Charlotte Hornets wing Brandon Miller took the stand as a witness in the trial of Michael Davis, who has been charged with capital murder in relation to the shooting death of Jamea Harris in Tuscaloosa in January 2023. According to reports from the trial, Miller testified that he was almost hit by bullets during the shooting.
It’s the most descriptive account we’ve heard of the incident from Miller’s point of view. To summarize, Miller was hanging out with teammates Jaden Bradley and Darius Miles along with Michael Davis when the group decided to go to a local sports bar. Miller elected to leave after seeing how crowded the bar was and went to another place about a mile away. A little while later, Miles texted Miller asking Miller to pick him up. Miller initially deferred, but after some time passed, let Miles know he was on his way over. While Miller was on his way over, Miles sent a message alluding to needing his gun. Miller interpreted the message to mean someone was trying to intimidate or threaten Miles. Miles did not say what he planned to do with the gun.
Miller parked his car behind Jaden Bradley’s, where Miles and Davis approached the car. Dashcam footage from Miller’s car caught audio of Miles and Davis discussing if the gun was loaded as they retrieved it from the car. After the pair walk away, Miller and former Alabama basketball manager Cooper Lee can be heard on the dashcam wondering aloud what the other two were up to. While they were talking gun shots rang out, then Davis can be seen running away from the scene, at which time he fires two shots through Miller’s windshield. Miller sped away from the scene as the pair panicked about almost getting shot. He pulled over a short distance away and later went to police with his attorney to speak with investigators.
The incident was a major question mark surrounding Miller during the 2023 pre draft process, but the Hornets (and other teams) seemed to be okay with Miller’s involvement in the incident. After hearing the details of his account from the trial, it does genuinely sound like he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Miller’s dashcam recordings seem to exonerate him from having any knowledge of what was happening.
Apparently Davis and the victim’s boyfriend got into an altercation while Miller was elsewhere, and that ultimately led to the shooting that killed Jamea Harris once Miles retrieved his gun for Davis. Davis is looking at life in prison if he is convicted. Darius Miles does not have a trial date set. I don’t know if Miller will need to take the stand again if and when Miles has his trial for his role in the homicide.
