Alabama’s Miller: Entire circumstance ‘heartbreaking’
Alabama freshman forward Brandon Miller decreased to go over specifics about the fatal shooting of Jamea Jonae Harris in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in January, but he called the whole scenario “really heartbreaking.”
Miller spoke to the media Wednesday for the first time because Tuscaloosa authorities investigator Branden Culpepper affirmed on Feb. 21 that Miller had actually received a text message from his ex-teammate, Darius Miles, to bring Miles’ weapon to the scene where Harris was killed.Miles and his pal, Michael Lynn Davis, have since been charged with capital murder– Davis for apparently shooting the shot that killed Harris and Miles for supplying the weapon. It is considered capital murder in Alabama since Harris was inside a car when she was shot.Editor’s Picks 2 Related Chief Assistant District
Lawyer Paula
Whitley informed AL.com on Feb. 21 that”there’s nothing we could charge [Miller] with.”Whitley has actually decreased interview demands from ESPN, stating she doesn’t talk about active cases.Miller had actually at first gone with Miles and freshman guard Jaden Bradley, who was likewise on the scene that night
, to a bar in Tuscaloosa, but when the line was too long, Miller left Miles and Bradley there to go to a restaurant, Miller’s attorney, Jim Standridge stated, and did not arrive until minutes prior to the shooting.On Feb. 22, Miller stated in a statement that he never touched the gun and never saw the gun and that it was hidden under clothing in the back seat of Miller’s cars and truck. Shooting likewise struck the windscreen of Miller’s Dodge Battery charger during the shooting. Standridge stated Miller has totally cooperated with cops.” I never forget the reality that a family has actually lost one of their enjoyed ones that night,
“Miller stated.” This entire circumstance is simply actually heartbreaking. Respectfully, that’s all I’m going to be able to say on that.”Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne went on a podcast with Rece Davis and Pete Thamel on Feb. 22
and explained the Crimson Tide’s choice to allow Miller to keep playing without suspension regardless of his involvement on Jan. 15. Byrne said it was a cumulative choice amongst him, Alabama coach Nate Oats, school president Dr. Stuart R. Bell and others at the university. Miller said that he has actually heard the chants on the roadway– at South Carolina, fans chanted”Lock him up “and “Guilty “– however that he has leaned on teammates, including when there have actually been questions about whether Miller ought to still be playing for Alabama.” We hear the chants,”Miller said.” I simply seem like we simply actually lean on each other to simply go to locations like that and simply try to take out tough wins.” Miller likewise was criticized for his pregame introduction regimen versus Arkansas on Feb. 25, which had him patted down prior to entering the court. Oats, who called it” not proper,”stated his players told him it
was simulating an individual being checked by the Transportation Security Administration before boarding a flight. Miller had actually done it for multiple games this season.After the Arkansas game, Oats stated it would not occur again. On Wednesday, when inquired about how he saw Miller managing scrutiny and whether he has actually changed, Oats stated he believes Miller has actually taken it seriously from the beginning.
“It’s a tough circumstance for all of us and it’s just unfortunate, to be truthful with you, however I do not, I never believed Brandon was flippant with any of it ever, “Oats said. “So as far as off-the-court goes, not always huge changes, but I didn’t believe there needed to
be any huge changes.”He’s a great kid that, we’re all going through a hard circumstance together, and we’re simply trying to lean on each other through this deal, to be truthful with you.”Wednesday was the first time Alabama had actually made players readily available given that the Feb. 21 preliminary hearing.Information from ESPN’s Jeff
Borzello was used in this report.