Slidell man found guilty in 2023 fatal parking lot shooting

SLIDELL, La. (WGNO) — A Slidell man has been found guilty of fatally shooting another man in an apartment complex parking lot in 2023.

The Office of District Attorney Collin Sims reported that 27-year-old Jamiel Miller was convicted of second-degree murder on Thursday, March 20.

Court documents state that Slidell police responded to a shooting at an apartment complex on June 25, 2023, where they found 26-year-old Tavante Williamson unresponsive with a gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

The district attorney’s office reported that a witness, identified as Miller’s girlfriend and Williamson’s former girlfriend, told police that she and Miller drove to Williamson’s apartment complex after he had called her to get two of her children.

At the apartment complex, Miller reportedly stayed in the driver’s seat of the car while the woman went to speak to Williamson.

Court documents state that Williamson and the woman got into an argument walking back to Miller’s car with her and Williamson’s children behind them after talking outside the apartment.

The argument continued into the parking lot as the woman stood near the passenger side door, Williamson stood near the driver’s side door and the children entered the back of the car.

According to court documents, Miller then took out a gun, pointed it out the driver’s side window and shot at Williamson multiple times while the argument continued, hitting him in his chest. Miller then reportedly ran from the scene.

During trial, the district attorney’s office reported that Miller’s defense claimed self-defense, as he “was fearful of Williamson due to previous altercations between the two.”

Court documents state that Miller also claimed he fired the gun to scare Williamson after initially stating that Williamson did not know he had the gun then changing his testimony to reflect that Williamson did see the gun.

The district attorney’s office also reported that Miller said he told Williamson to “stay away from him” before the shooting.

On Thursday, Miller was found guilty of second-degree murder and obstruction of justice after a two-hour jury deliberation.

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