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Crown Coins promo code for Mother’s Day: 200% bonus, Mystery Wheel spin

Crown Coins is always looking to help its players celebrate the holidays. Mother’s Day is almost here, and this popular online sweepstakes casino has a great offer that all of its new players can now take advantage of.

With the Crown Coins promo code for Mother’s Day, new players are eligible to receive a 200% bonus on their first purchase, plus a mystery wheel spin for the opportunity to earn up to 100 Sweeps Coins and 2 million Crown Coins.

Crown Coins is one of the best sweepstakes casinos operating today. Here, I help to explain how the Crown Coins welcome offer works, what kinds of rules are attached to it and what games can be played with it.

Crown Coins promo code at a glance

Crown Coins promo code: How to claim this offer

Crown Coins is one of the most established online sweepstakes casinos in the country. It launched in 2023 and has a massive number of players within each state that it operates.

The design of this platform is a key reason for its success. Its UX allows players to sign up and claim the available welcome offer in only a few minutes.

Here are the steps you can take to claim the Crown Coins promo code offer today:

1. Click any of the Crown Coins promo code links or banners shown on this page.
2. Click the Sign Up button on the Crown Coins landing page.
3. Create a new account with Crown Coins by providing your name, email address, date of birth and home address.
4. Agree to the Crown Coins terms and conditions.
5. Make a first purchase of Gold Coins and earn a 200% bonus.
6. Spin a Mystery Wheel for the chance to win an additional 100 Sweeps Coins and 2 million Crown Coins.

This is a simple process that even those with very little experience playing at online sweepstakes casinos can quickly complete.

A variety of purchase options are available at Crown Coins. Players will find Gold Coin packages for as low as $1.99 and up to $99.99. With the Crown Coins promo code offer, players will earn a 200% bonus on the first purchase they make.

Of course, Crown Coins never requires its players to make purchases. This is one of the requirements of all sweepstakes casinos. They must always be free to play.

By signing up using our promo code link and creating a new account, players will receive 100,000 Crown Coins and 2 free Sweeps Coins. This is earned with no purchase required.

A daily progressive log-in bonus is available to all players, as well.

Crown Coins promo code terms and conditions

Crown Coins is a 100% safe online sweepstakes casino with very fair terms and conditions attached to all of its bonus offers. The rules attached to the Crown Coins promo code for Mother’s Day are unlikely to take any players by surprise.

Here is a breakdown of the most important rules connected to this offer, along with some general rules at Crown Coins:

• The minimum age to join and play at Crown Coins is 18 years old.
• Crown Coins is not accessible in Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, Nevada and Washington.
• Sweeps Coins earned from the Crown Coins promo code offer come with a 1x playthrough requirement.
• Crown Coins can terminate a player’s account at its sole discretion.

A platform as popular as Crown Coins always will offer fair bonuses to players. Consider reading the full terms and conditions when visiting Crown Coins to get a better idea of what rules are being enforced.

How do Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins work at Crown Coins?

Crown Coins is an online sweepstakes casino. It looks and feels like many popular real money casinos, yet it has some key differences that allow it to legally operate throughout most of the country.

Like all other sweeps platforms, Crown Coins uses a dual-currency system. It offers players Crown Coins (commonly referred to as Gold Coins), which are used to play games for fun. Crown Coins never can be redeemed for real money.

Sweeps Coins also can be used to play games at Crown Coins. These are unique, as they can be redeemed for prizes, including gift cards and real money.

Crown Coins rewards its players with Crown Coins and Sweeps Coins daily.

Top online slot at Crown Coins this Mother’s Day weekend

Crown Coins is a world-class online sweepstakes casino with more than 220 games in its library.

This is a slots-only platform. Fortunately, it offers a huge number of high RTP slots from some of the top developers in the industry.

I have spent time looking over all of the different slots available at Crown Coins. Below, I highlight the most exciting online slot available to play here this Mother’s Day weekend:

Hot Pepper

Many of the most popular online slots available to play at Crown Coins were developed by Pragmatic Play. Hot Pepper is one of the best games from this developer and is an excellent option to play at Crown Coins this weekend.

This game features a 7×7 grid with seven paylines and a maximum payout of 10,000x on your wager.

Like several of the other online slots created by Pragmatic Play, Hot Pepper has a fun Mexican theme and soundtrack. The symbols match this theme and include piñatas, tacos and chilies.

