An Alabama basketball star allegedly supplied the gun in a murder. Why is he still playing

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Police say Alabama star Brandon Miller supplied the gun that was used in the murder of young mother Jamea Harris. That he’s still in the lineup lays bare the power of athletic privilege

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According to Harris’s mother and cousin, the trio were waiting on their food when two men approached, desperate for Harris’s attention. The more they refused to take no for an answer, the more the tension rose. Attuned to the vibe shift, Harris’s boyfriend proposed they just forget the food and leave. But Harris and her companions were reportedly blocked in by two cars and fired upon by one of the men who had approached her. Harris’s boyfriend shot back with his own firearm and hit the gunman twice, then tried to steer the group to safety.

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Struck once, Harris was the only person in the exchange not to make it out alive. Her death probably would have been written off as yet another inevitable consequence of urban gun violence, if police hadn’t said members of Alabama’s high-flying basketball team were involved.

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The men who couldn’t take no for an answer?

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Even more stunning: the alleged courier was Brandon Miller, Bama’s first-year hoops phenom. Police also say freshman guard Jaden Bradley was also on scene that night. Neither Bradley nor Miller face criminal charges.

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You would think that Miller’s alleged involvement in the case would give the Tide pause for thought about whether to play him until all the details are clear. After all, they kicked Miles off the team as soon as his name became associated with the case. The difference, Alabama may argue, is that Miles has been charged with a crime and Miller has not.

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That Miller has escaped legal culpability has furnished the program with an awful lot of cover. Asked why Miller won’t be charged, Tuscaloosa district attorney Paula Whitley told AL.com “there’s nothing we can charge him with”. Her office would appear to lack proof that Miller was aware he was transferring the gun to Miles for an unlawful purpose. As if someone might ask for their gun late at night for a twilight hunt. What is not in doubt is Alabama’s handling of a case that saw a young mother die. When confronted with the initial news of Harris’s death, Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats was quick to pivot focus to his team’s forthcoming game against Vanderbilt.

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In the aftermath of her daughter’s passing, Harris’s mother reportedly agonized for days over how to break the news to Jamea’s five-year-old son while reckoning with her own sense of devastation. That Alabama seems to be more worried about results on the court than an actual murder should tell you everything you need to know about the current state of collegiate athletics and the power of athletic privilege. It’s just unfortunate that even after Harris’s tragic killing has exposed the paradox at play here, we’re still left wondering whether her loss will ultimately count.

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