A US judge has again warned rap-type Corey Miller, aka C-Murder, that he's in danger of being sent back to prison to await his murder trial this summer, if he's not careful. Though for the time being he'll remain under house arrest.
The hip-hop star is, of course, due to go on trial for a second time for the killing of sixteen year old Steve Thomas, who died during a brawl at a Louisiana nightclub back in 2002. As much previously reported, Miller was originally convicted of the crime in September of 2003, but a second trial was granted because prosecutors had withheld information about key witnesses' criminal records in securing their conviction.
Anyway, that second trial is set to go ahead on 3 Aug, and Miller remains under house arrest in the interim, though he could be thrown back in jail if he breaches the terms of that arrest.
Prosecutors had brought a motion to end Miller's house arrest on two grounds: claims that he violated a gagging order by using a website to claim his innocence, and allegations that he has fraternised with a convicted felon.
On the latter point, it was one Rev Toris Young, who pleaded guilty to identity theft, who Miller was accused of associating with. He apparently attended a press conference outside the home of Miller's grandmother, where the rapper is confined. But Young testified this week that he was not on the property during the news conference, that he and Miller didn't know each other, and that they did not speak to each other.
On the former point, as previously reported, a website set up to raise funds to help Miller fight his legal battle carried an article, purportedly written by C-Murder himself, in which he claimed to be innocent. That was the gagging order breach. But a freelance writer, Brandy Clementin, has testified in court that it was she who wrote the letter from Miller's perspective, and that he had not been involved in the process. The website has been modified now to clarify the issue.
Having heard both testimonies, Judge Hans Liljeberg denied the prosecution's motion to send Miller back to the klink, but warned: "You're walking a tightrope right now, and I don't think you've fallen off the wrong side. But you're wobbling".
Liljeberg also refused that previously reported request by Miller's lawyer Ron Rakosky to withdraw from the case on the grounds that he's not been paid for three years. Rakosky said: "I don't want to withdraw from this case, but I've worked without compensation for three years. Not without substantial compensation, without any compensation". Liljeberg refused the request, saying that he didn't want a changeover to cause further delay. To help the attorney, the judge did tell Miller: "Me personally, I'd feel a lot better going to trial if my lawyer was paid". Which was helpful.