The family of University of Alabama student-athlete Kai Spears has slammed a report from the New York Times alleging the Crimson Tide guard was alongside Brandon Miller on the night of a January 15 murder as ‘demonstrably false.’
A New York Times report said Spears was in a car with Miller, which was struck by bullets in a shootout which killed 23-year-old mother, Jamea Harris.
To this point, Spears had not been mentioned in reporting, with only Miller, guard Jaden Bradley and ex-Alabama player Darius Miles mentioned as being at the scene.
A spokesman for both the family, and the university, denied Spears was present alongside Miller during the shooting.
‘The article in the New York Times, dated March 15, 2023, identifying Kai as a fourth person at the scene of a shooting is demonstrably false, as we can demonstrate Kai was not in the car, nor near the vicinity at the time in question,’ attorney Stephen P. New said in a statement, of behalf of Spears and his family.
The University of Alabama has denied Kai Spears was at the scene of a January 15 shooting
![Jamea Harris, a 23-year-old mother, was shot to death near the University of Alabama campus on January 15](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/15/11/68685439-11862825-Jamea_Harris_a_23_year_old_mother_was_shot_to_death_near_the_Uni-a-23_1678881376973.jpg)
![Crimson Tide forward Darius Miles (pictured) and another man, Michael Lynn Davis, have been arrested and indicted on capital murder charges in her death. Miles has since been kicked off the team](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/15/11/68685441-11862825-Crimson_Tide_forward_Darius_Miles_pictured_and_another_man_Micha-a-21_1678881363867.jpg)
Jamea Harris (left), a 23-year-old mother, was shot to death near the University of Alabama campus on January 15. Crimson Tide forward Darius Miles (right) and another man, Michael Lynn Davis, have been arrested and indicted on capital murder charges in her death. Miles has since been kicked off the team
![Brandon Miller will look to deliver Alabama their first national championship in basketball](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/15/22/68750055-11864839-FILE_Alabama_forward_Brandon_Miller_brings_the_ball_up_during_th-a-5_1678920292629.jpg)
Brandon Miller will look to deliver Alabama their first national championship in basketball
‘The irresponsible journalism has harmed Kai and his fmaily, as well as the University of Alabama and Marshall University (where Spears’ father is the Athletic Director). I have reached out to General Counsel for the New York Times, with no response.
‘As you can imagine, the Spears family has been incredibly impacted by this harmful and false article, as is clear in Mr. Spears’ own words:
‘I am furious at the completely erroneous article(s) placing my son in the car at the scene. It is absolutely false; Kai was not there,’ Christian Spears said in the statement. ‘O am grateful to the people who are supporting our family. We all must hold irresponsible journalists and their publications accountable.’
‘[NYT] story is inaccurate,’ a UA spokesperson told AL.com in a statement.
‘Based on the information we have, there were no current student-athletes present at the scene other than Brandon Miller and Jaden Bradley, who are both fully cooperating witnesses.
‘From the outset, UA Athletics has fully cooperated with law enforcement and supported their investigation.’
Spears himself denied to provide an elaborate response to the Times, simply saying, ‘I’m sorry, I’m not going to be able to speak about that.’
Miles and another man, Michael Lynn Davis, have been arrested and indicted on capital murder charges in Harris’s death. Miles has since been kicked off the Alabama team.
Miller allegedly brought a gun to Miles that night that was later used by Davis in the fatal shooting, according to police testimony.
![Stephen P. New released a statement on behalf of the Spears family, slamming the reporting](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/16/20/68794545-11868875-image-a-76_1679000066394.jpg)
Stephen P. New released a statement on behalf of the Spears family, slamming the reporting
![An attorney for Kai Spears and his family released a statement which rebuked the NYT article](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/16/20/68794175-11868875-image-m-75_1678999394532.jpg)
An attorney for Kai Spears and his family released a statement which rebuked the NYT article
![Miles was originally dropped off at the scene by Miller, who did not stay because the line at a local club, Twelve25, was too long, according to testimony at a hearing](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/16/16/67946305-11858115-Miles_was_originally_dropped_off_at_the_scene_by_Miller_who_did_-a-3_1678985174586.jpg)
Miles was originally dropped off at the scene by Miller, who did not stay because the line at a local club, Twelve25, was too long, according to testimony at a hearing
Tuscaloosa chief deputy D.A. Paula Whitley declined to tell AL.com last month why Miller wasn’t charged, saying: ‘That’s not a question I can answer. There’s nothing we could charge him with.’
He has continued to play, and star, for the Tide this season. Miller reacted to the shooting publicly for the first time on March 8.
‘This whole situation is just really heart-breaking, but respectfully that’s all I’m going to be able to say on that,’ said Miller.
![Despite the controversy, Miller has continued playing for the Crimson Tide, scoring 23 points in Alabama's 82-63 win over Texas A&M in Sunday's SEC title game](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/15/11/68727487-11862825-image-a-1_1678880738236.jpg)
Despite the controversy, Miller has continued playing for the Crimson Tide, scoring 23 points in Alabama’s 82-63 win over Texas A&M in Sunday’s SEC title game. As a result, the Crimson Tide earned a No. 1 seed for the upcoming NCAA Tournament
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