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A 2015 mugshot of Brandon Jamal Miller, 32
A man hopped from the second-floor balcony of the Jefferson County Courthouse in an apparent failed attempt to flee after a judge told him he’d be taken into custody April 13.
“Woah, mama,” said Judge John Stevens when he saw the alleged “serial runner’s” rap sheet.
Upon hearing he’d be taken into custody after a “drug patch issue” at about 9:30 a.m., Brandon Jamal Miller, 31, evaded bailiffs before leaping from the second-floor balcony inside the courthouse. He was tased and taken into custody just outside the courthouse.
According to information presented in court, Miller’s drug patch indicated the presence of cocaine in his system. His attorney, John West, told Judge Stevens that cocaine has “never” been his drug of choice. However, the judge quickly disproved that assertion by revealing multiple convictions for possession of cocaine.
In fact, a brief glance into Miller’s criminal history revealed a 58-page-long list of crimes and convictions. Miller’s “serial runner” status, as one lawyer referred to him, is partially evidenced by a 2015 Beaumont Police Department (BPD) news release.
According to the release, "on Wednesday, April 22, 2015, at 6:22 p.m., patrol officers were taking a report in the 1400 block of Roberts Street and heard several gunshots in the area of Roberts Park. Officers ran to the park and saw a male later identified as Brandon Miller (25-year-old Beaumont man) running through the park. Officers gave Miller verbal commands to stop running and show them his hands. Miller refused to stop and officers pursued him on foot. Miller ran west through the park towards a residence in the 1600 block of Prairie. He ran through the yard and threw a handgun in a trash can near the residence. He continued to run from officers on Prairie Street and was apprehended by officers on Avenue D.
"Miller was found to be in possession of crack cocaine and dispatch advised officers Miller had previous felony convictions.Miller told officers he was shooting dice at the park and got into an argument with another man over the game. The argument escalated and Miller said the other male struck him in the ear with a gun. Miller was taken to Baptist hospital to have his ear tended to and be medically cleared."