Charlotte Hornets guard Brandon Miller, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft out of the University of Alabama, has been named a co-defendant in a lawsuit over the wrongful death of 23-year-old Jamea Harris.
The lawsuit was filed in a federal court on Friday by Harris’ mother, DeCarla Heard.
Miller, 20, provided a firearm to then-Crimson Tide teammate Darius Miles in January 2023. Miles then used said weapon to murder Harris on the Tuscaloosa strip near Alabama’s campus on Jan. 15.
Harris was killed in the early hours of the morning when Miles allegedly opened fire at a car she was riding in near the university’s campus while she was visiting a family member.
The family of Harris filed a lawsuit against Miller, former Alabama player Darius Miles, and Michael Davis, demanding a jury trial to award damages, per ESPN’s Chris Low.
Hornets forward Brandon Miller is a defendant in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Jamea Harris, who was shot and killed in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Jan. 15 https://t.co/W0ofopSJs9
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) October 20, 2023
The lawsuit alleges that Miller, Miles, and Davis “knew or should have known that bringing a dangerous weapon to a dispute and discharging said weapon would likely result in harm.”
It also alleges that “as a direct or proximate consequence of the negligence or wantonness of each of the defendants,” Harris suffered injuries that resulted in her death.
A police investigator testified in court that Miller was on the scene of the fatal shooting. The investigator also testified that the gun used in the shooting was obtained from his vehicle.
Miller’s attorney, Jim Standridge, said his client had “no knowledge of any intent to use the weapon.” Standridge reiterated that Miller never touched the gun and wasn’t involved in its exchange as well.
Charlotte Hornets rookie Brandon Miller being sued by Jamea Harris’ mother for “negligence” in wrongful death lawsuit
Standridge said Miller did not know any illegal activity involving the gun would happen and said that the weapon “was concealed under some clothing in the back seat of his car.”
More importantly, Heard is interested in hearing testimony from all three men.
“They would like to hear testimony from all three of the young men involved concerning what they did, said and saw,” Kirby D. Farris, one of the lawyers representing Heard, said, according to ESPN.
“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.”
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Heard’s attorneys said family members still have questions they want answered.
“Words will never accurately describe the heartbreak we feel in the wake of Jamea’s devastating and unnecessary death,” the statement read, according to AL.com. “We have several unanswered questions surrounding the events leading to the shooting death of our daughter and our is hope to get answers.”
In addition to the wrongful death lawsuit, Miles and Davis are facing capital murder charges.
Brandon Miller’s response to Harris’ death
Furthermore, Brandon Miller was asked about the shooting for the first time he was made available by the University of Alabama back in March.
“I never lose sight of the fact that a family has lost one of their loved ones that night,” he said. “This whole situation is just really heartbreaking. Respectfully, that’s all I’m going to be able to say on that.”
According to the Tuscaloosa police officer’s testimony, Miles and Davis initially lied to officers about the incident. However, Miller’s account matched what investigators gathered from video evidence and other witness testimony.
Tuscaloosa County chief deputy district attorney Paula Whitley stated Miller would face no charges.
In July, Miller signed a four-year, $49.4 million rookie deal with the Hornets. The Tennessee native is scheduled to make his NBA debut on Wednesday against the Atlanta Hawks.
He averaged 18.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists during his freshman season at Alabama. In a 78-76 overtime win against South Carolina, he posted a school freshman-record 41 points.
The 6-foot-7 forward was named SEC Player of the Year and SEC Rookie of the Year. Also, he was named NABC Freshman of the Year. Not to mention, he was a consensus second-team All-American selection.
During the 2023 SEC men’s basketball tournament, Brandon Miller exceeded expectations. He was named tournament MVP after averaging 20.3 points and 11 rebounds over three games.
