The murder trial of Corey "C-Murder" Miller kicked off with testimony from a bouncer who claims to have witnessed the rapper shooting the 16-year-old victim.
The bouncer, Darnell Jordan Sr., told the court the he saw Miller shoot Steve Thomas as members of his entourage attacked him.
While he says he did not see the gun in Miller's hand, Jordan says he did see the muzzle flash come from the arm extended in Thomas' direction.
Jordan's testimony has been the source of controversy in the case, as Miller's defense attorney, Ron Rokosky, claims it is based on "coercive tactics," including his arrest, by the prosecution.
Prosecutor David Wolff defended the arrest, saying he had to resort to harsher tactics because witnesses were afraid to testify.
"Witnesses in this case have been threatened," Wolff told the press outside the courtroom. "Witnesses in this case fear for their safety."
Jordan admitted to being afraid of testifying at trial and lying when originally asked about how committed the murder.
"Who are you scared of," Wolff asked him. "C-Murder," he replied.
"I grabbed C-Murder and told him to chill out. He tried to weasel his way in. And when he did, gunshots, no, one gunshot... Miller stuck his hand under the pile. That's when I saw the muzzle flash."
Yo! Raps will keep you posted as more details in the case become available.
Early this week, Judge Hans Liljeberg of the 24th Judicial District Court denied Corey “C-Murder” Miller and his prosecutors postponement request made earlier this month.
The postponement request was made because Juan Flowers, a man currently serving life in prison, claims that he is the one who killed 16-year-old Steve Thomas in 2002.
Since the postponement request was denied prosecutors will only have two weeks to investigate Flowers’ claims. Prosecutors were also hoping to investigate whether or not obstruction of justice or witness tampering were involved.
"This is, in fact, a key issue in the trial," Assistant District Attorney David Wolff explained to Judge Liljeberg.
C-Murder’s trial has already been postponed twice and Judge Liljeberg was ready to begin the trial in January before it was postponed.
"I wanted to go to trial with it that Monday [January 12]," said Judge Liljeberg.
For seven years C-Murder has awaited trail for the 2002 murder of Steve Thomas at a nightclub and he faces life in prison if convicted. Jury selection for the trial is expected to begin on August 3.
An incarcerated friend of C-Murder (born Corey Miller) has admitted to the fatal shooting of the teenager for which the rapper is currently facing murder charges.
Miller's friend, Juan Flowers, has reportedly told authorities that although he is the one who pulled the trigger, neither him or the rapper are responsible for the murder of 16-year-old Steve Thomas.
Flowers is also currently in jail, serving a life sentence for an unrelated murder in Georgia.
His admission comes just weeks before Miller is set to be retried for Thomas' murder.
In an effort to save his client's freedom, Miller's attorney, Ron Rakosky, is requesting Flowers be transported from Georgia to testify at his trial, says NOLA News.
"Juan Edwin Flowers has stated under oath that it was he who fired the shot which killed Steve Thomas," Rakosky wrote in his request. "His testimony is therefore relevant and he is a material witness."
Miller was convicted of the homicide in 2003, but the ruling was overturned because of alleged prosecutorial misconduct.
If convicted, Miller is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison.
