C-Murder Gets New Trial, New Judge

According to the Times-Picayune, Rapper C-Murder will get a new trial and a new judge after having his second-degree murder conviction overturned.

Signaling that she will not preside over the rapper’s murder trial a second time, Judge Martha Sassone has set a January hearing in the Corey “C-Murder” Miller case, two weeks after her final day on the District Court bench in Gretna.

Sassone, who was lambasted during her failed bid for re-election for giving Miller preferential treatment, noted her decision Tuesday in the rapper’s case file, effectively granting his attorney’s request to postpone the trial.

Jefferson Parish School Board member Ellen Kovach, who handily defeated Sassone in the Nov. 4 runoff, has said she will recuse herself from the case when she joins the 24th Judicial District Court because of her criticism during the campaign of the incumbent’s handling of Miller.

That means it could be weeks, if not months, before another jurist is selected to preside over the case.

Miller, 37, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Steve Thomas, 16, on Jan. 12, 2002, at a Harvey nightclub. He was convicted in 2003, but after a series of hearings, Sassone granted the rapper a new trial. If convicted again, Miller would face mandatory life in prison.

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