Defense witnesses testify today in Davila court-martial

Family members of murdered soldier Timothy and Randy Miller are preparing for a day of testimony from the defense after a daylong hearing for the prosecution on Monday.

"Al the government witnesses went up yesterday," said Tami Gray, Timothy Miller's mother, who is in Washington for the court-martial of Spec. Ivette Davila.

On Monday Davila admitted to shooting the couple and taking their baby.

"It was really hard," Gray said Tuesday. "There was a lot of anger. It was pretty bad."

Under a plea deal, Davila would admit the murders but would not face the death penalty.

Family members testified about the loss of the Millers, especially that faced by their daughter Kassidy, who is 3 years old.

"We had 10 witnesses yesterday," she said. "It was really hard, especially having to face her. It wasn't good."

Gray said the family was hoping that Davila's admission would not be sufficient and that the case would go forward with the death penalty still in the cards.

"If she didn't say what she was supposed to say they would take that plea away," she said. "But after her admission, we met with prosecutors and they said it was accepted. There was a point where we were pretty angry."

Gray said the court did permit the family members to wear their white roses and purple ribbons in memory of the Millers.

"The whole family and all of their friends are in same motel," Gray said. "It's very emotional."

She said prosecutors are seeking life without parole at the sentencing hearing today.

"We're not going to stand for anything less," she said.

The hearings are expected to resume at 9 a.m. The length of time it takes will depend on the number of witnesses, Gray said.

Davila pleaded guilty to two counts of murder and a count of kidnapping in the March 2, 2008, murders. She admitted to shooting the two soldiers and kidnapping Kassidy Miller.

Timothy Miller was a 1998 graduate of Douglas High School.

Timothy Miller joined the military straight out of high school. He became an operating room specialist and served in the Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, where he met Randi, and then served in South Korea before being stationed at Fort Lewis in 2003.

Sgt. Randi Miller, from New Hampshire, graduated from George Washington University and became a lab technician for the Army. The couple married, moved to Washington, then went to Iraq.

In 2006, Timothy and Randi Miller served in the 47th Combat Support Hospital in Iraq. Timothy Miller earned the Army Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal and the Iraq Campaign Medal for his service.

On March 3, 2008, the Army posthumously promoted Miller to staff sergeant, a status that will be reflected on all military documents and his burial marker.