Jurors in C-Murder‘s trial ended deliberations yesterday (August 10) after more than eight hours of deliberations.
The jury, which had been in deliberations since around noon, will reconvene today, according to wwltv.com.
Comprised of seven men and five women, the jury heard from 17 witnesses over the course of three days, all of whom described what happened on the night that C-Murder, real name Corey Miller, allegedly shot and killed 16-year-old Steve Thomas.
During closing arguments, prosecutor Shannon Swaim pleaded with the jury to ignore Miller‘s celebrity status.
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“This case is about a thug … a guy in a nightclub that shot a 16-year-old kid,” said Swaim. “The shooter is C-Murder. He snuck in with a gun and shot and killed him.”
Defense attorney Ron Rakosky contradicted the statement, saying that the prosecution’s witnesses provided inconsisten testimony. According to Rakosky, it was a “trial by wink, wink, nod, nod. You know he’s a thug. You know he’s guilty.”
In order for Miller to be found guilty of second-degree murder, 10 of 12 jurors must agree on the verdict, which carries a mandatory life sentence. Other possibilities are lesser charges of manslaughter or negligent homicide, which carry sentences of up to 40 years in prison and up to five years in prison, respectively.
In 2003, a Jefferson Parish jury found Miller guilty of second-degree murder; however, in 2004 a judge awarded the rapper a new trial because prosecutors failed to discloes the criminal histories of some witnesses.
