Representatives for
Corey Miller, formerly known as C-Murder, have announced that inmates serving
time with the incarcerated rapper will hold a press conference via satellite to
discuss what they have dubbed “horror stories" while jailed at the
Jefferson Parish Correctional Center.
Miller is currently serving
a life sentence, after he was convicted in September of 2003 in the shooting
death of 16-year-old Steve Thomas, in a now defunct Jefferson Parish nightclub.
Miller lost a bid for a
retrial earlier this year, during the same period that he recorded an album,
The Truest S**t I Ever Said, from the Jefferson Parish Correctional
Center.
The album debuted at #1
on Billboard’s Independent chart. While doing press, Miller made allegations
that blacks and other prisoners were regularly discriminated against by prison
officials.
The video and album drew
the wrath of local authorities, including local jail Sheriff Harry Lee, who
objected to Miller recording the video and album while incarcerated.
Lee, who was condemned by
the Louisiana branch of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for making
racists statements in the late 1980’s, claimed that Miller was capitalizing
off of his alleged crime and vowed to crack down.
Shortly afterwards, Miller’s
attorney was barred from bringing pens in while visiting Miller, for fear that
writing utensils could be hollowed out and used to smuggle Miller’s lyrics out
of the jail.
“They used my jail,”
Lee told Picayune in February. “I think I’m entitled to some money.”
Shortly after the video
and album controversy, Miller lost his bid for a retrial and the rapper was
sentenced to life in prison.
Sources familiar with the
case told AllHipHop.com that it was a case of bad timing for Miller.
"If he would have waited
a few more weeks, at least until the hearing for his retrial came up, he would
have probably been granted a new trial," said the source, who wished to
remain anonymous. "He could have been a free man by now if he would have
just waited. The album didn’t help and right afterwards they sent him away for
life."
Miller’s lawyer said that
a judge reviewed the case and also found numerous inconsistencies in the trial.
"In the interest of
justice she [the Judge] ordered a new trial ultimately overturning his conviction,”
Miller’s lawyer Ron Rokosky said in April. “Even though this judge
acted properly, the Appellate Court is still denying Miller a new trial, which
has never been done before in the history of Louisiana law and is a clear violation
of Miller’s civil and constitutional rights."
Miller has been housed at
the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna, Louisiana, since being convicted
September 30, 2003.
The conference
will be held Thursday May 26th at the correctional facility.
