NAACP Backs C-Murder

The Baton Rouge, La., chapter of the NAACP has taken up the cause of rapper C-Murder, who recently lost an appeal of his murder conviction. The appeal was filed on the grounds that the artist’s civil and constitutional rights have been violated.

Chapter officials will file a lawsuit against the State of Louisiana on behalf of the performer, whose real name is Corey Miller.

Miller’s attorney, Ron Rokosky, said in a statement that his client deserves a new trial. “The fact of the matter is Corey Miller was tried, found guilty and sentenced based on testimony of witnesses who admittedly perjured themselves. There is no physical evidence in this case,” Rokosky said. “A judge reviewed the case, finding countless legal errors and in the interest of justice, she ordered a new trial ultimately overturning his conviction.

“Even though this judge acted properly, the Appellate Court is still denying Miller a new trial.”

Miller was convicted of second-degree murder in the 2002 shooting death of 16-year-old Steve Thomas inside New Orleans’ now-defunct Platinum club. The judge later ordered a new trial because prosecutors had withheld information about the witnesses.

A state appeals court denied the request, saying there was other evidence that established Miller’s guilt.

In the meantime, Miller, whose older siblings are rap artists Master P and Silkk The Shocker, has decided to change his stage name from C-Murder to C-Miller.

“From the beginning, I have been a target because of who I am, my stage name and for my success as an entertainer and the success of my siblings,” Miller said in a statement. “People hear the name C-Murder and they don’t realize that the name simply means that I have seen many murders in my native Calliope Projects neighborhood. I am not a murderer.”

Meanwhile, the rapper’s latest album, which he partially recorded in jail, debuted at No. 41 on Nielsen SoundScan’s Top 200 album chart.