Seven-reel online slots may seem intimidating to some new players. It turns out, Hot Pepper is extremely easy to understand.

Players are rewarded by landing matching symbols on paylines. The better the symbol, the bigger the payout.

As expected, this game has a number of fun bonus features. This includes random multipliers and free spins. Trigger the free spins bonus round, and you are awarded 12 free spins that can be used immediately to earn huge jackpots.

Those unique bonus features also have helped Hot Pepper turn into one of the most popular real money slots offered by several major online casinos.

This is a fun game that beginners and experienced slot players will enjoy. Check it out this weekend and see for yourself why it has become such a hit with players around the country.

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Huntsville schools file motion for partial release from 62-year-old desegregation case

Huntsville City Schools filed for partial release from its federal court desegregation order on Friday.

It faces no opposition from the Department of Justice.

“The District has met its desegregation obligations with respect to faculty and staff, extracurricular activities,” the DOJ said in a statement released on the school district website.

The district is seeking to remove federal supervision over faculty and staff, activities and facilities.

“This is a proud and affirming moment for Huntsville City Schools,” Superintendent Clarence Sutton said. “This acknowledgment of our progress speaks volumes about our district’s commitment to student success.”

The DOJ filed a motion Friday that confirms to the judge that they are ok with the partial relief from the consent order in those specific areas.

“At this time, the United States is not aware of any ongoing concerns or allegations of racial discrimination in any of the areas in which the District seeks to be released from federal supervision,” the DOJ stated. “For these reasons, and for the reasons set forth above, the United States has concluded that the District has met its desegregation obligations with respect to faculty and staff, extracurricular activities, and facilities and does not oppose the District’s motion for a declaration of partial unitary status and release from federal supervision in these areas.”

The motion comes a couple of months after the 62nd anniversary of a lawsuit filed by parents – including Sonnie Hereford – of five Huntsville public school students seeking the right to be enrolled in schools operated by Huntsville on a nonsegregated basis. On Sept. 2, 1970, the federal court entered an order requiring “a plan for a unitary school system not based on race which meets the requirements of law,” according to a court document. Since then, the federal court has overseen and has had to approve certain operations of the system, including construction and zoning.

The release would mean the Huntsville City Schools Board of Education “has done what it said it would do in the desegregation case related to these three factors,” school board attorney Christopher Pape said earlier this year.

The motion does not affect current faculty, staff, students, activities or the district’s 10-year, $60 million capital plan. The federal judge overseeing the case approved the capital plan last September.

A partial release also would not mean the end of the case.

To resolve its desegregation case, the board must prove that it has eliminated the remnants of segregation to the extent practical and that it has complied with the court’s desegregation orders in good faith.

Partial release “would narrow the scope of the case considerably,” Pape said. Student assignments, equity access to course offerings and student discipline areas would remain under federal supervision.

Pape also said the granting of the motion “does not mean the school system is immune from all other future lawsuits.”

“It doesn’t mean the school system can’t be sued under various federal laws related to discrimination and harassment,” he said.

For more information on the desegregation efforts, visit: Motion for Release from Federal Supervision as to Staff, Facilities, & Extracurricular Activities | Huntsville City Schools

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Alabama Republican defends Senate Democrat facing mental health questions: ‘It’s a complete disgrace’

U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., has taken to social media to publicly defend a Democrat senator with whom she is friends.

Britt posted on X in support of Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., denouncing what she called “agenda driven members of the media.”

Fetterman, she said, is “a tremendous friend and colleague.

“It’s a complete disgrace what agenda-driven members of the media and his own party are doing to attack him, all because he dares to be an independent thinker and voice. Proud to stand with John.”

Fetterman has been at the center of headlines questioning his mental health and his tendencies to work with Republicans during President Donald Trump’s current tenure.

Fetterman and Britt have built a relationship over the last three years after both entering Congress as freshmen in 2022.

According to the Associated Press, last week Fetterman went into an outburst during a meeting repeatedly question why “everybody is mad at me,” “why does everyone hate me, what did I ever do.”

This came a day before a New York Magazine article where former staff and political advisers to Fetterman questioned how fit he was mentally.

Fetterman has also been criticized by Democrats for cooperating with Republicans and going outside conventional Democratic thought.

“He has separated himself from many of his fellow Democrats on Israel policy and argued at times that his party needs to work with, not against, Trump,” the Associated Press said. “He met with Trump and Trump’s nominees — and voted for some — when other Democrats wouldn’t.”

