Gretna - Rapper Corey "C-Murder" Miller was found guilty of second-degree murder by a Jefferson Parish jury Tuesday afternoon for the second time in one day.
Jurors handed up the verdict to Judge Hans Liljeberg, who accepted it, after rejecting the same verdict earlier in the day. In a bizarre twist, Liljeberg said that one of the jurors came to the first decision because that juror indicated they wanted to leave. He says he read a note from a juror saying she voted under duress.
The verdict went through with the minimum amount of jurors voting to convict, 10-2.
The first verdict was announced after a nearly deadlocked jury was given a break for fresh air and told to, "take another stab at it." Jurors were sent back into the jury room for further deliberations.
The second verdict was returned around 1:45 p.m.
Jurors actually started the second day with a note right away that one juror has been sleeping and reading scripture and not really participating in the deliberations. Though the jury was visibly upset, the judge sent them back.
Jurors were asked to determine whether or not Miller is guilty in the shooting death of Steve Thomas. Thomas was killed during a concert at a nightclub.
When the second verdict was accepted, and two families were very emotional.
"I have feelings. My brother is locked up right now. They got him locked. He's innocent. He's been innocent even when a person came forward and said he did this. Why are they doing this to my family?" said Corey Miller's sister, Germaine Miller.
She is highly emotional after a jury found her brother guilty of 2nd degree murder, in the 2002 shooting death of 16 year old Steve Thomas.
The family is angry at the Jefferson Parish Criminal Justice System.
"I'm tired of it and everybody holding their breath, and we're over here, and I'm not scared of Jefferson Parish. And y'all can deal with it!" she shouted after exiting the courthouse.
Miller's father, Percy, left early. He was mad too.
"All of them are goin' to burn in hell. Lie, they know that man didn't kill nobody. They keep rigging that case up," Percy Miller said.
"It's a stage name, that's not his real name. His name is Corey Miller. C-Murder is a stage name," said Miller's cousin Nakita Coleman.
"I'm not rejoicing over them. I feel sorry for his people but at least you can see him but what we have is in a grave. and a photo. That's all we have," said murder victim's father George Thomas.
Thomas' family is grateful.
"My baby was a nice person and everybody liked him and he didn't deserve to go the way he left from here," said Steve Thomas' mother, Dolores Thomas.
"Justice is finally served for Steve Thomas and the rest of his family," said Jefferson Parish Assistant District Attorney David Wolff.
Corey miller's family says what happened today is an injustice.
"Corruption, investigate that . You all got victory but we have the last victory. God will see we get the last victory. Justice will be done," Germaine Miller said.
Now Corey Miller faces a sentence of life in prison.
Sentencing is scheduled Friday.
Miller's family believes with all the jury issues that came up, including a note Monday that indicated they may have hung jury, that this case will be appealed.
Miller is already serving time for an attempted murder conviction in Baton Rouge.
