In a Tuscaloosa courtroom this morning, former Alabama basketball star forward Brandon Miller read through the texts he exchanged with teammate Darius Miles shortly before a deadly shooting on the Strip in 2023.
Miller, now with the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets, testified for the prosecution on Thursday as the latest witness in the capital murder trial for Michael Davis.
Davis was arrested and charged alongside the now-former Alabama basketball player Darius Miles after Jamea Harris was shot and killed on Jan. 15, 2023 near the Strip in Tuscaloosa.
Miller was not charged with a crime.
On the night of the shooting, Miller had dropped Miles off at Twelve25 sports bar then went to Moe’s BBQ instead to hang out with then-teammate Kai Spears because the line was too long at Twelve25. Then Miles texted him to ask “how long you going to be there?” That was at 1:19 a.m. on Jan. 15, 2023.
Here’s their text conversation, as shown in court:
Miller at 1:38:30 a.m.: “On my way”
Miles at 1:38:39 a.m.: “I need my joint. A (person) ‘rl jus got da fakin”
Miles also during that minute: “Pull up to (Twelve25).”
Miller at 1:40:13: “Bet”
Miller also during that minute: “On my way”
Miles at 1:40:57 a.m.: “Bet. We at (teammate Jaden Bradley’s) car.”
Miller at 1:42 a.m.: “Bet.”
Fakin’, Miller told the jury, meant “somebody was trying to scare somebody.” And joint is referring to Miles’ gun, an investigator testified in a prior hearing.
The defense also asked Miller “when you received that text message, you knew Darius wanted that gun, it’s because someone is threatening him, right?”
“Correct” Miller answered.
John Robbins, attorney for Davis, has argued that Harris’ boyfriend Cedric Johnson shot first and Davis returned fire “acting in self-defense” after a dispute. Johnson testified Wednesday that is “incorrect.“ Davis was shot in the shoulder and injured.
Davis fired into the Jeep that carried Johnson, Harris and her cousin Asia Humphrey. Harris died from a gunshot wound to the head.
The gun belonged to Miles. Mary Turner, Miles’ attorney, has previously stated in court that Miles provided the gun to Davis for protection. Miles, who was removed from the basketball team after his arrest, does not have a trial date set.
When Bradley, Davis and Miles left Twelve25, Davis had a confrontation with Johnson at the Jeep. Around that time, Harris slid a gun back to Johnson, he testified. Miles told police two years ago he saw the gun passed back.
Miller testified Thursday that he did not know Davis was about to shoot somebody with the gun that belonged to Miles. Miller also told the jury he did not know Miles had left the gun in his car until he got to the scene.
He testified that he also did not know who was allegedly threatening Miles, nor did he have any idea about what was about to happen when he pulled up with his Dodge Charger on Grace Street minutes before the shooting.
Miller parked behind teammate Jaden Bradley. Miller testified he was not there to block in the black Jeep, which carried Harris, Johnson and her cousin Asia Humphrey. Dash cam footage from Miller’s car displayed in court Thursday showed the Jeep passing Miller in the opposite direction with its headlights turned off.
Miller said he and Bradley pulled over as much as they could to the right of the narrow road. Miller also testified there was no discussion on him blocking the Jeep so that Davis could shoot someone.
The dash cam footage from Miller’s car displayed what he saw around the time of the shooting. In the car with him was Cooper Lee, a manager at the time for the Alabama basketball team.
The video shows the perspective from Miller’s car on Grace Street, facing toward University Boulevard.
The exchange previously brought up in court can be heard, such as Davis asking “is one in the head?” Miller confirmed after the video played.
“You know it is” Miles replied in the footage. Previous testimony from a police investigator said that meant one bullet was in the chamber of the gun.
Miller testified he did not have any discussion with Miles or Davis, and none was heard on the dash cam.
About 90 seconds later, gunfire can be heard on the audio from the dash cam. Moments later, the video shows Davis run in front of Miller’s car, continuing to shoot.
Miller testified two bullets hit his windshield. When asked if he almost got hit, Miller replied “yes” in court on Thursday.
Two voices can be heard via the dash cam video, but it’s often indistinguishable which is Miller and which is Lee.
Some of the phrases shouted out in those moments:
“Oh my god. Oh my god.”
“Just hit my shit.”
“Almost got killed.”
Miller and Lee drove away on University Boulevard. Once far enough away, Miller stopped to check on his car.
“Just got to check my shit because he just hit my shit,” Miller can be heard saying on the video.
Not only did two bullets hit Miller’s vehicle, but his Charger and the Jeep bumped into each other trying to race away from Grace Street right after the shooting. That was the first moment, Miller testified, that he saw the Jeep that night.
In 2023, attorney Jim Standridge, then representing Miller, said that Miller was already on his way to pick up his teammate, Miles, when Miller received the text.
Standridge also said Miller never touched the gun, wasn’t involved in the exchange of it and “never knew that illegal activity involving the gun would occur.”
Later, on Grace Street, Davis retrieved Miles’ gun from the back of Miller’s car, per police testimony.
If convicted, Davis faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.
