Advertisement
basketball Edit

Attorney: Brandon Miller 'never touched the gun' used in fatal shooting

Brandon Miller. Photo | Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Brandon Miller. Photo | Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

A day after it was revealed in court that Brandon Miller was at the scene of last month’s shooting that led to Jamea Harris’ murder, the Alabama basketball player’s attorney released a statement reiterating his client’s innocence.

“Brandon never touched the gun, was not involved in its exchange to Mr. Davis in any way, and never knew that illegal activity involving the gun would occur,” Miller’s attorney Jim Standridge said in the statement.

During a court hearing Tuesday, now-former Alabama basketball player Darius Miles and his friend, Michael Davis, were denied bond after being arrested for capital murder on Jan. 15.

According to a report from AL.com, police stated that Miles texted Miller to bring his gun to the Tuscaloosa strip on the night of the shooting. The report also states that after Miller arrived at the scene, Miles told Davis, “The heat is in the hat,” signifying there was a gun present.

In Standridge’s release, he states that Miles left his gun in the back seat of Miller's car after he asked Miller to drive him to a nightclub on the Strip. From there, Miller ate at a restaurant before Miles asked him to pick him and a friend up and take them to a new location.

The release also claims that Miller was already on his way to pick up Miles when he received the text from Miles asking him to bring the firearm. It also states that after arriving to the scene to pick up Miles, Miller never got out of his vehicle or interacted with anyone in Harris’ party.

According to the release, Miller was not aware of the brewing conflict between Miles and an individual in Harris' party.

According to Al.com’s report, Tuesday's hearing also revealed that two vehicles — a Dodge Charger and a Dodge Challenger that belonged to Miller and fellow Alabama teammate Jaden Bradley — were blocking the road where a Jeep belonging to Harris was parked.

From there, the report states that Davis walked to Miller’s car and retrieved something — believed to be the gun — out of the back seat. Moments later, Davis fired the firearm through the window of the Jeep, killing Harris. Miller's car was struck twice in the windshield in the shooting which took place on the Tuscaloosa Strip.

According to Standbridge’s release, Miller did not block Harris’ Jeep and was already parked when it pulled up behind him. The release also states the road wasn’t blocked.

Standbridge claims that all of the events described in his release are clearly captured on video and that there is "no dispute about Brandon’s activities during this evening."

Neither Miller nor Bradley have been charged in the case.

“Brandon has submitted to multiple interviews to assist law enforcement in further understanding the situation, he has volunteered to have his phone contents extracted as well as that of the contents of his automobile," Standbridge wrote in the release. "He will continue to cooperate as any citizen should who has witnessed a serious incident. Brandon does not own a firearm and has never handled a firearm. Moreover, he had no knowledge of any intent to use any weapon.”

Advertisement