Bama one-and-done Miller brought murder gun in the Harris slaying

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Judge denies ex-Alabama player Darius Miles' motion to dismiss capital murder charge

By Nick Alvarez |

Nearly one month after he last heard arguments, Tuscaloosa Circuit Court judge Daniel Pruet reached a conclusion regarding the immunity case of Darius Miles.

Pruet denied the former Alabama men's basketball player's motion to dismiss his capital murder charge, according to court documents released on Thursday.

It's the latest update in the trial of the murder of Birmingham mother Jamea Jonae Harris. Harris was shot on the Tuscaloosa Strip on Jan. 15, leading to the arrest of Miles and his friend Michael Davis. Pruet had said on Sept. 29 that he would have a decision "soon" after hearing Miles's attorneys again argue Miles acted in self-defense.

Both sides have cited text messages sent from Miles to Alabama basketball star Brandon Miller asking for his gun, which was allegedly in the backseat of Miller's car, as a critical act in the night's series of events. Miller's dash cam footage confirmed Miles provided the gun to (Michael "Buzz" Davis).

Defense attorney Mary Turner has said Miles felt fearful of Cedric Johnson, Harris' boyfriend, and his associates. And, according to Turner, since Johnson was the instigator, Miles retrieving his legally owned gun was for protection. Tuscaloosa prosecutors have claimed that Davis shot first.

Miles and Davis have been held without bail after a grand jury indictment in March. Pruet denied Davis, 20 years old at the time of the shooting, of the state's Youthful Offender statute.

State prosecutors filed in August that they won't be seeking the death penalty. Miles' next steps could include a plea deal — he's pled not guilty — or a trial.

On Oct. 20, Harris' mother DeCarla Heard filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Miles, Davis and Miller, now in the NBA.

This post will be updated.

[jbcarol]

Attorney for ex-Alabama player Darius Miles 'disappointed' in immunity denial

By Nick Alvarez



They were hurt.

Attorneys for Darius Miles released a statement to AL.com on Friday afternoon in response to Thursday's ruling by Tuscaloosa Circuit Court judge Daniel Pruet.

The defense, which comprises members of the Turner Law Group, had argued under Alabama's stand-your-ground law that Miles, an ex-Alabama men's basketball player, feared for his life on Jan. 15. Pruet claimed there wasn't sufficient evidence to support that claim.

"We are disappointed in the Court's ruling, but we remain confident that once a jury hears all of the facts in this case they will agree that Darius was in fear of his life that night. We continue to pray for all families involved, and remain steadfast in our defense of Darius Miles."

A shooting on the Tuscaloosa Strip resulted in the death of Jamea Jonae Harris, 23, of Birmingham, earlier this year. Miles and Michael Davis were arrested and have been held without bond.

The case had developed throughout the summer. Pruet's decision could've made Miles immune from the prosecution's charge of capital murder, instead the case will continue.

"The Defendant failed to establish that he reasonably believed that anyone inside the Jeep was using or about to use deadly physical force or that they were committing or about to commit Assault in the 1st Degree or Assault in the 2nd Degree. Accordingly, the Defendant's Motion is Denied," Pruet wrote according to court documents.

Miles, who has pled not guilty, will be charged separately from Davis. On Oct. 20, Harris' mother DeCarla Heard filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Miles, Davis and Miles's former teammate Brandon Miller, who drove the weapon to the Strip after Miles texted him for it.

[jbcarol]

Oats 'fired up' about Brandon Miller attending Alabama season opener

Griffin McVeigh

Pat him down before he enters Coleman

Alabama is going to have a special guest in attendance for Monday's season opener against Morehead State. Former player Brandon Miller will be at Coleman Coliseum while the Charlotte Hornets have an odd day off. Just a few months away from leaving the program, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft is back on campus.

Nate Oats is pretty happy to have Miller back in town, talking about his presence during his pregame radio interview. Miller played a game against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night and has a home game vs. the Washington Wizards on Tuesday. Nothing like taking in some Alabama basketball in between.

"It was super cool," Oats said. "He texted me yesterday he's going to be in the building today, so I was fired up... For him to play in Dallas last night and be here today says what a great kid he is, and what this program and place means to him."

