TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Former Alabamamen's basketball player Brandon Millertestified Thursday that he was almost struck by bullets fired into his car during a January 2023 shooting that killed Jamea Harris near The Strip in Tuscaloosa.
Miller, now a player for the NBA's Charlotte Hornets, appeared as a prosecution witness in the capital murder trial of Michael Lynn Davis, who is accused of fatally shooting Harris, a 23-year-old Birmingham woman, early the morning of Jan. 15, 2023.
Davis and Darius Miles, Miller's former Alabama teammate, were arrested and indicted in the killing. Miles was charged with "aiding and abetting" Davis by providing the gun, according to the charge sheet.
Wearing a black suit with a white button-down shirt, Miller, 22, testified for almost 90 minutes in front of a crowded courtroom about his involvement and recollections. It's the first time Miller has spoken publicly at length about the night of the shooting.
Miller, who has not been accused of wrongdoing, had driven the gun to the scene where it was taken out of the car by Miles and Davis. Miller's name was first mentioned in connection with the case in a February 2023 hearing, when a police investigator testified that Miller drove his Dodge Charger, which had Miles' gun in the back seat, to The Strip that night and that Miles had texted Miller to do so.
On Thursday, Miller was asked by Chief Assistant District Attorney Paula Whitley whether he had been offered anything in exchange for not being charged with a crime in this case. Miller testified: "No promises. Just being cooperative."
In June 2023, months after the shooting, the Hornets selected Miller as the No. 2 pick in the NBA draft.
Miller had been with Davis, Miles and Jaden Bradley at an apartment on the evening of Jan. 14, 2023, when the four decided to go to the Twelve25 Sports Bar on The Strip. When they arrived, Miller left because the line was too long. Instead, he went to Moe's, a different establishment in downtown Tuscaloosa less than a mile away.
Whitley went through a series of text messages between Miller and Miles. Just after 1 a.m., Miles texted Miller to pick him up, to which Miller replied, "probably gonna be a minute" at 1:06 a.m. Thirteen minutes later, Miles asked, "how long you gonna be?"
Miller then told Miles to get a ride with Bradley. Almost a half-hour later, Miller texted Miles to tell him he was on his way.
Miller said Miles then texted him while Miller was driving, saying, "I need my joint. ... RL [real life] jus got da fakin'." Miller explained that Miles was telling him he needed his gun (joint) because someone was "putting on a front" (fakin'). Miles texted Miller to first pick him up at Twelve25 and later at Bradley's car.
Miller testified under cross-examination from defense counsel John Robbins that he interpreted "fakin'" as someone threatening or "trying to scare" Miles. Miller testified that Miles did not tell him the exact reason he needed his gun and that Miles did not tell him he was going to give it to Davis or that it would be used.
Prosecutors played dashcam footage from Miller's car, with Miller and former basketball manager Cooper Lee inside and where audio could be heard and road-facing video seen. When Miller arrived, he pulled up behind Bradley's Dodge Challenger. Both Miller's and Bradley's cars were pulled off to the right side of Grace Street to try to allow cars to pass.
Miles and Davis walked up to Miller's car. Davis is heard asking, "Is there one in the head?" -- meaning, Is the gun loaded? -- and Miles responding, "You know it is." Miller testified that he was unaware of what was about to happen and that he did not speak with Miles or Davis when he arrived on Grace Street.
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Miller, now a player for the NBA's Charlotte Hornets, appeared as a prosecution witness in the capital murder trial of Michael Lynn Davis, who is accused of fatally shooting Harris, a 23-year-old Birmingham woman, early the morning of Jan. 15, 2023.
Davis and Darius Miles, Miller's former Alabama teammate, were arrested and indicted in the killing. Miles was charged with "aiding and abetting" Davis by providing the gun, according to the charge sheet.
Wearing a black suit with a white button-down shirt, Miller, 22, testified for almost 90 minutes in front of a crowded courtroom about his involvement and recollections. It's the first time Miller has spoken publicly at length about the night of the shooting.
Miller, who has not been accused of wrongdoing, had driven the gun to the scene where it was taken out of the car by Miles and Davis. Miller's name was first mentioned in connection with the case in a February 2023 hearing, when a police investigator testified that Miller drove his Dodge Charger, which had Miles' gun in the back seat, to The Strip that night and that Miles had texted Miller to do so.
On Thursday, Miller was asked by Chief Assistant District Attorney Paula Whitley whether he had been offered anything in exchange for not being charged with a crime in this case. Miller testified: "No promises. Just being cooperative."
In June 2023, months after the shooting, the Hornets selected Miller as the No. 2 pick in the NBA draft.
Miller had been with Davis, Miles and Jaden Bradley at an apartment on the evening of Jan. 14, 2023, when the four decided to go to the Twelve25 Sports Bar on The Strip. When they arrived, Miller left because the line was too long. Instead, he went to Moe's, a different establishment in downtown Tuscaloosa less than a mile away.
Whitley went through a series of text messages between Miller and Miles. Just after 1 a.m., Miles texted Miller to pick him up, to which Miller replied, "probably gonna be a minute" at 1:06 a.m. Thirteen minutes later, Miles asked, "how long you gonna be?"
Miller then told Miles to get a ride with Bradley. Almost a half-hour later, Miller texted Miles to tell him he was on his way.
Miller said Miles then texted him while Miller was driving, saying, "I need my joint. ... RL [real life] jus got da fakin'." Miller explained that Miles was telling him he needed his gun (joint) because someone was "putting on a front" (fakin'). Miles texted Miller to first pick him up at Twelve25 and later at Bradley's car.
Miller testified under cross-examination from defense counsel John Robbins that he interpreted "fakin'" as someone threatening or "trying to scare" Miles. Miller testified that Miles did not tell him the exact reason he needed his gun and that Miles did not tell him he was going to give it to Davis or that it would be used.
Prosecutors played dashcam footage from Miller's car, with Miller and former basketball manager Cooper Lee inside and where audio could be heard and road-facing video seen. When Miller arrived, he pulled up behind Bradley's Dodge Challenger. Both Miller's and Bradley's cars were pulled off to the right side of Grace Street to try to allow cars to pass.
Miles and Davis walked up to Miller's car. Davis is heard asking, "Is there one in the head?" -- meaning, Is the gun loaded? -- and Miles responding, "You know it is." Miller testified that he was unaware of what was about to happen and that he did not speak with Miles or Davis when he arrived on Grace Street.
Brandon Miller testifies he was nearly shot in '23
Brandon Miller testified Thursday that he was almost struck by bullets fired into his car during the January 2023 shooting that killed Jamea Harris near The Strip in Tuscaloosa.
