State prosecutors will not seek death penalty against Darius Miles in capital murder case

According to court documents obtained by The Tuscaloosa News, the state of Alabama will not seek the death penalty against Darius Miles. A former player for the Alabama Crimson Tide basketball team, Miles was charged with capital murder involving the death of Jamea Harris.

“State prosecutors will not seek the death penalty for Darius Miles in a capital murder case against the former Alabama basketball player, per court documents filed Monday,” Chase Goodbread of The Tuscaloosa News said. “According to the state’s filing, signed by District Attorney Hays Webb, Chief Assistant D.A. Paula Whitley and Assistant D.A. Corey Seale, the range of punishment is life in prison without parole.”

The death penalty was only in play due to Miles being charged with capital murder.

Instead, the harshest punishment Miles can face is life in prison without parole. He is being tried separately from Michael Davis however, neither has made it to trial yet. Miles had a pre-trial immunity hearing on Monday evening.

Nick Kelly, also of The Tuscaloosa News, says the pre-trial immunity hearing is being held for Miles’ attorneys to argue he was acting in self-defense. If successful and the judge rules that way, Miles would be “immune” from being prosecuted at all.

While it began on Monday evening, the hearing will continue into Tuesday. Ryan Phillips of The Tuscaloosa Patch says they will reconvene at 9 a.m.

More on Darius Miles, capital murder charge

In the early morning of Jan. 15, Jamea Harris was killed near the Strip in Tuscaloosa. Just hours later, Miles was arrested for his involvement and eventually charged with capital murder. He was arrested alongside Davis, who received the same charge.

The incident occurred following a win for the Alabama Men’s Basketball team on Saturday night. LSU was in town, getting blown out by the Crimson Tide at Coleman Coliseum. Miles did not appear in the game and was instead on the bench supporting his teammates.

Miles spent three seasons on the Alabama roster. Heading into the 2022-2023 season, he was expected to see an increased role under head coach Nate Oats. Injuries lingered and he was ruled out for the season on the day of the LSU game.

Once Miles was arrested, Oats kicked him off of the team. The incident stuck with the program throughout the rest of the season, with it being the main storyline through an NCAA Tournament run to a Sweet Sixteen.