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General

AHSAA baseball roundup: Enterprise, Leroy advance to state finals

No. 3-ranked Enterprise scored 5 runs in the fifth inning to break open a close game and cruised to a 10-2 win Friday and a sweep of No. 5 Fairhope in the Class 7A state semifinals.

The Wildcats improved to 34-1 and will play either Bob Jones or Tuscaloosa County in the Class 7A championship series next week. Game 1 is scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday at Oxford’s Choccolocco Park. The series will conclude with Games 2 and 3, if necessary, at 4 p.m. Friday at Jacksonville State.

Walker Turner drove in 3 runs for Enterprise. Brady Richardson was 2-for-5 with 2 RBIs and a run scored. Brady Cavanaugh was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run score and a pair of walks.

Davis Shiver pitched a complete game, allowing 6 hits and 2 runs. He struck out 2 and walked 2. Will Sparks took the loss for Fairhope (31-12).

Rock Gearhart went 2-for-2 with a homer for the Pirates.

Enterprise’s only loss was an 11-10 decision against Providence Christian on March 20.

CLASS 1A

Leroy 12, Brantley 5

Leroy earned a spot in the state finals by taking advantage of 7 Brantley errors – 4 in the third inning – to wrap up the Game 3 win on the road.

Leading 2-0 headed into the third, the fifth-ranked Bulldogs (22-5) self-destructed. Brantley committed 4 errors and hit a batter as Leroy (28-11) sent nine hitters to the plate and scored 4 runs.

The Bears added 2 runs in the top of the fourth, again with some help from Brantley miscues. Jason Byrd led off with a walk on a 3-2 count, took second on an error and stole third before Jace Sellers walked, took second on a wild pitch. Byrd and Sellers scored on another error for a 6-2 Leroy lead.

Brantley scratched back 2 runs in the bottom of the inning. Andrew Kilpatrick led off with a walk before Reese Odom had a 1-out double. After another walk, Kevin Freeman brought Kilpatrick home on a fielder’s choice. Cooper Layton singled home Odom to bring the Bulldogs within 6-4.

Leroy pushed across 2 more in the top of the fifth as Colt Glen walked, took second when John Foster reached on an error and scored on a single by Gabriel Posey. Byrd bunted Foster home for the 8-4 advantage.

In the bottom of the fifth, Tyler Carter led off with a triple and scored an out later on Kilpatrick’s double.

The Bears scored 4 runs in the top of the seventh on a single, three hit batsmen and a walk.

Brantley outhit the Bears 11-5, but hit 4 batters and walked 5 in the loss.

Posey was 2-for-4 for Leroy and Sawyer Sullivan, Glen and Byrd also had singles. Keegan Giles picked up the complete-game win, allowing 5 runs – 4 earned – with 8 strikeouts and a walk.

Brantley starter Jon Kilcrease took the loss, giving up 9 runs – 2 earned – on 5 hits with 6 strikeouts and 4 walks. Colton Searcy gave up 2 runs in relief before Asa Blackmon allowed a run and walked a batter to end the game.

Leroy had edged the Bulldogs 8-7 in the opener on Thursday before Brantley won the doubleheader nightcap 4-2.

Leroy will face Hackleburg in the state championship series next week.

This post will be updated

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When do Saban, Barkley, DeBoer, Freeze, others tee off in Regions Pro-Am golf tournament?

Tee times have been announced for the annual Regions Tradition Celebrity Pro-Am golf tournament, which takes place Wednesday at Greystone Golf and Country Club in Birmingham.

Former Alabama football coach Nick Saban will play in a group that also includes Auburn legend Charles Barkley. Current Crimson Tide coaches Kalen DeBoer and Nate Oats, Tigers coach Hugh Freeze, UAB’s Trent Dilfer, Sen. Tommy Tuberville and Auburn legend Bo Jackson will also participate in the event.

The Celebrity Pro-Am is part of the annual Regions Tradition Champions Tour event, which runs from Thursday-Sunday (May 15-18) at Greystone’s Founders Course. Doug Barron is the defending champion in an event that is considered one of five senior “major” tournaments by the PGA.

Tickets for the Pro-Am are on sale for $30 each at regionstradition.com. Children 15-and-under get in free.

Here’s a full list of Pro-Am tee times (all times Central):

No. 1 tee

7:10 a.m.

Trent Dilfer, Kenny Perry (pro)

7:50 a.m.

