'Heartbreaking': Tide's Brandon Miller Speaks On Shooting Death Of Jamea Harris

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Alabama basketball forward Brandon Miller spoke publicly Wednesday for the first time in regards to the January shooting death of a Birmingham mother near The Strip in Tuscaloosa.

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As Patch previously reported, former Crimson Tide basketball player Darius Miles is accused of providing the handgun that Michael "Buzz" Davis used to kill 23-year-old Jamea Harris following a brief altercation with her boyfriend just before 2 a.m.

During the preliminary hearing for Miles and Davis, it was revealed for the first time that Miles had been a passenger in Miller's Dodge Charger the morning of the shooting. Text messages presented in court showed Miles asking Miller to bring him his legally owned handgun, which he had left in the vehicle, following the previous minor altercation.

Mary Turner, the defense attorney for Miles, argued in court that Miles, Davis and Crimson Tide basketball player Jaden Bradley were in fear for their safety when Miles requested Miller bring him his handgun. Miller's Dodge Charger was reportedly struck twice during the shooting.

"I never lose sight of the fact that a family has lost one of their loved ones that night," Miller told reporters on Wednesday, as the Tide prepares to play in the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament on Friday. "This whole situation is just really heartbreaking. Respectfully, that's all I'm going to be saying about that."

Miller, the reigning SEC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, has spoken only through his attorney on the matter and has reportedly been cooperative with the investigation.

Of the morning of the fatal shooting, Tuscaloosa attorney Jim Standridge said Miles began asking Miller to come pick him up so that they could leave and go to another location and join friends, to which Miller said he would be along later.

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Standridge said approximately one hour later, Miller began to leave the restaurant he was at to pick up Miles, but first had to give another person a ride home.

"Without Brandon knowing any of this context, and as Brandon was already on the way to pick up Mr. Miles, Mr. Miles texted Brandon and asked him to bring him his firearm," he said. "Brandon subsequently arrived at the scene to pick up Mr. Miles. Brandon never got out of his vehicle or interacted with anyone in Ms. Harris’ party."

Patch previously reported that Miles and Davis both sought bond on their capital murder charges, but the requests were ultimately denied and the case bound over to the Grand Jury.

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