Who was Jamea Jonae Harris? Darius Miles' alleged murder victim's family calls mom-of-one a 'happy soul'
TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA: The woman allegedly shot dead by Alabama basketball player Darius Miles was loved by everyone, her mother has said. 23-year-old Jamea Jonae Harris was killed in a shooting that involved Miles, who has been charged with capital murder.
“She was a beautiful young woman who loved her family and most of all her 5-year-old son Kaine,’’ DeCarla Cotton, Her mother, told AL.com. “She was just trying to enjoy her weekend with her cousin that attends the University of Alabama and her boyfriend.” The shooting took place near campus.
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Miles, 23, a forward from Washington DC, and Michael Lynn Davis, 20, of Charles county, Maryland, have been charged with capital murder. According to Captain Jack Kennedy of Tuscaloosa Police, the incident took place on Sunday morning, January 15.
“At this time, it appears that the only motive was a minor altercation that these individuals had with the victim as they were out on The Strip,” Kennedy said in a news conference, according to The Guardian. In a Facebook post, Cotton wrote, "Took my baby life because she wouldn’t talk to him!!!!"
The incident
Kennedy said the driver of another vehicle in which Harris was a passenger came to campus police near Bryant-Denny Stadium at about 1.45 am. They said someone shot into the vehicle and he had to fire back. Among the suspects was taken to a local hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Miles' bio has been removed from the athletic department website. He has been removed from campus and is not on the team anymore. “The University of Alabama’s utmost priority is the safety and well-being of the campus community,” a university statement said. “We are grieved by the incident that occurred near campus last night and extend our deepest condolences to the victim’s family and friends.” The driver, Harris, and Davis do not appear to have an affiliation with the university.
Who was Jamea Jonae Harris?
Not much is known about Jamea Jonae Harris except that she lived in Birmingham. Her Facebook profile says her hometown is Montgomery, Alabama. “She was a humble soul, and she was always a happy soul," her first cousin, Kennedi Henderson, said. “We literally grew up together.”
“She kept the cousins together and pushed us to be the best us,’’ Henderson added. “She was the best little cousin I can ask for, honestly.” She continued, "The family and I are just in disbelief that something like this has happened to her. We just ask for prayers at this time," as per the outlet.