Nate Oats, Steve Stricker (pro)

8 a.m.

Bo Jackson, Darren Clarke (pro)

8:10 a.m.

Hugh Freeze, David Toms (pro)

8:20 a.m.

Kirby Smart, Greg Sankey, Davis Love III (pro)

8:30 a.m.

Greg McElroy, AJ McCarron, Taylor Hicks, Tom Lehman (pro)

8:40 a.m.

Kalen DeBoer, Ernie Els (pro)

8:50 a.m.

Nick Saban, Charles Barkley, Stewart Cink (pro)

9 a.m.

Riley Green, Jamey Johnson, Tommy Tuberville, John Daly (pro)

12:40 p.m.

Daryl Johnston, Corey Pavin (pro)

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Class 5A boys soccer: A.J. Shumate lifts Guntersville past Indian Springs

The Class 5A state championship was scoreless for most of Friday.

It took one of the best players in the state’s history just moments to change that.

A pair of late goals within 43 seconds of each other from A.J. Shumate lifted Class 5A No. 1 Guntersville to a 2-0 victory over No. 2 Indian Springs, giving the Wildcats their fourth state championship in program history.

“We won’t go away,” he said of his team. “We went to overtime in our first two rounds for the playoffs, and my boys never quit. We have lots of talent. These seniors are different. I couldn’t ask for a better group of boys to play with.

“They always believe in me, and I always believe in them. My back line, my midfield, my strikers, my wingers. I’m so thankful that I would never, ever trade them for the world.”

The scoring for Shumate — which came in the second half with the clock at 10:36 and 9:53 — added to a state-record 212 career goals.

He also had a hat trick in a 5-1 win over Marshall County foe Boaz in the state semifinals on Wednesday and finished the season with 50 goals, which ranks 19th in AHSAA history for a single season. His 61 goals in 2024 ranks seventh.

“It’s a wild number,” he said of his goals. “I knew I had a chance to get in seventh grade, but it’s always a goal I reached for, but I never thought it’d be this far.”

Guntersville coach Zach Ross said the pair of goals from Shumate within less than a minute of each other was “insane.”

“He works hard, he’s humble, he doesn’t talk about me, me, me,” the coach said. “He would have given all 50-something goals that he had this season for that ring, and luckily he didn’t have to. Luckily, he won it anyway.

“He’s just such a hard-working kid. We’re going to miss him so much; just a phenomenal, phenomenal player.”

The victory for Guntersville marked the program’s first state title since 2016, when the Wildcats claimed what was the Class 4A-5A championship.

With last year ending with a loss to Gulf Shores in the Class 5A state championship game, Ross said it’s a testament to how hard his group works and how the players buy into the culture.

“I was born and raised in this town, and it’s a special place,” Ross said. “Moving back there and getting the opportunity to coach this program there, it’s easy. Sometimes, you have to grind out, you have to work hard, but it’s easy because the saying is that there’s something special in the water. There’s something special in the water. In Guntersville, we have a lot of water.”

“It’s easy when you have kids like this.”

Brandon Manganaris logged 6 shots in the victory while Slaide Mohr had 4 saves and a clean sheet at goalkeeper for the Wildcats. Hunter Holdsambeck had an assist in the win.

Indian Springs’ Alex Hage had 4 shots to lead the team, while three other players had a shot apiece.

There’s plenty that will be remembered for Ross from this year’s standout season, but his team’s hard work will be the intangible that sticks out the most for his Wildcats.

“People don’t see the work that we put in December, January, February, preparing for the season,” he said. “They’re running 6, 7 miles a day, and not just running out in the neighborhood 6 miles. They’re running sprints, they’re doing burpees, they’re running stadiums, they’re running long distance. They put in so much work to get back here. I’m at a little bit of a loss for words.”

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General

Former Decatur police officer facing murder charge accuses judge of ‘gross abuse of discretion’

A former Alabama police officer who shot an armed Black man is trying to win back his claim to self-defense before his upcoming murder trial, and appealed a judge’s pretrial decision as a “gross abuse of discretion.”

The appeal hinges on Alabama’s “ stand your ground ” law, which grants immunity from prosecution to anyone who uses deadly force as long as they reasonably believe they’re in danger and are somewhere they’re rightfully allowed to be.

