C-Murder case overturned; to be out on bail Monday

[DarkMan]

The Louisiana Supreme Court has overturned Corey "C-Murder" Miller's murder conviction yesterday (Mar. 10) and the rapper could be free on bond as early as Monday, according to his lawyer.

Miller was convicted of second-degree murder in the shooting death of 16-year-old Steven Thomas. Thomas was shot in the chest after an argument inside of the Platinum Club in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana in January 2002.

Over 300 people were inside of the club on the night of the shooting, and several witnesses identified Miller as the shooter.

Miller was charged with second-degree murder and was ordered held on $2 million dollars bond. He pleaded not guilty, but his bond was revoked, after authorities claimed he bribed two Jefferson Parish officers to smuggle in a cell phone and charger into prison.

Prosecutors claimed Miller used the phone to communicate with friends in attempt to harm or intimidate witnesses in the trial.

Miller pleaded not guilty and went to trial in Sept. of 2003. He was convicted of second-degree murder, which carries a mandatory life sentence. Several witnesses for the prosecution offered testimony identifying Miller as the shooter.

At a Dec. 2003 hearing to appeal the verdict, a woman that testified for the prosecution revealed she did not actually see Miller shoot the Thomas. She also said she witnessed another man with a gun moments before the shooting.

The woman said she witnessed another man known as "Calliope Slim" brandishing a gun just before Thomas was gunned down.

She testified she told Jefferson Parish detectives about Calliope Slim before the trial. The information was never brought up during the trial, along with other information that may have led to Miller's acquittal.

It was also revealed that detectives cleared parking tickets and a felony theft arrest warrant for one of the witnesses friends, in exchange for testimony.

The defense argued the withheld evidence cast doubt on the credibility of the witnesses and the prosecutions case.

In 2004, Judge Sassone agreed with Miller's defense team, and ordered a new trial.

Prosecutors appealed Sassone's ruling and in March of 2005, two of three judges on the 5th Circuit Court of Appeal disagreed with Sassone's ruling and upheld the second-degree murder conviction.

In Feb. 2006, Miller filed a request with the Louisiana Supreme Court, which has granted the rapper a new trial,

It is now up to the prosecution to decide if they will retry Miller for second-degree murder. Representatives for the District Attorney did not offer comment on the Louisiana Supreme Court's ruling.

Source: All Hip Hop