Rock Hill murder defendant is his own lawyer; former girlfriend testifies she saw him shoot

Keenan Miller started trial Tuesday at the Moss Justice Center in York County, serving as his own lawyer.

He’s neither formally trained nor licensed.

Miller, 22 and a convicted felon, was on probation when what prosecutors are calling a “broad daylight shootout” rocked Keels Avenue in Rock Hill on March 4, 2016. One teen died, and another man was wounded.

Miller is charged with the murder of Jarrius Harding, 18, who died in the shootout.

Minutes into the trial, the first witness for the prosecution, Miller’s former girlfriend, said she loved him. She then said Miller shot at a car with three men in it because Miller said the men were “the enemy.” The witness testified she knows all this for a good reason: she was sitting next to Miller when he shot at the men.

Of the gun, a 45-caliber semi-automatic handgun, the former girlfriend testified: “He propped it up on the windowsill (of the car) and started shooting.”

The Herald is not naming the former girlfriend because of safety concerns expressed by court officials.

The former girlfriend said she initially lied when she told police she was not at the scene. She said she’s now telling the truth.

Miller cross-examined his former girlfriend.

He asked her about her state of mind that morning on March 4, 2016, when he had played basketball and the two had gone to two parks.

“You was good – happy, right?” Miller asked.

The former girlfriend said yes.

“When did your feelings change?” Miller asked.

“When you shot at the car,” the former girlfriend testified.

Miller calmly asked asked if the Rock Hill Police Department officers forced her to make a statement against him, and the former girlfriend quickly said “no.”

Miller then asked her if she recalled seeing a man get in the other car on Keels Avenue. She said she thought in March 2016 that “the guy looked like he was up to no good.”

Miller, who was driving the former girlfriend’s car that day, stopped near the other car on Keels Avenue, the former girlfriend testified. Miller asked the girlfriend if she remembered when “our car” stopped.

The former girlfriend testified plainly: “When you tried to shoot them.”

Previous court hearings have alleged “bad blood” between Miller and the victims but prosecutors have not elaborated.

Miller is charged with Harding’s murder, although prosecutors concede it was Harding’s own friend in the “other car” who fired the fatal bullet. Harding, Quintonio Porter and another man were in the second car when Miller began firing at them, 16th Circuit Senior Assistant Solicitor Chris Epting during Tuesday’s opening statements.

“The victims were staring down the barrel of a gun” that Miller was firing, Epting said.

Porter was wounded and shot Harding in the head as Harding tried to avoid bullets from Miller’s gun, Epting said. Miller is charged with murder because Miller’s actions are responsible for Harding’s death, Epting said.

A judge had earlier warned Miller that acting as his own lawyer is fraught with peril, but Miller fired his lawyers in August.

Court documents show that Miller is claiming self-defense. Miller said Tuesday in his opening statement he expects to testify on his own behalf.

The opening statement from Miller came Tuesday. Miller was calm in front of the jury, and his demeanor was quiet. So quiet, that Judge John C. Hayes III told Miller he was welcome to “speak up so the jury can hear you.”

“I’m here to respond to the charges, Miller told jurors. “I hope y’all can hear me. ... All I am asking for is justice. Once the evidence is presented, I hope everyone has enough evidence” to see that what prosecutors are saying is “not entirely true. ... I am not asking for special favors.”

The trial is expected to continue Wednesday and last most of the week.

This story was originally published October 31, 2017 at 3:46 PM with the headline "Rock Hill murder defendant is his own lawyer; former girlfriend testifies she saw him shoot."