C-Murder Makes Video While Jailed In Jefferson Parish
Rapper C-Murder, in jail awaiting a murder trial, has angered Jefferson Parish Sheriff Harry Lee with his plans to release a music video and compact disc, parts of which were recorded behind bars.
"I'm angry," Lee said. "I'm angry becasue I trusted people, and they sandbagged me."
The rapper, whose real name is Corey Miller, has been in the Jefferson Parish jail for more than three years, facing a second-degree murder charge in the killing of a 16-year-old inside a nightclub. He was found guilty in September 2003, but his conviction was thrown out in April 2004.
While awaiting his second trial, Miller has created a 17-song album set to be released March 22. An early version of a music video of the song "Y'all Heard of Me" shows Miller in jail, in an orange prison outfit, complaining that he and other poor black people are victims of racial profiling.
Lee said he had been unaware that the rapper had made music and video recordings from behind bars. Lee said he was tricked and the filming was done without his permission.The rapper's lawyer, Ron Rakosky, said the footage in the video was recorded by two film crews: one for Court TV, the other with a local cable-access show. Rakosky said both film crews received permission from the sheriff's office to interview Miller inside the jail.
"I called Mr. Rakosky today, and I said, 'I understand that you were there when this was going on,'" Lee said. "And he said, 'Yes, I was there.' And I said, 'Do you believe when I gave you permission to do the interview that I thought you were going to do a video?' And he said, 'I didn't think I needed your permission.'"
Lee said he plans to even the score.
"If there's some kind of way -- and we're researching that as we speak -- that if he makes some money from this, I may charge him rent," Lee said.
