Prosecutors Wants C-Murder Behind Bars

With a new judge presiding over Corey "C-Murder" Miller's case, Jefferson Parish prosecutors Monday renewed an effort to jail the rapper until his new trial on a murder charge and will argue next week to increase his bond.


During his first hearing in the case, Judge Hans Liljeberg of the 24th Judicial District ordered Miller to jail after hearing that Miller had violated the rules of his house arrest.

But Liljeberg rescinded his order about 10 minutes later, leaving Miller with this warning: "I will be looking for a reason to increase your bond," Liljeberg said. "So conduct yourself accordingly."

Meanwhile, Liljeberg set Miller's trial for April 20, noting that Monday is the seventh anniversary of the slaying for which the rapper is accused. Former Judge Martha Sassone late last year had set Monday as a trial status hearing, according to court records that later were changed to set Monday as the trial date.

T.I First Day Of Testifying On Murder Trial

C-Murder Gets A New Trial

Judge Martha Sassone Will Not Preside Over This Trial.
Signaling that she will not preside over the rapper's murder trial a second time, Judge Martha Sassone has set a January hearing in the Corey "C-Murder" Miller case, two weeks after her final day on the District Court bench in Gretna.

Sassone, who was lambasted during her failed bid for re-election for giving Miller preferential treatment, noted her decision Tuesday in the rapper's case file, effectively granting his attorney's request to postpone the trial.

Jefferson Parish School Board member Ellen Kovach, who handily defeated Sassone in the Nov. 4 runoff, has said she will recuse herself from the case when she joins the 24th Judicial District Court because of her criticism during the campaign of the incumbent's handling of Miller.
That means it could be weeks, if not months, before another jurist is selected to preside over the case.

Miller, 37, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Steve Thomas, 16, on Jan. 12, 2002, at a Harvey nightclub. He was convicted in 2003, but after a series of hearings, Sassone granted the rapper a new trial. If convicted again, Miller would face mandatory life in prison.