However, Mary Turner, the defence attorney, argued that Miles had acted in self-defence by revealing the gun’s location to Davis. Turner also contended that the firearm had been given to Davis for his protection.
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