Alabama’s Nate Oats Clarifies Comments on Brandon Miller Shooting Involvement

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Alabama men’s basketball coach Nate Oats issued an apology Tuesday night regarding statements he made after it was revealed Crimson Tide player Brandon Miller allegedly provided the gun used in the shooting death of a 23-year-old woman in January.

Oats said his comments “came across poorly” and that “in no way did I intend to downplay the seriousness of this situation or the tragedy of that night.”

The head coach had told reporters Miller was “not in any trouble.”

“We knew about that,” Oats said. “Can’t control everything anybody does outside of practice. Nobody knew that was going to happen. College kids are out. Brandon hasn’t been in any type of trouble nor is he in any type of trouble in this case. Wrong spot at the wrong time.”

Carol Robinson of AL.com reported Detective Branden Culpepper of the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office testified Tuesday that Miller brought the gun after former Alabama player and teammate Darius Miles texted him and asked him to bring it to his location.

Culpepper said when Miles told Michael Davis, the other defendant, that “the heat is in the hat” and “there’s one in the head” after Miller arrived, it meant there was a gun present with one round in the chamber.

The testimony occurred as part of a preliminary hearing for Miles and Davis, who have been charged with capital murder in the killing of Jamea Harris.

Tuscaloosa County chief assistant district attorney Paula Whitley was asked by AL.com why Miller wasn’t charged and said: “That’s not a question I can answer. There’s nothing we could charge him with.”

Miller, a top NBA draft prospect, remains with the team and has appeared in all 27 games. He leads the Crimson Tide with 18.7 points per game.