Wrongful death lawsuit filed against former Alabama players Brandon Miller, Darius Miles
A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against three men, including former Alabama star Brandon Miller, according to a report from ESPN.
The family of Jamea Jonae Harris has filed a suit against the three after Harris was killed in a shooting on Jan. 15, per the report.
The other two people named in the suit are Darius Miles and Michael Davis. Miles played for the Crimson Tide, alongside Miller, before he was removed from the team’s roster in January. Miles and Davis are facing capital murder chargers for the death of Harris. Brandon Miller has not been charged with a crime.
The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama Western Division, according to the report from ESPN. It demands a jury trial to reward damages.
The plaintiff in the lawsuit is Decarla Raietta Heard, who is the mother of Harris.
The lawsuit alleges that Miles, Davis and Miller “knew or should have known that bringing a dangerous weapon to a dispute and discharging said weapon would likely result in harm,” per the ESPN report.
Brandon Miller was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s NBA draft.
He averaged 19 points per game, over eight rebounds per game and shot 44% from the floor, including just a smidge under 40% from three-point range, during his lone season with the Crimson Tide.
As a member of the Class of 2022, Miller was a five-star recruit out of Antioch (Tenn.) Cane Ridge, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He was the No. 1 overall prospect in the state, the No. 5 small forward in the class and the No. 14 overall prospect in the class.
Nate Oats explains Alabama’s reasoning for playing embattled star Brandon Miller
Brandon Miller continued to play throughout the 2022-23 season, despite being linked to the murder of Jamea Jonae Harris.
Miller allegedly received texts from Miles to bring the gun that was used in the shooting.
During last season, Nate Oats explained why Alabama continued to play Miller in games.
“As (Alabama Athletic Director) Greg [Byrne] said earlier, we make decisions based on available facts,” stated Oats. “That’s what we did here.”
Brandon Miller, Nate Oats and the Alabama basketball team eventually earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. However, the Crimson Tide lost in the Sweet 16 to San Diego State.