C-Murder and his defense team got some bad news on Thursday when a state appellate court in Louisiana overturned a decision that had granted the imprisoned rapper a new murder trial.
C-Murder, born Corey Miller, was convicted of second-degree murder in the 2002 shooting death of 16-year-old Steve Thomas at the Platinum Club in Harvey, Louisiana (see "C-Murder Found Guilty Of Second-Degree Murder, Receives Life Sentence"). His 2003 conviction had been overturned last April when a district judge agreed with the defense's charge that prosecutors had not disclosed enough information about the witnesses' criminal records or the special deals brokered with them in exchange for testimony against C-Murder (see "C-Murder Granted New Trial In Second-Degree Murder Case").
Unfortunately for Miller, not all three judges on the panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in Gretna, Louisiana, came to that same conclusion. The Associated Press reports that two judges wrote in their opinion that, omitting the testimony of the witnesses, "There was an abundance of other evidence which fully established Miller's guilt."
Even though the verdict of the trial judge stands right now, there may still be another appeal from Miller's defense attorney, according to the AP. Thursday's decision means that a sentencing for Miller, who faces a mandatory term of life in prison without parole, is imminent.
Also looming is the release of C-Murder's new album, The Truest Sh-- I Ever Said, due March 22. Miller, the younger brother of Master P, created the record by recording his lyrics on a portable device his lawyer brought to their weekly meetings.
In February, a squabble broke out over a music video for the album when it was discovered that it was partially made by the artist from behind bars without the permission of authorities (see "Sheriff Scrutinizes C-Murder's Lawyer As Video Flap Continues").
— Carolyn E. Davis
C-Murder, born Corey Miller, was convicted of second-degree murder in the 2002 shooting death of 16-year-old Steve Thomas at the Platinum Club in Harvey, Louisiana (see "C-Murder Found Guilty Of Second-Degree Murder, Receives Life Sentence"). His 2003 conviction had been overturned last April when a district judge agreed with the defense's charge that prosecutors had not disclosed enough information about the witnesses' criminal records or the special deals brokered with them in exchange for testimony against C-Murder (see "C-Murder Granted New Trial In Second-Degree Murder Case").
Unfortunately for Miller, not all three judges on the panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in Gretna, Louisiana, came to that same conclusion. The Associated Press reports that two judges wrote in their opinion that, omitting the testimony of the witnesses, "There was an abundance of other evidence which fully established Miller's guilt."
Even though the verdict of the trial judge stands right now, there may still be another appeal from Miller's defense attorney, according to the AP. Thursday's decision means that a sentencing for Miller, who faces a mandatory term of life in prison without parole, is imminent.
Also looming is the release of C-Murder's new album, The Truest Sh-- I Ever Said, due March 22. Miller, the younger brother of Master P, created the record by recording his lyrics on a portable device his lawyer brought to their weekly meetings.
In February, a squabble broke out over a music video for the album when it was discovered that it was partially made by the artist from behind bars without the permission of authorities (see "Sheriff Scrutinizes C-Murder's Lawyer As Video Flap Continues").
— Carolyn E. Davis
