Darius Miles, a former basketball player for Alabama, is scheduled to stand trial for capital murder, with proceedings set to begin the week of December 1 in Tuscaloosa. Judge Daniel F. Pruet announced the trial date during a court hearing today, estimating that it will last at least a week.
This trial follows a previous case where Miles’ friend, Michael Davis, was found guilty of capital murder for the shooting death of Jamea Harris in January 2023. Prosecutor Paula Whitley noted that the district attorney’s office offered Miles a plea deal this week, although she did not disclose the specifics of the offer. Davis, who was given the same deal, declined it.
Miles has been incarcerated without bond since the incident, which occurred near the Strip in Tuscaloosa. Prosecutors allege that Miles provided the gun used by Davis in the fatal shooting. Following the incident, Miles was also removed from the Alabama men’s basketball team.
Davis previously claimed he acted in self-defense during an altercation with Harris’ boyfriend, Cedric Johnson, who also discharged a firearm that night. However, the jury rejected this argument, leading to Davis receiving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Following the outcome of Davis’s trial, Whitley expressed her view that justice was only partially served for Harris, who leaves behind a 5-year-old son. The prosecution has opted not to pursue the death penalty against either Miles or Davis, indicating that if Miles is convicted, he will face a life sentence without parole.
This case continues to draw attention, especially in the context of discussions surrounding gun violence and its tragic impacts on communities.