Mac Marquette, 25, is charged with murder in the fatal shooting of Steve Perkins shortly before 2 a.m. in September 2023. Marquette and two other officers were accompanying a tow-truck driver to repossess Perkins’ pickup truck at his home in Decatur. When Perkins emerged from his house with a gun, Marquette fired 18 bullets less than two seconds after identifying himself as law enforcement, according to body camera footage.

Court documents filed on Thursday said the judge erroneously ruled against Marquette based on his assessment that Marquette didn’t sufficiently prove he had a right to be on Perkins’ property. Alabama allows judges to determine if someone acted in self defense before a case goes to trial.

The judge said Alabama law requires a court order for law enforcement to be involved in a vehicle repossession — which the officers didn’t have.

Marquette’s lawyers say the judge should have given more weight to the fact that Perkins pointed his gun at the officer before he was shot. They say Marquette reasonably felt that running away from Perkins would’ve put him in more danger than standing his ground.

The defense also says the officers had a legitimate reason to be there, based on the “custom, pattern, and practice of the Decatur Police Department” and because their supervisor authorized it.

Both officers who were with Marquette testified they weren’t there to assist in the repossession, but were instead there to “keep the peace” and to “investigate” Perkins for pulling a gun on the tow-truck driver in an earlier repossession attempt.

The state agent who investigated Perkins’ death testified in March that the way that the officers set up wasn’t standard for either of those tasks, but also said that Marquette had a reason to fear for his life.

All parties in the case are prohibited from speaking to the media.

The hearing comes on the heels of two years of intense protest about Perkins’ death in the northern Alabama city of approximately 60,000 people. A Black man experiencing a mental health crisis died in Decatur Police Department custody in April. Body camera footage showing police officers punching and tasing him repeatedly reignited debate over police misconduct in the area.

Marquette’s attorneys requested a postponement of the trial originally set for June, and a chance to present oral arguments in front of the Alabama Criminal Court of Appeals.

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‘Dangerous stretch’ of Huntsville area highway among $40 million new state road projects

A dangerous Huntsville area intersection is among $40 million in new state road projects, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced on Friday.

“Limestone County intersection improvements are on the way for State Route 53 and Pinedale Road,” Ivey said of the intersection in Ardmore. “I don’t have to tell anyone here that that spot has been a safety concern and traffic headache for quite some time.”

State Rep. Andy Whitt said the intersection on the state highway that runs from the Tennessee state line into Huntsville has been the site of numerous fatalities and injuries, including an accident recently involving a Greyhound bus.

“This is a dangerous stretch of 53,” Whitt said. “We have drivers coming out of Tennessee. There are speed issues and turning lane issues.”

The $1.25 million project is one of 24 projects selected this year for funding through the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program-II (ATRIP-II), a program created in 2019 by the Rebuild Alabama Act. The Rebuild Alabama Act requires ATRIP-II to be an annual program setting aside a minimum of $30 million off the top of the Alabama Department of Transportation’s share of new gas tax revenue for projects of local interest on the state highway system.

State Sen. Tim Melson said he, Whitt and other lawmakers took criticism for passing the gas tax proposed by Ivey. But he said projects like the one at State Route 53 and Pinedale Road would not be possible without it.

“These improvements aren’t happening by accident,” Ivey added. “They’re happening because we worked together to pass a smart, responsible infrastructure plan and we’ve stuck to it. This project is a perfect example of what Rebuild Alabama was created to do.”

As for the project itself, ALDOT North Region Engineer Curtis Vincent said turn lanes will be constructed at the intersection on the heavily traveled road into Huntsville.

He said the work “will make the intersection safer and more efficient for the traffic.”

“Preliminary engineering has been authorized,” Vincent said. “Surveying has begun. ALDOT will design this project in house.”

ALDOT spokesman Seth Burkett said actual construction at the intersection could start within two years. He said speeding up the timeline is the fact that most, if not all, of the work will be done within the existing state right-of-way.

Vincent also said the intersection project joins a couple of other ALDOT projects on State Route 53.

He said a more than $4 million project in Madison County is nearing completion. The project involves improvements, including turn lanes and signals, on State Route 53 at Old Railroad Bed Road and Harvest Road.

 “The contractor, the Rogers Group, will soon begin final paving, which will be followed by permanent striping and markings,” Vincent said. “Hopefully all will be wrapped up within five to six weeks.”

He said utility relocation is underway for widening State Route 53 from Taurus Drive to Harvest Road.

“Overhead electric lines have been moved. Water and telecoms are being moved as we speak,” Vincent said. “Later this year, we will let the construction project, estimated to cost between $8 million and $10 million to convert more than one mile of this corridor to a five-lane highway.”