Miller was part of a team they will never forget in Tuscaloosa.

Bama eased by Morehead State 105-73.

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Brandon Miller 'has more of an old-school-type outlook on' the NBA



The Baltimore Bullets

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Kai Spears' lawsuit against New York Times can move forward, judge rules

The federal defamation lawsuit against The New York Times brought by University of Alabama basketball player Kai Spears will proceed, a judge ruled Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge Scott Coogler, in a 21-page order, granted the Times' motion to dismiss Spears' allegations that the newspaper acted with malice in intentionally portraying him in a false light, but denied the newspaper's motion to dismiss the defamation portion of the suit.

In March, the Times reported that Spears, a walk-on, was in the car with former UA basketball standout Brandon Miller, who is now with the NBA's Charlotte Hornets, when he returned a gun to then-player Darius Miles. That gun was then used in the fatal shooting of Birmingham mother Jamea Harris.

Miles and longtime friend Michael Davis are charged with capital murder in the death of Harris.

The Times initially reported that Spears was the "unidentified passenger" in the car with Miller who had received a request by Miles to bring him his gun, which was in the backseat of Miller's car. The newspaper attributed that information to a confidential source.

That was changed, however, when Spears' lawsuit on June 2 made the first public claim that it was team manager Cooper Lee in the car, not Spears—

It was yet a third look-alike that would pat down Miller during player introductions before the game.

[jbcarol]

The top 10 SEC moments of 2023
Connor O'Gara | 2 hours ago

9. Brandon Miller becomes a household name
Part of that was because of his rise as one of the best players in college basketball, and part of that was because of his alleged role in a capital murder case that involved teammate Darius Miles. Investigators said Miller brought the gun that was used to kill 23-year-old Jamea Harris.

Miller was the best player on the No. 1 team in the country — a place it hadn't been in 20 years — at the time that Nate Oats made the controversial comments about him not being suspended because, Oats said, Miller was just "in the wrong spot at the wrong time."

Miller became a polarizing subject in the sports world as he led the Tide to an SEC Championship and a No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. Had Miller been able to lead Alabama past San Diego State in the Sweet 16, the story would've taken on an even greater scope.

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Alabama basketball awards scholarship to walk-on Kai Spears

Was not in the delivery and pick up vechicle with Brandon Miller, loaded murder gun

By Nick Alvarez |

Alabama men's basketball entered the season with 12 scholarship players. On Friday, head coach Nate Oats confirmed the 13th and final one had been awarded.

"You've got an open one and we wanted to make sure that nobody filled it at the break kind of like Davin (Cosby Jr.) did last year," Oats said. "We looked at Max (Scharnowski). We would have (given) it to Max, but Max is on a really good academic scholarship, so Kai needed it a little bit more than Max.

"Super happy for him. He's a great kid, works really hard. He deserves it as does Max. ... Any time we have a scholarship available and we've got a great walk-on doing what he's supposed to do, we're going to reward him for it."

Spears, a guard, was in his second year as a walk-on player. He's appeared in seven games this season, totaling 13 minutes for the No. 24 Crimson Tide (15-6, 7-1 SEC). Oats said he brought Spears and Scharnowski into his office on Thursday to relay the news, which led to hugs and tears of joy.

Spears recorded a field goal against Eastern on Dec. 12. Spears played his high school ball at Bishop (Pennsylvania) Canevin. Spears' father, Chris, is Marshall's athletic director.

UA's remaining walk-ons are Scharnowski and forward Ward Harrell.

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Brandon Miller posts his first 35-point game in the NBA

By Mark Inabinett |

Brandon Miller had the highest-scoring game of his NBA career on Sunday with 35 points in a 115-99 loss to the Indiana Pacers.

Miller became the second NBA player from Alabama to score at least 35 points during a game in his rookie season, and the first to do so in a non-overtime contest.

Miller delivered for Hornets.

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Rookie from Alabama matches Stephen Curry NBA feat

Miller had the hot hand
By Mark Inabinett |

After Charlotte defeated the Orlando Magic 124-115 on Friday, Hornets forward Brandon Miller was asked if it had been one of those nights where he "just knew it was going in."

