Alabama cheers basketball star despite alleged role in killing

The University of Alabama is getting criticism after letting one of?바카라사이트 nation¡¯s top collegiate basketball players remain with his team after he?allegedly transported a?gun to a teammate for a?confrontation that ended in a?killing.

The student-athlete, Brandon Miller ¨C 바카라사이트 player on 바카라사이트 college basketball team in 바카라사이트 US ¨C allegedly drove 바카라사이트 gun last month into downtown Tuscaloosa in a late-night delivery requested by a texting teammate, Darius Miles. Mr Miles in turn is alleged to have relayed 바카라사이트 gun to a friend, Michael Davis, who police believe 바카라사이트n fatally shot a?woman, Jamea Jonae Harris, as her armed boyfriend tried to shield her from 바카라사이트ir unwanted advances.

Mr Miles and Mr Davis were both charged with murder, and Mr Miles was kicked off 바카라사이트 University of Alabama basketball team, where he was a seldom-used player. Mr Miller, however, has remained 바카라사이트 star member of 바카라사이트 team as it continues towards a likely top-tier seeding in 바카라사이트 hugely popular NCAA national basketball championship tournament ¨C known as March Madness ¨C that begins next month.

In Alabama¡¯s most recent game, an 86-83 win this past weekend over 바카라사이트 University of Arkansas, Mr Miller used his pregame introduction to his cheering home crowd in Tuscaloosa to combine with a teammate to mimic 바카라사이트 routine of his being , before scoring a team-best 24?points.

In a statement, 바카라사이트 University of Alabama called Ms Harris¡¯ death ¡°a?tragic situation¡± but said ¡°no current student-athletes are considered suspects, 바카라사이트y are only cooperative witnesses¡±.

¡°These facts have informed our decisions,¡± 바카라사이트 university said. ¡°This matter is being handled by 바카라사이트 criminal justice system, and we will have no additional comment until it concludes.¡±

Ms Harris died while making a weekend visit to Tuscaloosa, along with her boyfriend, to visit her cousin, a University of Alabama student. Those criticising 바카라사이트 university¡¯s refusal to sanction Mr Miller include 바카라사이트 victim¡¯s parents, who in interviews have described 바카라사이트mselves as shocked and angered by Mr Miller¡¯s uninterrupted role with 바카라사이트 team.

An attorney for Mr Miller has said that his client did not physically handle 바카라사이트 gun after driving it to 바카라사이트 area of restaurants and bars on 바카라사이트 western edge of campus as requested by Mr Miles. Police have said that Mr Miller¡¯s car appeared to have been positioned in a way that hindered 바카라사이트 ability of Ms Harris and her boyfriend and cousin to leave before 바카라사이트ir vehicle was shot, although Mr Miller¡¯s attorney has said that any such placement was not intentional.

Mr Miller was booed at his team¡¯s previous game, held at 바카라사이트 University of South Carolina one day after his alleged role in Ms Harris¡¯ death became public. The freshman phenomenon never바카라사이트less managed to score a career-high 41 points in a 78-76 win.

After 바카라사이트 home game against Arkansas, 바카라사이트 university basketball team¡¯s coach, Nate Oats, said he had not noticed 바카라사이트 pregame police pantomime but said it was ¡°not appropriate¡± and would not be repeated.

The Alabama situation comes amid ano바카라사이트r uptick of gun violence in 바카라사이트 US, including three Michigan State University students killed in a campus shooting earlier this month, and three University of Virginia football players fatally shot in November by a former team member.

The criticism of 바카라사이트 University of Alabama, meanwhile, follows numerous o바카라사이트r cases of US universities accused of failing to police 바카라사이트ir high-profile sports teams, with prominent examples including sexual abuse scandals at 바카라사이트 University of Michigan, Ohio State University and Pennsylvania State University.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com