Settlement reached in wrongful death lawsuit against Darius Miles, Brandon Miller and Michael Davis

AI-assisted summary
• A wrongful death lawsuit against former Alabama basketball players Darius Miles and Brandon Miller, and Michael "Buzz" Davis has been settled.
• The lawsuit stemmed from the January 15, 2023, shooting death of Jamea Harris, for which Miles and Davis face charges.
• A trust fund will be established for Harris's child as part of the settlement.
• Brandon Miller, the second overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft, was not charged with a crime.
• Miles is awaiting trial, while Davis's trial is set for May 5, 2025.

The wrongful death lawsuit against former Alabama men's basketball players Darius Miles and Brandon Miller along with Michael "Buzz" Davis has officially reached a settlement, per court documents.

The lawsuit was brought against Miles, Miller and Davis following the events of Jan. 15, 2023, which resulted in the shooting death of 23-year-old Jamea Harris. Investigators say it was Davis who pulled the trigger of a handgun, which was retrieved by Miles out of Miller's vehicle, killing Harris.

Harris' mother, Decarla Raietta Heard, was listed as a plaintiff on the lawsuit which was filed on Oct. 20, 2023 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama Western Division. A motion to dismiss the lawsuit was brought on March 28, 2025, with the suit being dismissed with prejudice on March 31, 2025 by U.S. district judge Anna M. Manasco. All parties agreed to dismiss the lawsuit with prejudice, with a trust fund being established for Harris' minor child per the settlement. All parties, as well, are to "bear their own respective costs."

Miles and Davis have been jailed since Jan. 15, 2023 and both were indicted by a grand jury on March 8, 2023. Miles has been denied bond three times since his arrest while Davis has been denied youthful offender status and bond.

Miller was not charged with a crime and went on to be the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets. The 6-foot-7 forward is averaging 21 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game in 2024-25.

The Tuscaloosa News has reached out to attorneys for both the plaintiffs and defendants for comment and is awaiting a response.

The shooting took place in the early morning hours of Jan. 15 on the Strip area of University Boulevard in Tuscaloosa. Miles, alongside Davis, was out with Miller and other former Alabama basketball players after the Crimson Tide’s victory over LSU. Harris, a Birmingham native, was out with boyfriend Cedric Johnson, cousin Asia Humphrey, a UA student, along with friends Shu’Bonte Green and others.

The two groups were seen lined up near each other at 12:05 a.m. outside of Twelve25, a bar on The Strip. Surveillance footage did not show the two groups interacting with one another until 1:36 a.m., with shots being fired some 10 minutes later at 1:45 a.m.

Miles is still awaiting a trial date while Davis is set to go to trial May 5, 2025. If Miles is convicted, he could face life in prison without the possibility of parole. The state is not seeking the death penalty.