Star Alabama Basketball Player Accused of Providing Gun Used in Killing of Woman

Alabama basketball player Brandon Miller is accused of giving his now-former teammate, Darius Miles, the gun that was allegedly used to fatally shoot a woman last month

AUBURN, ALABAMA - FEBRUARY 11: Brandon Miller #24 of the Alabama Crimson Tide after defeating the Auburn Tigers at Neville Arena on February 11, 2023 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images); https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-jamea-harriss-son For Jamea Harris’s Son ; BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA - MARCH 05: Darius Miles #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts against the LSU Tigers during a game at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 05, 2022 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
Brandon Miller, Jamea Harris, Darius Miles. Photo: Michael Chang/Getty; gofundme; Jonathan Bachman/Getty

Alabama basketball standout Brandon Miller is accused by police of giving now-former teammate Darius Miles the gun that was allegedly used by another man to kill a woman near the school's campus in mid-January, according to multiple news reports.

Miller, a freshman who according to ESPN.com is expected to be a high pick in this summer's NBA draft, brought Miles' gun to him shortly before the Jan. 15 shooting after Miles had asked him to do so over text, Tuscaloosa Police detective Brandon Culpepper testified in court this week, Alabama Local reports.

The claim about Miller was made during a preliminary hearing for Miles, 21, and another man, Michael Lynn Davis, 20, both of whom have been charged with capital murder in connection with the death of 23-year-old Jamea Harris, per the outlet.

Miller, however, is not facing any criminal charges. It is not immediately clear if he had an attorney to speak on his behalf.

The investigator claimed that on the day of slaying, Miles and Davis were in the backseat of Miller's car while Harris was sitting in the passenger seat of another vehicle, according to the Corvallis Gazette-Times. Miles allegedly told Davis where the gun was located inside Harris' car, whereupon Davis allegedly fired the weapon into the car containing Harris, killing her.

Subsequently, the driver of the other vehicle, Harris' boyfriend, Cedric Johnson, shot back in self-defense and wounded Davis, police said, according to the Associated Press.

After his arrest, Miles, a junior reserve, was immediately removed from the Alabama team, the school said in a statement, per the AP.

Alabama coach Nate Oates told the media that the university's basketball team was made aware of the new allegations against Miller and that he is "not in any type of trouble," the AP reports. Miller has reportedly started every game since the deadly shooting.

"We knew about that," he said, per the outlet. "You can't control everything everybody does outside of practice. Nobody knew that was going to happen. College kids are out. Brandon hasn't been in any type of trouble, nor is he in any type of trouble in this case. Like the wrong spot at the wrong time."

He later issued a statement acknowledging his previous comments "came across poorly," and expressed condolences to Harris' family, noting he did not mean to downplay the seriousness of the situation, the outlet reports.

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When asked about possible charges for Miller, Tuscaloosa chief deputy D.A. Paula Whitley told Alabama Local, "We have nothing to charge him with."

According to the outlet, authorities also testified that Jaden Bradley, a freshman player at the university, was at the scene of the shooting but has not been charged.

Harris' mom, DeCarla Heard, told the AP this week that she wants justice for her daughter, who leaves behind a 5-year-old son.

Miles and Davis' defense attorneys requested that both men be released on bond. A judge has yet to rule on whether or not to grant bail.

A GoFundMe page has been launched to support Harris' son, Kaine. The page says of Harris, "She had a heart of gold and was loved by all."

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