C-Murder Faces Accusations Of Witness Tampering

05/02/2002 5:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
Mark Armstrong

(5/2/02, 5 p.m. ET) -- New Orleans-based No Limit rapper C-Murder (Corey Miller) was accused by prosecutors of having a cell phone smuggled into the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna, Louisiana, where he is currently being held on second-degree murder charges. Prosecutors allege that C-Murder, younger brother of rap mogul Master P, used the cell phone to contact friends so that they would harm or influence witnesses who might have been willing to testify against him.

Judge Martha Sassone revoked the rapper's bail, which had been set at $2 million, after hearing the prosecutors' allegations. Two deputies linked to the smuggled cell phone were also fired by the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center.

C-Murder has not posted bail since his January arrest because he would have to return to prison immediately due to a pending, unrelated attempted-murder charge he is also currently facing. He was already out on bail when he was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, so if he were to post bail, his arrest would be viewed as a violation of the terms of his initial bail agreement and he would be forced to turn himself in to authorities immediately.

C-Murder's current second-degree murder charges stem from the shooting and killing of 16-year-old Steve Thomas at the Platinum Club in Harvey, Louisiana, on January 12. The rapper has maintained his innocence throughout the case, and his attorneys have accused the prosecution of withholding the name of witnesses, including several who didn't initially identify C-Murder as the gunman during 911 calls, according to the rapper's lawyers.

The next scheduled hearing is May 22.

-- Yves Erwin Salomon, New York

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