Defense Secures Stay In Darius Miles Capital Murder Case Pending Appeals Court Review

TUSCALOOSA, AL — A Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court judge has granted the request of attorneys for former University of Alabama basketball player and capital murder suspect Darius Hairston Miles to pause all proceedings while the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals considers a petition challenging a recent ruling on judicial recusal.

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In a motion filed Friday, defense attorney Mary Turner of Turner Law Group requested that Circuit Judge Daniel Pruet stay the case “pending resolution of the writ of mandamus filed today in the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals regarding the denial of Mr. Miles’ motion for recusal.”

Judge Pruet then granted the stay.

As Patch previously reported, the filing comes after Judge Pruet denied a request from Miles’ defense team to step aside from the case, ruling that no legal grounds existed for recusal.

The defense argued that Pruet’s past comments during previous hearings could create the appearance of bias — a claim the judge rejected.

Miles’ attorneys sought Pruet’s removal from the case amid ongoing pretrial litigation.

Miles faces a capital murder charge in the January 2023 shooting death of Jamea Jonae Harris near The Strip in Tuscaloosa.

Prosecutors allege that Miles provided the gun used in the killing to his friend Michael Davis, who was found guilty of capital murder by a Tuscaloosa County jury earlier this year.

Davis is serving a sentence of life without the possibility of parole in the William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility in Bessemer.

With the new filing, the defense is effectively asked for a pause in all lower court activity until the state’s criminal appeals court decides whether to review the recusal issue.

No timeline has been set for the appellate court’s consideration of the writ.

Miles remains held without bond as he awaits trial, with jury selection set for Dec. 1.

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