"Every night's like that," Miller said. "Thank you."

But on Friday night, it really was –

By halftime against Orlando, Miller had scored 26 points. The rookie from Alabama did so by making all 10 of his shots, including five 3-pointers

Miller became the second player in the NBA since complete period stats became available in the 1996-97 season to score at least 25 points while shooting 100 percent from the floor (with at least five 3-point baskets) and 100 percent at the free-throw line.

The first was Stephen Curry in the Golden State Warriors' 147-109 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 14, 2021. In the second half of that game, the 10-time All-Star made all eight of his shots, including six 3-pointers, and his three free throws for 25 points.

Miller did Curry one point better on Friday night at the Spectrum

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Brandon Miller ends his first NBA season looking ahead to more wins in the second

By Mark Inabinett |

When Charlotte chose Alabama forward Brandon Miller with the second selection in the 2023 NBA Draft, not all Hornets fans were thrilled.

Charlotte's 2023-24 season ended on Sunday with a record of 21-61.

Because of injuries and trades, only one Hornets player appeared in at least 70 games – Miller.

"I think this year injuries kind of played a big part in our lineup and in our season," Miller said on Monday.

"You go weeks and weeks of losing, it's not a fun thing, so I think that's kind of what we kind of look back to and kind of motivate ourselves off that and just going into the next season with the mindset of we can win every game that everybody say that we can't. We're just going to go out there and give it what we got and compete at a high level."

In his first NBA season, Miller averaged 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 32.2 minutes in 74 games. He made 37.3 percent of his 3-.

Miller's 184 3-point baskets rank fourth in NBA history for a rookie.

Miller is among the 13 players from Alabama high schools and colleges whose 2023-24 NBA seasons ended with the close of the regular-season schedule on Sunday:

· Brooklyn Nets center Noah Clowney (Alabama) averaged 5.8 points and 3.5 rebounds in 16.1 minutes in 23 games, with four starts, in his first season.

· Boston Celtics guard JD Davison (Calhoun, Alabama) averaged 2.0 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 4.9 minutes in eight games in his second NBA season. Davison cannot participate in the NBA playoffs with the Celtics because he is on a two-way contract.

· Denver Nuggets forward Braxton Key (Alabama) averaged 1.1 points and 0.9 rebounds in 3.0 minutes in 20 games in his third season. Key cannot participate in the NBA playoffs with the Nuggets because he is on a two-way contract.

· Utah Jazz guard Kira Lewis Jr. (Hazel Green, Alabama) averaged 3.2 points, 0.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 9.5 minutes in 28 games. Lewis was traded twice during the season.

· Los Angeles Clippers guard Josh Primo (Alabama) had two points and one rebound across 10 minutes in two games in his third season.

· Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton (Alabama) averaged 18.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 26.6 minutes in 78 games, with 51 starts, in his sixth season.

[jbcarol]

Charlotte Hornets' Brandon Miller places third in NBA Rookie of the Year voting

By Mark Inabinett |

Hornets forward Brandon Miller finished third in the voting for the KIA NBA Rookie of the Year Award for the 2023-24 season.

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama won the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy as the NBA's Rookie of the Year for the 2023-24 season by unanimous vote of the 99 sportswriters and broadcasters



Hornets chose Miller from Alabama with the second selection in the 2023 NBA Draft after the Spurs made Wembanyama the No. 1 pick. Holmgren entered the NBA as the No. 2 pick in the 2022 draft, but he missed the entire 2022-23 season because of a foot injury.

In 74 games, Miller averaged 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists as a rookie. His 184 3-point baskets rank as the fourth-most for a first-year player in NBA history.

One player from an Alabama high school or college has won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Former Brantley High School and Auburn standout Chuck Person won the 1986-87 award as he averaged 18.8 points per game as a forward for the Indiana Pacers.

Former Carver-Dothan star Artis Gilmore won the 1971-72 ABA Rookie of the Year Award as the Kentucky Colonels' center. He averaged 23.8 points and led the ABA with 17.8 rebounds per game in his first season.