Rapper Corey “C-Murder” Miller was convicted of second-degree murder yesterday (August 11) for shooting 16-year-old Steve Thomas in 2002 during a nightclub brawl, according to The Huffington Post.
As previously reported, the Louisiana jury in the case was deadlocked at the end of its first day of deliberations. Yesterday, the group reached a 10-2 verdict in favor of convictions earlier in the day, but District Judge Hans Liljeberg ordered the jury back into deliberations.
Liljeberg contended that one of the jurors appeared to have changed her vote only to end deliberations. The initial invalid verdict lead defense attorney Ron Rakosky to move for a mistrial, saying that Liljeberg pressured the jury into reaching a decision.
Liljeberg denied the motion, saying, “I don’t think I pressured them at all. I told them if they could not reach a verdict to let me know.“
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Upon delivering the verdict, the entire courtroom was silent – heeding the judge’s warning that anyone who even gasped would be arrested.
Although the verdict was a favorable one for Steve Thomas‘ family, the deceased boy’s father wasn’t in a celebratory mood. “I’m not rejoicing. I feel bad for (Miller‘s) family. But at least they can see him. What have we got but a gravesite and a photograph.”
