The State of Alabama v. Michael Lynn Davis trial for the January 2023 shooting on the Strip continued Wednesday as the prosecution called five more witnesses.
Davis is charged with capital murder for the shooting death of Jamea Harris on Grace Street before 2 a.m. on Jan. 15, 2023, which prosecutors argue occurred after he got into a verbal confrontation with Harris’ boyfriend Cedric Johnson minutes before. The defense argues that Davis acted in self-defense against Johnson, whom defense attorney John Robbins claimed wanted to harm Davis out of jealousy.
Key witnesses called included Johnson, who also is the father of Harris’ child; Jaden Bradley, former Alabama basketball player; and Skylar Essex, the girlfriend of Darius Miles, another former player who was removed from the team following his arrest in connection with the shooting. Miles, who is childhood friends with Davis, is charged with capital murder in a separate case that has yet to go to trial.
Throughout the trial, witnesses have said the verbal altercation happened before the shooting as Harris, Johnson and Asia Humphrey, Harris’ cousin, were parked in Harris’ Jeep at the stop sign at the intersection of Grace Street and University Boulevard.
Johnson testified Wednesday that Davis began dancing near the car before approaching it, and that an argument broke out, during which time Johnson told Davis that the women in the car were “good” and that Davis needed to “keep walking.” Davis then replied that he “whacked” people.
Johnson said that after Davis said this, Harris passed him his revolver, but that he did not threaten Davis with the gun. He added that the confrontation ended with Davis being pulled away from the Jeep and walking away.
After driving away from the spot the argument occurred, Johnson eventually ended up back on Grace Street, driving down it until he turned around, he said. He then was stuck behind two cars as he tried to exit Grace Street, when a man in a mask ran from behind the Jeep and shot multiple times into the driver’s side, hitting Harris.
Bradley, who went out that night with Miles and Davis to Twelve25, a bar on the Strip, later identified the two cars stopped in front of the Jeep: One was his own, and the other belonged to former Crimson Tide basketball player, Brandon Miller.
In one notable moment from his cross-examination, John Robbins, one of Davis’ attorneys, asked Johnson about testimony Humphrey gave Tuesday. Humphrey said that during the argument, Davis said “I don’t want your girl,” but Johnson testified that Davis did not say that.
The defense has alleged that Johnson was looking to kill Davis after the argument, though Johnson denied this during his testimony. Robbins pointed to Johnson’s actions immediately after the argument as evidence of his intent to harm Davis.
Video footage of the intersection showed another group of three men approach the car right after Davis left, whom Johnson said were trying to “instigate.” Humphrey previously said the men “jokingly” asked Harris for her phone number.
The video then shows Johnson leave the car with his hand on his hip and walk towards the men, before the three men walk away. Johnson said he was “ready to fight” these men and felt disrespected.
After Robbins asked about Johnson’s hand being at his hip potentially because a gun was there, Johnson denied taking the gun out of the car. He said that at that point, and at points in the video before and after the conversation with the three men, he was only pulling his pants up.Robbins also asked Johnson why he was seen turning the Jeep’s headlights off just before he re-entered Grace Street minutes before the shooting. Johnson said he may have accidentally turned off the headlights when turning off the hazard lights and was unaware they were off due to light from the surrounding street lamps.
Similarly, Robbins questioned whether Johnson turned around on Grace Street instead of continuing forward so that he could shoot Davis from his car. Johnson denied this as well, saying he believed the road was a dead end.
Other witnesses spoke about what Davis did after walking away from the initial argument.
Bradley said that after an argument ensued, he pulled Davis away, but that Davis still seemed to be thinking about the argument and that he was “worried” about the Jeep.
Upon reaching Bradley’s car, the defendant did not get in, insteading leaving to go look for the Jeep, Bradley said during his direct examination by Paula Whitley, Tuscaloosa County chief assistant district attorney. To refute the reasoning provided for Davis not entering the car, Robbins asked Bradley whether there was enough space in the car for Davis to sit in the back. Bradley replied that there was not.
Testifying further to the defendant’s alleged attempts to track down the Jeep after the inciting argument, Essex said that Davis approached her while she was standing on Grace Street to ask where the Jeep was and that she pointed him to it.
The trial will continue Thursday with more witnesses from the prosecution.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Michael Davis Strip murder trial continues Wednesday )
Also on site :