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The Alabama basketball team continues to be linked to a murder case that took place in Tuscaloosa. In January, news broke that a former team member, Darius Miles, was being taken into custody for a fatal shooting that killed a 23-year-old woman.
Miles was charged with capital murder, with video evidence showing exactly where the shooting occurred.
Now, it appears another star player has been linked to the awful event. Brandon Miller, the team’s top scorer and a projected top 5 NBA pick, reportedly provided the gun used to kill Jamea Jonae Harris.
AL.com has more on Miller’s involvement.
Alabama’s freshman basketball standout Brandon Miller brought the gun used on the Tuscaloosa strip killing of a 23-year-old mother that led to capital murder charges for his now former teammate Darius Miles and 20-year-old Michael “Buzz” Davis, according to law enforcement testimony today.
Miles texted Miller to bring his gun to where they were, according to police.
Miller’s windshield was struck twice by gunfire in the shooting, police testified. Another Alabama basketball player, Jaden Bradley, was also at the scene of the shooting, according to testimony.
Asked by AL.com why Miller was not charged, Tuscaloosa chief deputy D.A. Paula Whitley said, “That’s not a question I can answer. There’s nothing we could charge him with, according to the law,” she said.
Head coach Nate Oats has since responded to the report, saying that he was already aware of the situation. He sums it up to Miller being “in the wrong spot at the wrong time.”
“We knew about that. 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. Wrong spot at the wrong time.”
Many around the college basketball world weren’t satisfied with the Alabama head coach’s response.
Regardless of whether Brandon Miller legally did anything wrong, bringing a gun that resulted in the death of a human being isn't "wrong spot at the wrong time." I'm still flabbergasted Nate Oats actually used those words to describe the situation.
— John Talty (@JTalty) February 21, 2023
Brandon Miller did WHAT?
Nate Oats said WHAT?
— Barrett Sallee 🇺🇸 (@BarrettSallee) February 21, 2023
The best player (Brandon Miller) on a projected No. 1 seed (Alabama) supplied a gun that became the murder weapon in the killing of a young mother.
Yikes.
Even if he's not charged with a crime, how does that not at least result in a suspension from the basketball team? https://t.co/lAfYMY4oFg
— Gary Parrish (@GaryParrishCBS) February 21, 2023
This case continues to shine a negative light on the program as now three Alabama basketball players have been linked in some way. It is yet to be seen whether this will affect Miller’s status with the team or his NBA Draft projections.
**Update**
Nate Oats has since sent out a second statement on the situation, saying, “In no way did I intend to downplay the seriousness of the situation of the tragedy of that night.”