Capital murder suspect denies killing in botched drug deal

Co-defendants say Jai Lynn Jamaal Arnold fired fatal shot

SAN ANTONIO – Speaking from the Bexar County jail, where he is being held on capital murder charges, Jai Lynn Jamaal Arnold, 18, insisted that he is not a killer.

“I’m not somebody to shoot somebody,” Arnold said. “That’s just not me.”

Arnold’s co-defendants, all of whom are facing capital murder charges in the shooting death of Milton Miles, said Arnold fired the shots that killed Miles.

Arnold, three other men, a woman and a teenage girl had gone to Miles’ apartment on TWC Parkway on the night of Oct. 9 to buy marijuana, according to Arnold. He said that the group approached Miles’ apartment and the woman and teen knocked on the door.

“They knock and then I didn’t even get a chance to get to the door and then gunshots,” Arnold said.

“I don’t know what everyone else’s mindset was going into that situation, but I know my mindset was to, ‘Let’s get some bud and go home,’” Arnold said.

Arnold said he did not even have a gun and denied what the others told police.

“When people face a situation like this, of course the first thing is probably, ‘Nah, not me. Him,” he said.

Arnold said he doesn’t know who fired the gun,  but he knows he didn’t.

“I would never take someone’s life from them for no good reason, or at all, really,” he said. “I’ve never been a violent person.”

All six suspects are jailed and are facing capital murder charges.


About the Author:

Paul Venema is a courthouse reporter for KSAT with more than 25 years experience in the role.