“Oftentimes these improvements are costly and take time,” Whitt added.

“When we passed the Rebuild Alabama Act, I made a promise that every single county, all 67 of them, would benefit,” Ivey said. “I’m proud to report that promise has been kept. More than 350 roads and bridge projects have been funded to date touching every corner of the state.”

Other Huntsville-area projects

• Access management improvements will be made on U.S. 72 at Liberty Lane and Micah Way in Scottsboro with $1.1 million in state funds and $251,000 in local funds.
• There will be intersection improvements and a realignment of Litte Cove Road, including turn lanes, at U.S. 72 in Gurley with $7.4 million in state funds and $2 million in local funds.
• There will be intersection improvements at U.S. 431 at Wyeth Drive, Webb Avenue and Spring Creek Drive in Guntersville with $1.9 million in state funds and $144,000 in local funds.
• Intersection improvements will be made at State Route 24 and South Greenway Drive in Trinity with $770,000 in state funds.

For more information about the ATRIP-II Program, visit https://www.dot.state.al.us/programs/ATRIPII.html

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General

‘He was coming to kill me’: Jury deciding murder case involving ex-Alabama player

Michael Davis testified that he feared he was about to be killed when he fired into a Jeep near the Strip in Tuscaloosa two years ago.

Testifying in his own defense Friday, Davis told a jury in Tuscaloosa he acted in self-defense because he saw Cedric Johnson had a gun during a dispute between the two.

“I didn’t want my friends to be in danger, so I had to go get him before he got me,” Davis testified.

But Davis didn’t shoot Johnson during the early morning hours of Jan 15, 2023. Instead the fatal shot hit Jamea Harris, Johnson’s 23-year-old girlfriend and mother of his child who was also in the Jeep.

The jury in Tuscaloosa is currently deciding whether to find Davis guilty of capital murder or manslaughter, or whether he acted in self-defense and should go free. Deliberations began at about 3:30 p.m. If a verdict is not reached by 5 p.m., the deliberations will continue Monday.

The prosecution and defense have argued differently as to who shot first: Davis or Johnson. John Robbins, attorney for Davis, has argued that Johnson shot first and Davis returned fire “acting in self-defense” after a dispute. Johnson, and the prosecution, have disputed that in court, saying Davis shot first.

“This was a cold-blooded ambush,” said prosecutor Paula Whitley during closing arguments.

No matter who shot first, it’s undisputed that Davis exchanged gunfire with Johnson on Jan. 15, 2023.

“My client acted reasonable under the circumstances that morning,” Robbins said in his closing arguments.

Davis suffered a gunshot wound to his right shoulder. Johnson was not hit.

The jury had not heard direct testimony from Davis until Friday.

But on Thursday the jury watched video of Davis talking to the police on Jan. 15, 2023, just hours after Harris died. During the interrogation more than two years ago, Davis told an investigator he didn’t remember how he got shot in his right shoulder and “no I wasn’t shooting at nobody.”

Also charged with capital murder is Davis’ friend Darius Miles, who was on the Alabama men’s basketball team at the time. The gun belonged to Miles. Mary Turner, Miles’ attorney, has previously stated in court that Miles provided the gun to Davis for protection. Davis was not affiliated with the team. Miles, who was removed from the team after his arrest, does not yet have a trial date set.

Read more: Texts between Brandon Miller, Darius Miles before fatal shooting revealed in capital murder trial

The defense decided to put Davis on the stand after Judge Daniel Pruet said he had not heard enough evidence to include self-defense as a possible reason for the jury to find Davis not guilty. Despite objections from prosecutors, Pruet agreed to let the jury consider self-defense after Davis testified.

Davis, Miles and Jaden Bradley, who was also a member of the Alabama men’s basketball team at the time, all left Twelve25 sports bar together on the Strip the night of Jan. 14, 2023. Shortly after, Davis started dancing to the front left of the Jeep parked at the stop sign with its hazard lights flashing.

Davis and Johnson had a confrontation at the Jeep at the intersection of Grace Street and University Boulevard.

About 10 minutes later, when the Jeep that carried Johnson, Harris and her cousin Asia Humphrey, was driving in the direction of Davis with its headlights turned off, Davis took that to mean Johnson was “ready to do a drive-by or shoot me” and “he was coming to kill me or anyone I was with,” Davis testified.

