Murder Trial of Darius Miles Paused
The December 2025 capital murder trial in the 2023 shooting death of Jamea Jonae Harris has been paused, with no new date set.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Criminal Justice
A Tuscaloosa capital murder trial for Darius Miles remains on hold after Tuscaloosa County Circuit Judge Daniel Pruet paused the case on Nov. 7, 2025. The pause followed a defense petition asking the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals to order Pruet's removal from the case.
Why it matters
The delay leaves Miles, who has been held without bond since his January 2023 arrest, awaiting trial with no replacement date. The appellate court's decision on whether Pruet should continue overseeing the case will shape the timing of the proceedings.
Miles has pleaded not guilty and remains in the Tuscaloosa County Jail without bond. The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals is considering a writ of mandamus seeking Pruet's removal, and no new trial date has been set.
The players
Daniel Pruet
Tuscaloosa County Circuit Judge overseeing the Darius Miles capital murder case, whose denial of the recusal motion prompted the appeal.
Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals
Alabama's intermediate appellate court currently considering the defense's petition for a writ of mandamus to remove Judge Pruet.
Darius Miles
Defendant charged with capital murder in the January 2023 shooting death of Jamea Jonae Harris, who has pleaded not guilty.
The details
Miles' attorneys filed a recusal motion on Oct. 9, 2025, alleging bias in Pruet's handling of earlier hearings, and Pruet denied it on Oct. 23. On Nov. 7, the defense petitioned the appellate court for a writ of mandamus, and Pruet paused the case the same day, removing the December trial from the calendar.
Timeline
Jan. 15, 2023: Jamea Jonae Harris was shot and killed, and Miles was arrested that month.
May 2025: Michael Lynn Davis was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life without parole.
Oct. 9, 2025: Miles' attorneys asked Judge Pruet to remove himself from the case.
Oct. 23, 2025: Pruet denied the recusal motion.
Nov. 7, 2025: The defense filed a mandamus petition, and Pruet paused the case.
Legal Context
Prosecutors allege Miles supplied the firearm used by Michael Lynn Davis, who was convicted of capital murder in May 2025 and sentenced to life without parole. Miles' case now proceeds separately, and its delay leaves the co-defendant prosecution unresolved in the same Tuscaloosa courtroom system.
The pause means the December 2025 trial will not proceed as scheduled, and residents following the case should expect no new date until the appellate court rules. The case involves a shooting on The Strip, and the outcome will determine when the Tuscaloosa County court system resolves the charge.
The takeaway
A pending capital murder case can be delayed for reasons unrelated to the underlying evidence, such as challenges to the presiding judge. Following appellate rulings is the clearest way to track when a case will move forward.
Further reading
For more on how cases like this move through the courts, see Criminal Justice coverage from Tuscaloosa.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Tuscaloosa News.
