Michael Lynn Davis, co-defendant of former Alabama basketball player Darius Miles, on Friday was found guilty of capital murder by a Tuscaloosa County jury in the January 2023 death of Jamea Harris.
Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court Judge Daniel F. Pruet sentenced Davis to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Prosecutors decided not to pursue to death penalty in Davis’ case just prior to the trial, which started Monday.
Miles, who is charged with “aiding and abetting” Davis by allegedly providing Davis with the gun used in the shooting, is to be tried separately. His case is expected to take place later this year.
Davis fatally shot Harris, a 23-year-old Birmingham woman, while she sat in the front passenger seat of her black Jeep during an exchange of gunfire between Davis and Harris’ boyfriend, Cedric Johnson, following a verbal altercation less than an hour earlier.
Shots were fired by both Johnson and Davis when Davis approached the driver’s side window; different accounts stated who shot first. Davis was shot in the shoulder. One of the bullets Davis fired struck Harris in the chin and went through her neck, killing her.
After four days of testimony, the jury deliberated for a little more than an hour before reaching a verdict.
“We are very happy that the jury listened to the evidence and came to the decision that they did,” chief assistant district attorney Paula Whitley told reporters following the verdict. “With the hard work of law enforcement and the ongoing commitment from the family, we are very satisfied with the outcome of this case.”
Defense attorney John Robbins told reporters he and his team plan to begin working on an appeal Monday.
“We’re disappointed in the verdict, but we have to respect it at this point,” Robbins said. “… We believe that there are several issues that we can raise on appeal and we’re going to do our best to try and be successful.”
Assistant district attorney Cristen Mejia argued in her opening statement that Davis “ambushed” the Jeep and “one fact that remains is Michael Davis killed Jamea Harris.”
Harris’ family, including her mother, DeCarla Heard, and Heard’s husband, attended the trial daily, sitting in a row of folding chairs behind prosecutors.
Heard told ESPN she was on her way to Harris’ son, now age 7, to “love him and kiss him.” When they heard the verdict in the courtroom, Heard said she was “ecstatic” and “happy.” In a conversation with ESPN, she thanked Whitley, law enforcement and the jurors for their work on the case.
“I am overwhelmed,” Heard said. “I don’t think there is a word for how I feel right now.”
Heard said she’s doing everything she can to take care of her grandson. She said she also plans on attending Miles’ trial, whenever it occurs.
Among those present was Harris’ cousin, Asia Humphrey, who had been in the Jeep with Harris during the Jan. 15 shooting and was the first witness in the prosecution’s case. Multiple times throughout the trial, Humphrey got emotional with tears running down her cheeks.
The state called two former Alabama basketball players to testify during the trial — current Arizona point guard Jaden Bradley and Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller.
Earlier Friday, Davis took the stand in his own defense. He testified he was scared seeing the Jeep and that he got the gun to “be prepared for the guy that is trying to come hurt me.”
Johnson testified Wednesday that after shots were fired he heard Humphrey scream and sped away with Harris bleeding in his car, eventually finding local police officers in front of Alabama’s Walk of Champions blocks away. Body camera footage taken from a University of Alabama police officer showed Johnson inconsolable, continuously repeating, “My baby mama dead, man. My baby mama dead, man.”
Whitley said she believed Friday’s verdict was “partial justice for Jamea.”
She still has a potential trial against Miles to prosecute. Asked by reporters if this case would change how they prosecute Miles, she said they hadn’t given it thought yet.
“We will be continuing to work on his case,” Whitley said, “and all the other cases that we have in the office to bring justice to all our cases.”
ESPN’s Liz Merrill contributed to this report.
