Rapper C-Murder is facing serious financial trouble as his upcoming murder trial looms, in addition to prosecutors renewed efforts to jail the rapper for allegedly violating a gag order.
In a bombshell announcement in court yesterday (April 20), C-Murder’s longtime attorney Ron Rakosky announced that he wants to withdraw as Miller’s attorney.
Rakosky successfully represented the rapper during his first trial in October 2003.
C-Murder, born Cory Miller, was originally convicted of shooting and killing 16-year-old Steve Thomas during an altercation in a now defunct Jefferson Parish nightclub in 2002.
He was immediately sentenced to a mandatory life sentence.
Thanks to Rakosky, the verdict was overturned in Louisiana Supreme Court in March of 2006, after it was proved that prosecutors expunged the records of several of their witnesses to bolster their credibility.
Yesterday, Rakosky said that C-Murder has not paid him for hundreds of hours in legal fees over the past three years.
According to the Times-Picayune, the attorney asked for permission to be removed from the murder trial, which is scheduled to go before a judge and jury in August.
C-Murder’s need to fund his murder trial may also send him back to jail for violating a gag order.
Prosecutors claim C-Murder used the website to indirectly proclaim his innocence.
“Let me finally take a moment to personally thank all of you for the outpour of love and support you have given me in the past seven difficult years, due to postponements and red tape,” the rapper’s website www.corymillerinnocencefund.com states. “When justice is delayed, then justice has been denied. Had this faulty Justice system been as slow arresting me as they have been in validating my innocence, it would’ve known they had ‘the wrong man’. As the evidence shows, ‘ I am innocent!…As my day in court approaches, my family and I pray and are confident I will be acquitted and cleared of all alleged incidents. When that day finally comes, we’ll be looking forward to celebrating with you in prayer. ”
A news conference the rapper recently held with Reverend Toris Young is also being scrutinized. The rapper participated in an anti-violence/crime rally last week.
Prosecutors say the gathering was a violation of C-Murder’s probation because of Rev. Young’s criminal past.
Three years ago, Young pleaded guilty to 11 felony counts of identity theft and access device fraud. Miller is prohibited from associating with felons.
C-Murder’s murder trial is slated to start on August 3.