Why was Davis dancing in that moment?

“I was having a good time and there was good music playing,” Davis testified.

Then, Davis said a “a dude” rolled down the window of the Jeep and said something. Testimony and video evidence this week from earlier in the trial have identified that person as Johnson in the backseat.

Davis responded, “What?”

Here’s how the conversation played out from there, according to Davis.

“Brother, they’re good,” Johnson said.

“Bro I don’t want your girl,” Davis replied.

Davis said a couple words were said. Johnson testified earlier in the week that Davis said his name is Buzz and he “whacks people” but Davis testified he did not say that.

Davis did say, however, he called Johnson out to have a fight.

“A fist-fight,” Davis testified. “A regular fight.”

But Davis testified that did not mean with weapons. Though, Davis said he saw Johnson had a gun.

“I had seen him move his arm” to the passenger side of the vehicle, Davis testified. Davis said “yes” when asked if that concerned him.

Bradley and Miles had to pull Davis away from the Jeep, per Bradley‘s testimony earlier in the week. Then they walked to Bradley‘s two-door Dodge Challenger. Miles got in the car with Bradley, but Davis did not.

Bradley testified Davis went back to “look for the Jeep” and that Davis was “worried about the Jeep.”

Davis walked back to Grace Street, where he met up with Skylar Essex, Miles’ girlfriend. She had texted him telling Davis some women were fighting. Davis testified he liked one of them, so he wanted to make sure things were OK.

When he got there, he asked Essex where the Jeep was.

“I was worried,” Davis testified Friday.

Why?

“I had just got into it with the guy and he had a weapon,” Davis said.

Davis said he did not refuse to get into the car with Bradley and Miles. He said there was no room. Davis said he went back to Grace Street because he got that message from Essex.

“I did not go to look for the Jeep,” Davis testified.

The prosecution asked Davis then if that meant Bradley was lying in his testimony that Davis went to look for the Jeep.

“I do not recall that,” Davis testified.

After Davis got the gun shortly after from Miles, Davis went back behind a building.

“I had to go hide before (Johnson) could do anything to me,” Davis testified.

Davis can be seen on video running up from behind the Jeep on Grace Street to the driver’s side window. Davis testified the window was already down when he got there. He also noticed Johnson “had his gun.”

“When I was (going to) shoot my gun, he shot me in my shoulder,” Davis said.

After the shooting, Davis testified Miles and Essex picked him up and they went straight back to the apartment complex where they met up before heading to the Strip.

Davis said he didn’t go look for the police.

“I’m just scared of the police,” Davis said. “I don’t know how Alabama is.”

Davis was also asked what he did with the gun.

“I gave it back to Darius Miles,” Davis said. “I don’t know what he did with the gun. I just gave it to him.”

Police investigator Branden Culpepper testified earlier this week that the gun was found at the apartment where the group went before and after the time on the Strip. The gun was in a closet, in a drawer, wrapped in a Gatorade towel.

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.

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Class 4A boys soccer: Westminster-Oak Mountain beats Oneonta, wins 1st title since 2018

Westminster-Oak Mountain coach Cody Baxter walked toward his bench after on-field interviews with reporters and was met by senior Aiden Gamble, who handed him the championship trophy.

“It’s yours,” Gamble said.

“It’s blue this time,” Baxter replied.

The Knights finally hoisted the Blue Map on Friday, following a state semifinal loss in 2023 and a championship game loss in 2024. Back at John Hunt Park for the third straight season, Baxter, Gamble and company earned a 6-0 victory over Oneonta in the Class 4A championship game.

“Now, here we are and we get to take it home,” Baxter said.

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Oneonta (12-5-2) fell one win shy of earning its first boys soccer state title.

The Knights (20-5-1) scored twice in span of 2:40 early in the first half, built a 4-0 halftime lead and cruised to victory.

Tournament MVP Charlie Krulak scored three goals and added an assist, and Gamble added two goals. Luke Likens scored the final goal with two seconds remaining on an assist from David Bean. Jacob Dover and Likens also contributed an assist apiece.

Westminster goalkeeper Sam Carter made three saves and earned the shutout.

“We were going to be aggressive and go after it,” Baxter said.

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Westminster outshot Oneonta 31-9, as Redskins goalkeeper William Espinoza made 10 saves. Oneonta did not have a corner kick.

Westminster won its first Class 4A title, having won Class 1A-3A titles in 2015 and 2018.

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