Ahead of his first season with the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA, Brandon Miller has been named in a wrongful death lawsuit for his involvement in a fatal shooting on the Tuscaloosa Strip. The tragedy happened last January and resulted to the death of 23-year-old Jamea Harris.
For those not in the know, before Miller was drafted into the NBA, the tragic gun incident was a major talking point. In fact, there were reports noting that teams were turned off by his answer with regards to his involvement in the shooting. The former Alabama basketball star was revealed to have brought the gun used in the shooting and was at the scene when it happened. Miller was not charged, but his former Crimson Tide teammate Darius Miles and Michael Davis, Miles' friend, were arrested and charged with capital murder.
Now, however, Miller is facing a wrongful death lawsuit along with Miles and Davis for the killing of Harris. According to reports, Harris' mother Decarla Raietta Heard, filed the lawsuit and is seeking a “jury trial to award damages,” per ESPN.
“They would like to hear testimony from all three of the young men involved concerning what they did, said and saw,” said attorney Kirby D. Farris, who is one of the lawyers representing Heard. “The family would like the opportunity, through their attorneys, to investigate why and how the gun was brought to the scene of a confrontation that resulted in the death of their daughter. Once we have had the opportunity to evaluate the evidence in the case, we can make decisions about the degree of culpability, if any, of each.”
Brandon Miller on tragic gun incident
For what it's worth, Brandon Miller and his camp previously addressed his involvement in the shooting, with his lawyer Jim Standridge noting that the Hornets rookie didn't know anything about the gun or the crime that would be committed. Miller reportedly had “no knowledge of any intent to use the weapon” and never even touched it.
“Further, it is our understanding that the weapon was concealed under some clothing in the back seat of his car,” Standridge said in a statement back in February.
As for Miller himself, he expressed his regret and heartbreak over the tragedy, saying that “it's all a lesson learned.”
“You just always have to be aware of your surroundings and what you're surrounded by. I feel like the night could've changed my career in less than a heartbeat,” Miller shared in May.
Before that, in March, Miller said: “I never lose sight of the fact that a family lost one of their loved ones that night. This whole situation is just really heartbreaking. Respectfully, that's all I'm going to be able to say on that.”
Miller has consistently denied his direct involvement over the issue. His former Alabama head coach Nate Oats defended the young star as well amid the issue and shared that he's not the kind of kid who would get in trouble like that.
“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,” Oats said at the height of the incident back in February.
It remains to be seen how the wrongful death lawsuit will pan out for Brandon Miller and all those involved. Hopefully, though, a resolution is found and proper justice will be served.
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